Liquidator question ?

[nomad26]

I have had this Liquidator for a few years now. I think its ok , I am not crazy about the journey I have had with it. I have put my own flow meter on it and took off all the stock parts .
So it works .
My question is why does it fill with calcium in just to weeks, at the bottom of the tub it builds up calcium to about 3=5 inches and the floats are caked with it as well.
So i end up cleaning it every 2-3 months which is a PIA.
I thought I would check on here to see if I was doing something wrong.
I know my calcium is high I just tested it at 425 pp I cannot drain water because of the draught here in California
all My other readings are on the money
CC 7
PH 7.5
TA 100
CLA 45
6000 gal fiberglass pool with spill over

 

[Bama Rambler]

Unfortunately that's one of the things that happen to some installs.

Do you use a lot of acid controlling the pH?

 

[nomad26]

Bama
I would say yes to using allot of acid to control PH my PH goes up weekly . I was told the ph goes up in my pool because of my overflow spa into the pool.
If this is normal that the Liquidator does this with acid use I am ok with it.
I was just checking to see if I was doing something wrong ?
I am curious does this have any harm when the tub has 5 inches of calcium on the bottom ?
Should it be cleaned out on a regular basis to keep the calcium out of the tank ?

 

[duraleigh]

Not much harm but it should certainly be cleaned out. Your high CH can stay in solution until it enters the liquidator. The very high pH inside the liquidator causes some of the calcium to precipitate into a solid and adhere to the LQ surfaces. I know of no solution.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The reason I asked if you used a lot of acid is that if you wanted to set up an acid injection system you could feed it in to the return just before the LQ inlet and that would drop the pH in the LQ a little and may help keep the calcium from coming out of suspension in the LQ. However, the LQ removing some CH isn't necessarily a bad problem. It's just a cleaning chore on a regular basis.

 

[nomad26]

Thanks for that information thats what I wanted to know. Would this be a good place to ask what are the pros and cons of a Liquidator vs Stenner pump

The reason I asked if you used a lot of acid is that if you wanted to set up an acid injection system you could feed it in to the return just before the LQ inlet and that would drop the pH in the LQ a little and may help keep the calcium from coming out of suspension in the LQ. However, the LQ removing some CH isn't necessarily a bad problem. It's just a cleaning






chore on a regular basis.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I'll say right off the bat that I'm biased. I have owned both the LQ (liquidator) and a Stenner injection pump. The LQ is cheaper than an injection pump install, but the injection pump allows you to store a lot more bleach so you can go a lot longer between fillings. It also doesn't change flow due to the skimmer basket filling with debris. Those things alone are enough to make it worthwhile for me to own an injection pump.

 

[nomad26]

I'll say right off the bat that I'm biased. I have owned both the LQ (liquidator) and a Stenner injection pump. The LQ is cheaper than an injection pump install, but the injection pump allows you to store a lot more bleach so you can go a lot longer between fillings. It also doesn't change flow due to the skimmer basket filling with debris. Those things alone are enough to make it worthwhile for me to own an injection pump.

Thanks Bama
I don't really like the Flow valve I have replace with the stock valve.
I have also eliminated the the flow meter that cracked even know they sent me a new one.
Not sure I under stand what the flow has to do with the basket being filed with debris . My guess is its cuts down suction so the flow is less on the LQ.
I don't have lots of leaves my basket is clean most of the time
I just don't like the adjustment for the flow of the bleach coming from LQ .
I am guessing the Stenner is more accurate flow adjustment ?
What would it cost me for a Stenner for a small pool like mine ?

 

[Bama Rambler]

What happens when the skimmer basket gets full of leaves and/or debris is that the suction head goes up and causes the LQ to move more liquid therefore raising the FC. Like you, some people don't have that problem.

All sizes of the pumps are the same price, but with your size pool, you can use a smaller tank.

 

[laprjns]

Ok, I'll admit that at first I was little envious of all of you with stenner pumps, but have have grown to love my Liquidator. I don't have the calcium precipitation problem that you have with my CH being around 100 and TA at 60 and with my short swim season I only need to clean my system at closing. I have made a couple of mods, one being that I tossed the flowmeter (leaking) and added a pinch valve for more precise control flow. I have not experienced the reduced flow issues that Bama mentioned but that may be because I have two skimmers and two main drains always pulling flow. As for hauling chlorine jug, i do use 12.5%; its the best value around here ,and store it in my basement. So yes once or twice a week I haul out a couple of gallons and fill it up. I can and have gone over a week without filling, but unless I know I can't get to the pool, I never fill it to the max preferring to keep the chlorine store in my cool basement.

One thing that I I really starting to appreciate is the constant low level injection of chlorine throughout the on cycle of filter system with no spikes in FC levels. Using in the pinch valve I can dial in the flow to maintain 4 to 5 ppm FC level (CYA of 40 PPM) without much day to day variation. I found that once dialed in, I only need to make slight adjustments maybe once a week.

 

[ewkearns]

According to the patent on the Liquidator, what you are seeing is salt (NaCl), so it should wash out easily. (Mine does.) You can add borates to reduce the accumulation of sediment.

 

[rohan]

laprjns - can you describe in a bit more detail how you added the pinch valve in place of the flowmeter? I've got a USP pinch valve (5/16-3/8) I'd like to add as well. Thanks.

 

[duraleigh]

I'm gonna' leave everything alone but, rohan, make sure you don't hi-jack OP's thread. Let him get his questions answered (I think he has) before you change the conversation. Starting your own thread would have been more correct but I can understand why you wanted to stay on this subject. good luck with the LQ....I like them.

 

[BKJ]

Hi Nomad,

With respect to the "flow meter", may I ask which one you are now using along with a link if possible? I recently installed a liquidator and I am looking to replace the stock flow meter but can't seem to locate one. Also, based on the recommendations from the TFP community, I am going to be replacing the stock flow valve with a Hayward pinch valve.

 

[laprjns]

laprjns - can you describe in a bit more detail how you added the pinch valve in place of the flowmeter? I've got a USP pinch valve (5/16-3/8) I'd like to add as well. Thanks.

I just removed the flowmeter. It was leaking and I found that it wasn't necessary. Here's a picture of my pinch valve installed just up stream of the stock valve on the output side of the Liquidator. I use the stock valve now as a shutoff, Note that the knob is broken.



Here is the pinch valve that I'm using US Plastics Pinch Valve

 

[BKJ]

Hi Laprjns,

Thanks for the pic and clarification. I am going to ditch my flow meter as well and simply use the method your using --- stock flow valve [will be as shutoff] and a pinch valve [will be for better chemical control].