The idea of aerating your pool water may sound a bit strange at first. After all, aeration naturally occurs when swimmers use the pool, and also when it rains.
So why shell out more money for a pool aerator? And doesn’t the additional running cost cancel out their use in the first place?
Let’s take it from the top.
What Is Pool Aeration?
Pool aeration is the process of infusing pool water with oxygen.
The idea is that aeration affects the pool water in a few different ways, potentially saving you money on heating and chemical bills.
Aeration is beneficial to pools everywhere, but you’ll notice more benefits if you live in a dry climate rather than a humid one.
Aerating is also more advantageous in the summer months, since cooler months (when you’re likely opening and closing the pool) don’t really require it.
Why Aerate Your Pool Water?
Let’s go over how aerating the water can be beneficial for you and your pool.
It Can Raise Your pH Level
Raising the pool water’s pH level using aeration is reserved for situations where you need to lower its total alkalinity quickly.
Lowering total alkalinity is usually done because the pH level is rising too fast, or the total alkalinity is high and contributing to calcium scaling.
The first thing you need to do in these situations is add the appropriate amount of muriatic acid to the pool. This acid will reduce the water’s pH level, and you need to get it between 7.0 and 7.2. Muriatic acid also lowers the total alkalinity of the pool.
Next, you’ll turn on your aerator and infuse the pool with aerated water. The infusion of aerated water will cause the pool’s pH level to rise, with the ideal pH level being between 7.2 and 7.6.
This is the only way you can raise the pH level without raising the total alkalinity at the same time.
You’ll have to repeat these steps until the total alkalinity reaches between 80 and 120 ppm. This process can take days (and sometimes weeks) depending on how far you need to lower your alkalinity, and how much aeration you can give to your pool water.
It Improves Circulation
Aerators shoot a stream (or spray) of water which picks up oxygen before landing in the pool. This oxygenated stream of water is what then infuses the pool with air.
Due to how the stream lands, it disrupts the pool water, moving it around. This additional movement keeps the existing sanitizing chemicals in the pool constantly moving, which is important for them to do their job of keeping the water clean.
When pool water sits stagnant for too long, problems like algae can occur. This will require you to thoroughly clean your pool by brushing, vacuuming, and shocking it, in order to fully eradicate the algae bloom.
It Cools Your Pool Water
Oxygen that enters the pool water is also going to lower the water temperature of the water.
In other words, just as exposing water to the sun will heat it, exposing water to air will cool it.
Due to the outside temperature dropping at night, running the aerator during these hours will be more beneficial. Some climates are so hot that running an aerator during the day won’t do too much in terms of cooling because the air temperature is too warm.
Cooling the water also prolongs the longevity of chlorine. Warm water destroys it fairly quickly, so an aerator will actually help you use less chlorine over the lifetime of the pool, saving you money.
How Do You Aerate Pool Water?
There are a few ways you can inject your pool with oxygen.
Install A Dedicated Pool Aerator
A dedicated pool aerator is usually built into the coping, or deck of the pool and attached to the pool pump.
It has its own dedicated valve, allowing you to manually adjust the level of flow coming out of the aerator.
This is helpful so you can dial in the precise setting to cover as much ground in relation to the surface of your pool.
Leverage Your Water Features
If you have a pool water feature included in your pool, you already have an aerator. Most (if not all) of the most popular water features today inject the pool with water and oxygen.
Deck jets act almost identical to an actual pool aerator. They’re installed either in the coping or decking, and shoot arches of water into the pool.
Another popular feature is a pool mister. Pool misters (sometimes referred to as pool coolers) can be installed at the water line and connected to your return jets.
The jets will then create a misting effect over the surface of the pool. Some misters can also be installed on a pergola, allowing for distribution over the entire pool area.
Additional features that all provide pool water aeration are waterfalls, sheer descents, scuppers, bubblers, and fountains.
Angle Your Return Jets
If you don’t have the appropriate aerating equipment, but still want to give it a try, you can simply angle your pool’s return jets as far north as they can go and jack up your pump to the high setting.
This will return the water from the filtration system and back to the pool at the highest speed.
Of course, this method is dependent on the jets being directionally adjustable. But even having water slightly bubbling on the surface of the water can introduce oxygen and provide the pool with the benefits of aeration.
The Verdict
So should you use an aerator with your pool?
The answer? It depends.
For those that live in hot, dry heat climates that heat up the pool like soup, having an aerator to lower the pool water temperature is a good idea.
However, if you live in a humid climate, or one where your pool requires a heater to keep the water to a comfortable swimming temperature, an aerator offers minimal benefits.
