AFO (Aquatics Facilitator Operator)
Glossary all terms with verified
denotations
Acid - correct answer ✔A commonly use chemical compound dosed into swimming pools
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
that releases hydrogen ions in water thereby lowering pH
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Algae - correct answer ✔a simple nuisance plant life that colonizes in water under favorable
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
conditions
Alkalinity - correct answer ✔A measure of the pH-buffering capacity of water
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Aluminum Sulfate - correct answer ✔Alum; a flocculating agent frequently used as a
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
supplement in rapid sand filters only! ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Ammonia (NH3) - correct answer ✔A chemical compound of hydrogen and nitrogen that
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
combines with free chlorine in pools to form chloramines, or combined chlorine.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Automation - correct answer ✔Electronic equipment that senses water variables (primarliy
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
chlorine, ORP, temperature, and pH) and controls chemical feeder or heater systems to
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
maintain desired levels.||| |||
Backwash - correct answer ✔The process of cleaning a swimming pool filter by reversing the
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
flow of water through it.
||| ||| ||| |||
, Balance - correct answer ✔In pools, use to refer to a condition of the water that is neither
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
scaling nore aggressive/corrosive. ||| |||
Basic - correct answer ✔Opposite of acidic, a pH condition above 7.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Bleach (NaCIO) - correct answer ✔Sodium hypochlorite, usually 12% strength, "liquid
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
chlorine" for pool use. ||| ||| |||
Body Coat (Body Feed) - correct answer ✔Biatomaceous earth contimuously added to filter
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
elements during the course of a filter run to help maintain filter efficacy and extend filter
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
runs.
Breakpoint (Chlorination) - correct answer ✔The point in a rising chlorine residual at which
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
the concentration of available chlorine becomes great enough to oxidize most organiz
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
matter, chloramines, and ammonia compounds in a pool. Chlorine added thereafter will be in
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
the uncombined, or free, state.
||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Bromine (Br2) - correct answer ✔a heavy, dark-reddish-brown liquid in the same chemical
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
family as chlorine gas. It is sometimes used as a bactericide in pools, usually in a solid-
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
compound or salt form. ||| ||| |||
Calcification (see also Scale) - correct answer ✔Formation of calcium carbonate on walls of
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
pools or pipes, or in a filter or heater, due to precipitation of calcium carbonate.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Calcium Hypochlorite {Ca(CIO)2} - correct answer ✔Compound of chlorine and calcium used
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
in white granular or tablet form as a disinfectant in pools. Typically, 65% chlorine by weight
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
and a pH of ~11 in water.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Calcium Saturation Index (CSI) - correct answer ✔Derived from the Langelier Index, for
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
determining water's tendency to scale or be aggressive. Sometimes known at the LSI or SI.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Glossary all terms with verified
denotations
Acid - correct answer ✔A commonly use chemical compound dosed into swimming pools
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
that releases hydrogen ions in water thereby lowering pH
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Algae - correct answer ✔a simple nuisance plant life that colonizes in water under favorable
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
conditions
Alkalinity - correct answer ✔A measure of the pH-buffering capacity of water
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Aluminum Sulfate - correct answer ✔Alum; a flocculating agent frequently used as a
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
supplement in rapid sand filters only! ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Ammonia (NH3) - correct answer ✔A chemical compound of hydrogen and nitrogen that
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
combines with free chlorine in pools to form chloramines, or combined chlorine.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Automation - correct answer ✔Electronic equipment that senses water variables (primarliy
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
chlorine, ORP, temperature, and pH) and controls chemical feeder or heater systems to
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
maintain desired levels.||| |||
Backwash - correct answer ✔The process of cleaning a swimming pool filter by reversing the
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
flow of water through it.
||| ||| ||| |||
, Balance - correct answer ✔In pools, use to refer to a condition of the water that is neither
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
scaling nore aggressive/corrosive. ||| |||
Basic - correct answer ✔Opposite of acidic, a pH condition above 7.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Bleach (NaCIO) - correct answer ✔Sodium hypochlorite, usually 12% strength, "liquid
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
chlorine" for pool use. ||| ||| |||
Body Coat (Body Feed) - correct answer ✔Biatomaceous earth contimuously added to filter
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
elements during the course of a filter run to help maintain filter efficacy and extend filter
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
runs.
Breakpoint (Chlorination) - correct answer ✔The point in a rising chlorine residual at which
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
the concentration of available chlorine becomes great enough to oxidize most organiz
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
matter, chloramines, and ammonia compounds in a pool. Chlorine added thereafter will be in
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
the uncombined, or free, state.
||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Bromine (Br2) - correct answer ✔a heavy, dark-reddish-brown liquid in the same chemical
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
family as chlorine gas. It is sometimes used as a bactericide in pools, usually in a solid-
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
compound or salt form. ||| ||| |||
Calcification (see also Scale) - correct answer ✔Formation of calcium carbonate on walls of
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
pools or pipes, or in a filter or heater, due to precipitation of calcium carbonate.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Calcium Hypochlorite {Ca(CIO)2} - correct answer ✔Compound of chlorine and calcium used
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
in white granular or tablet form as a disinfectant in pools. Typically, 65% chlorine by weight
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
and a pH of ~11 in water.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
Calcium Saturation Index (CSI) - correct answer ✔Derived from the Langelier Index, for
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
determining water's tendency to scale or be aggressive. Sometimes known at the LSI or SI.
||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |||
