Pool Chemistry 101: Keep Your Water Safe And Clean

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Having fun in the water is a great way to spend your time in the hot weather. It’s a form of exercise as well as a fun time with the family. Even in the Philippines, where natural beaches are plentiful, owning your own pool can ensure you have private access to the water anytime you want. However, owning a pool is also a lot of hard work. To keep your pool safe and clean for you and your family, you need to ensure proper water chemistry. There are three chemical factors that every pool owner needs to monitor in order to maintain proper pool chemistry. These factors are pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness.

pH Level and Acidity

pH level is a measure of acidity, and to maintain safe pool chemistry, pools should be between 7.4 and 7.6. Higher levels can cause scaling in your plumbing, while lower levels cause eroding on any metal, as well as etching into the side of your pool. Adding sodium bicarbonate or baking soda will raise pH while sodium bisulfate or muriatic acid will lower levels. pH can also fluctuate due to outside factors, like rain or debris.

Alkalinity and resisting pH level changes

Alkalinity works hand in hand with pH and is the water’s capacity to resist changes in pH that would make the water more acidic. Alkalinity at 100 to 150 ppm will ultimately prevent your pH level from being altered. It is raised and lowered in the same way as pH, with baking soda and muriatic acid.

Calcium hardness for good water consistency

Lastly, Calcium hardness keeps your pool clean and its surface a good consistency. Your pool’s calcium hardness should be set at 150 to 400 ppm. If it’s any softer, the water will become slimy and corrode the pool’s surface. On the other hand, if it’s any higher, it will cause cloudy water that leaves precipitants in plumbing. In order to raise levels, you should use calcium chloride and if you need to lower the levels, use muriatic acid.

Other chemical factors

Outside of the chemical factors, several other chemicals are needed to sanitize your pool and keep unwanted bacteria and algae out. Algae are safe for humans, but can cause other problems with pool chemistry, and may attract harmful bacteria. The most common chemical is chlorine, but Biguanide, Bromine, minerals, and ozone are suitable alternatives to avoid the chlorine smell, or if you don’t like chlorine. In addition to regular sanitation, shocking your pool involves killing bacteria that your regular amount of chlorine misses. This may involve using a larger amount of chlorine, or oxidizing your pool. Good water filtration and circulation can also safeguard a pool of algae and bacteria, as well as make pool cleans ups easier through flocculation, or clumping debris together.

Owning a pool can give you the proper exercise and entertainment you deserve during the hot seasons. However, you need to make sure your pool chemistry is properly taken care of using the right pool test kit.

Biggest Audience Turnout Makes Binibining Pilipinas History

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A huge crowd of over 10,000 high-energy fans gave Binibining Pilipinas its biggest audience turnout in its long, illustrious history when it held this year’s much-anticipated Grand Coronation Night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last March 18, 2018.

Dubbed as the Most Beautiful Night in the Philippines, the country’s premier beauty pageant drew a massive audience in support of their favorite candidates that they hope would represent the country in international competitions. The excitement surrounding this batch of candidates was at its highest, and this led to the biggest number of ticket sales for the coronation night to date.

With a bigger stage comprised of multiple stairs and landings, and dressed with LED monitors and lighted acrylic trimmings, it was one of the most striking presentations of the prestigious pageant, befitting the most beautiful women in the country. The Big Dome was filled with hordes of fans with lighted signs and letters spelling out their chosen candidates’ names; some even came with whistles and other paraphernalia to cheer their favorites on.

It was a night of frontrunner triumphs and interesting revelations when the judges finally announced the new Queens. The appreciative audience cheered for 2nd Runner-up Samantha Bernardo and 1st Runner-up Vickie Rushton; they made a lot of noise when the new queens were called: Karen Gallman was named this year’s Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental; Michele Gumabao, Binibining Pilipinas Globe; Eva Patalinjug, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International; Jehza Mae Huelar, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational; and Ahtisa Manalo, Binibining Pilipinas International.

But the loudest cheers erupted when favorite Catriona Gray was named this year’s Miss Philippines Universe. The Fil-Australian beauty who represents Albay had described joining this year’s competition as nerve-wracking. Her vocal and very passionate fans, collectively known as Catrionians, feel she is ripe to bring home a fourth Miss Universe title after Pia Wurtzbach.

“The Binibini fans are wonderful,” say Mrs. Stella Marquez Araneta, Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. chair. “They give so much love to the ladies; their support really boosts the candidates’ confidence, and sees them thru the trying periods in this competition. We will not be able to keep doing this without them.”

The new Queens are now busy doing media interviews and other Binibini-related appearances. Catch more of them on the official Binibining Pilipinas Facebook page (@realbbpilipinas) and the official website. For pageant fanatics, the Binibining Pilipinas 2018 souvenir magazine is also being sold at the Snaxx counter of Gateway Cineplex, 4th level, Gateway Mall.

Nadine Lustre and Friends for #ChooseCurvalicious by Whisper

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Today’s women are a force to be reckoned with. Unfazed by nothing and empowered to do more, they are unabashedly beautiful and confident wherever they go.

However, it is very rare that fat and ugly women are chosen for top positions whether it be for any field. From a recent beauty pageant grand coronation, one of the judges at the Q&A portion asked why is it that the pageant highlights a search for inner beauty but requires only beautiful women to successfully pass as candidates. This is because we still prioritize physical beauty, and pick out the better one out of the best choices. After all, it is still a "beauty" pageant, thus the intellect, talent, etc, are just bonuses.

Woman empowerment movements have been around for ages, but they still pose a questionable effect that coukd be damaging rather than empowering.

Every woman empowerment movement should  never sound or look like they are competing with men. Everyone should realize that gender should never be a preference or hindrance towards a goal.

But please do remember that if we want equality, we should equally work hard for it, and never use femininity to take advantage of situations.

Everyone must also get the necessary experience, skills and attitude appropriate for the job....and not get special privilege because you do pa-tweetums, landi and smiley echos to your boss to attain something. If we want equality, kanya-kanya tayong buhat ng bigat natin. Kanya-kanya tayong akyat ng hagdan. Huwag idaan sa female only elevator. Lol!

On March 20 at 5PM, Nadine Lustre took the stage as Whisper launched the Whisper Curvalicious Movement at Valkyrie Night Club, The Palace, BGC and performed the latest Whisper anthem.

We joined in celebrating the new Whisper woman, fearless, fierce, and playfully bold - Nadine Lustre, together with Two of Nadine’s best girl friends, Kiana Valenciano and Lauren Reid. You can be Fearless! Just like them, and #ChooseCurvalicious with New soft cottony Whisper!

Say yes to Curvalicious!!!

The party ain’t complete without Nadine, together with two of G-Force’s talented dancers, performed on stage her new Whisper Curvalicious song. We will upload the video of the song soon at our social media pages.

In the real world, we should be helping each other, becoming the strength for each others weaknesses, and stop proving that the male or female species can be equally better. It's already 2018. Women have proven their worth so many times already. There should be no more reason why they keep shoving it down our throats. It is so sad to find out some women are still looked upon as the weaker gender because some of these women still expect to be given special privilege like being seated at crowded public transportation vehicles. If we don't want to stand, never enter a Standing-Room Only vehicles like the bus or MRT/LRT trains.

What lacks at the event is the emphasis that not only good looking or #curvalicious women should take the spotlight. Lustre, Valenciano and Reid are all "sexy" which could somehow motivate women to exercise, watch their diet, keep away from vices, in order to look similar. But for those that are not so lucky to have fit and fab genes, no time to exercise or go to gyms, can't afford the organic or the calorie-measured diets, the special pills or supplements, the visits to Calayan or Belo, or an agreeable metabolism, it's hard to get a body like those of these Whisper Curvalicious movement endorsers.

But I am not really against any movement that seeks better opportunities for everyone. It is everyone's dream to be able to pursue anything they desire and getting a fighting chance regardless of gender.

Again, choose Curvalicious because it supports the ultimate quest to get all women the same respect and appreciation as men.