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How do vegetation and fertilizers affect my pool water?

Your pool in San Diego is probably a welcome retreat for you after a long and difficult week at work, and why shouldn’t it be? Pools with crystal-clear water are practically begging to be splashed around in, and all that opportunity for fun in the sun, exercise and general revelry can make your investment in your pool pay off in a big way before you know it.

But obviously, maintaining your pool’s luminous appeal won’t come easy, and for many individuals, it can be a struggle just to get the right balance of chemicals in the water. That’s why a San Diego pool service is just the thing to keep your swimming water looking sharp, clean and, best of all, ready to be jumped into!

You may have a few questions though, and while a San Diego pool professional can be a terrific resource and help answer all your inquiries, it helps to know a thing or two about the way your pool is affected by outside elements like vegetation and fertilizers. Read on to learn more about what kind of impact these can have on your swimming water.

What are phosphates?
One of the biggest challenges that you’ll likely face as a pool owner is the exposure of your water to phosphates. What are these, exactly? First of all, they’re the main food for aquatic plants including all types of algae. Secondly, phosphates are made up of compounds of phosphorus, which is a nonmetallic element.

If phosphates are allowed to linger in your pool or spa, they can eventually become the primary source of grub for algae and form a sort of welcome party for other types of algae, because essentially their presence is an open invitation for more to grow.

How did they get in the pool?
You may be wondering how something as annoying as phosphates managed to get into your pool. Well, it’s simple: Decaying vegetation and some fertilizers can be the cause of phosphate exposure and proliferation in your pool’s water.

These may also introduce nitrates into your water, which are found most often in leaves, manure, sewage and even bird feces that may drop into your pool. Twigs and bark that enter, as well as wind that may blow dirt into the water, can be sources of this exposure too.