Pool Ops Test Questions and Answers
100% pass
Balanced water - ✔✔- water that has all the correct levels of pH, Alkalinity, and
Calcium Hardness.
- These levels are important because it keeps the pool a safer and cleaner environment
for patrons to use
pH - ✔✔The measure of how acidic or basic a substance is
Acceptable pH range - ✔✔7.2-7.8.
Ideal pH range - ✔✔- 7.4-7.6 because it results in the least irritation of the human skin
and eye.
- pH of the human eye is 7.5.
Effects of Low pH - ✔✔Dissolves metals, stain surfaces, and can irritates human eyes &
skin.
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,Effects of High pH - ✔✔Makes free chlorine levels less effective (Chlorine is ineffective
over a pH of 8.0), it irritates human eyes & skin, reduces circulation, clouds water, and
creates white film/crusty deposits.
Chemical to reduce pH - ✔✔i. Muriatic Acid (HCl) and Sodium Bisulfate ("Dry Acid")
(NaHSO4).
Chemical to increase pH - ✔✔Soda Ash (Na2CO3)
Total Alkalinity - ✔✔- sum of alkaline substances in pool water
- buffer or a chemical system that resists change when an acid or base is added (like
muriatic acid)
- Water has no buffering ability on its own and without a buffer the pH can wander
wildly (pH Bounce), a good total alkalinity level will result in a stabilized pH.
Acceptable Total Alkalinity level - ✔✔80 ppm-120 ppm
Effects of Low Alkalinity - ✔✔Dissolves metals, stains surfaces, pH bounce
Effects of High Alkalinity - ✔✔pH drifts upwards, clouds water, reduces circulation,
and creates crusty/filmy deposits
Chemical to increase alkalinity - ✔✔Sodium Bicarbonate
Chemical to decrease alkalinity - ✔✔Muriatic Acid (HCl)
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, Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Water without the correct level of calcium or magnesium in it is
soft, it allows soap suds to form easily at the waters surface. Calcium or Magnesium is
added to make pool water harder or to prevent that
- average of regular water is 80 ppm
- If pool water does not contain the correct concentration of calcium or magnesium, the
water will leach minerals from the whitecoat causing it to become weak and crack.
Acceptable Calcium Hardness levels - ✔✔200 ppm-400 ppm
Effects of Low Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Etches plaster, dissolves grout, and pits pool
decks
High Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Causes heaters to work ineffectively, clouds water,
reduces circulation, forms white filmy, and crusty deposits
Chemical to increase Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)
How to decrease calcium hardness - ✔✔There is no chemical to decrease calcium
hardness levels, in order to decrease calcium hardness levels one must drain a large
volume of pool water out and add fresh water (Dilution).
Sanitation - ✔✔the reduction of the level of micro-organisms by significant numbers
(usually 99.9% or more) to levels established by federal and state authorities.
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100% pass
Balanced water - ✔✔- water that has all the correct levels of pH, Alkalinity, and
Calcium Hardness.
- These levels are important because it keeps the pool a safer and cleaner environment
for patrons to use
pH - ✔✔The measure of how acidic or basic a substance is
Acceptable pH range - ✔✔7.2-7.8.
Ideal pH range - ✔✔- 7.4-7.6 because it results in the least irritation of the human skin
and eye.
- pH of the human eye is 7.5.
Effects of Low pH - ✔✔Dissolves metals, stain surfaces, and can irritates human eyes &
skin.
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,Effects of High pH - ✔✔Makes free chlorine levels less effective (Chlorine is ineffective
over a pH of 8.0), it irritates human eyes & skin, reduces circulation, clouds water, and
creates white film/crusty deposits.
Chemical to reduce pH - ✔✔i. Muriatic Acid (HCl) and Sodium Bisulfate ("Dry Acid")
(NaHSO4).
Chemical to increase pH - ✔✔Soda Ash (Na2CO3)
Total Alkalinity - ✔✔- sum of alkaline substances in pool water
- buffer or a chemical system that resists change when an acid or base is added (like
muriatic acid)
- Water has no buffering ability on its own and without a buffer the pH can wander
wildly (pH Bounce), a good total alkalinity level will result in a stabilized pH.
Acceptable Total Alkalinity level - ✔✔80 ppm-120 ppm
Effects of Low Alkalinity - ✔✔Dissolves metals, stains surfaces, pH bounce
Effects of High Alkalinity - ✔✔pH drifts upwards, clouds water, reduces circulation,
and creates crusty/filmy deposits
Chemical to increase alkalinity - ✔✔Sodium Bicarbonate
Chemical to decrease alkalinity - ✔✔Muriatic Acid (HCl)
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, Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Water without the correct level of calcium or magnesium in it is
soft, it allows soap suds to form easily at the waters surface. Calcium or Magnesium is
added to make pool water harder or to prevent that
- average of regular water is 80 ppm
- If pool water does not contain the correct concentration of calcium or magnesium, the
water will leach minerals from the whitecoat causing it to become weak and crack.
Acceptable Calcium Hardness levels - ✔✔200 ppm-400 ppm
Effects of Low Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Etches plaster, dissolves grout, and pits pool
decks
High Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Causes heaters to work ineffectively, clouds water,
reduces circulation, forms white filmy, and crusty deposits
Chemical to increase Calcium Hardness - ✔✔Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)
How to decrease calcium hardness - ✔✔There is no chemical to decrease calcium
hardness levels, in order to decrease calcium hardness levels one must drain a large
volume of pool water out and add fresh water (Dilution).
Sanitation - ✔✔the reduction of the level of micro-organisms by significant numbers
(usually 99.9% or more) to levels established by federal and state authorities.
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