I apologize if I have put this in the wrong thread.

I got my pool last year & was convinced like so many others to go with this wonderful pool treatment system SoftSwim. I was told it was so much better than Chlorine & was the best product you could buy for a pool, if you want crystal clear, silky smooth & odorless water. Well I have to be honest I really like the SoftSwim line, except for the price. It's costing me a fortune to use, roughly $150 a month during the swimming season.

So my questions are as follows:

1) Is there a cheaper alternative to SoftSwim that is still a Biguanide?

2) Would I be better of converting to something else? *NOTE* I just had the sand changed on May 29th so I really would like to not have to do that again so soon.

3) Would I be better off draining the pool to the minimum level it can be, refilling and starting over?

I just don't know what to do. I'm not having any problems at all, well except stubborn borate levels that refuse to go below 86. I just can't afford to keep dumping this much money into the pool.

When I started all this, I wanted to go with a Pool Frog or Nature2 something inline, but the pool place said those were **** and don't work worth a darn. I even wanted to go the Salt Water route, but they told me I can't do that because it's an above ground pool & it will corrode the metal rails & caps as well as the frame of the pool.

ANY ADVISE IS WELCOMED!!!

Thank you so much!

Start by reading Pool School. You will find that a chlorine pool is the cheapest method you can use and will keep your pool the cleanest.

Softswim is not effective mainly because in a softswim pool you see a lot of issues with mold. Baquacil CDX is a MUCH better system. If used correctly it won't cost a fortune. I work at a pool store, and though chlorine is cheap, we see a lot of issues with it. We sell Bioguard chemicals and natural chemistry chemicals for chlorine pools. If you need help pm me or just ask whatever you want. I am more than happy to help you out!

What are "natural chemistry chemicals" for Chlorine?

That is like saying cars are cheap, but we see a lot of problems with them. Anything can have issues, it all depends on the way the end user treats them.

Those chlorine users you say are having problems are probably using trichlor tablets from the pool store!