Phosphate Remover

[Phillbo]

First off, I did not get sold snake oil by a pool store but was given a bottle of SeaKlear Phosphate Remover and Natural Clarifier from a buddy while helping him move over the weekend.

I don't have an algae problem at the moment so would it be of any value to use it ? Should I get my Phosphates checked to make that determination?

I plan to do my annual tear down and clean of my DE grids this weekend so now is the time if I am going to use it.

Basically, since I have it , should I go ahead and use it ?

 

[duraleigh]

Basically, since I have it , should I go ahead and use it ?

No. One of the tenants of BBB is not putting things in your pool you don't need. You don't need either of those.

 

[Guest]

With a DE filter the natural clarifier won't to that much for you.
If you do have phosphates in the water the phosphate remover will cloud the water and make your filter pressure rise quickly until the water clears. It's worse than an algae bloom, IMHO.
I would say no to using both.

EDIT: Dave and I posted at the same time. Amazing how twisted minds think alike!

 

[Phillbo]

cool.. that's why I ask the experts.. 8)

 

[idowatsu]

The reason I used a phosphate remover was I had a problem with the SWG output and the tech guy recommended to test for phosphates that they will eat all the chlorine as it is made. So I went to the fish store , bought a phosphate test kit and found that I had a high level in the pool, probably from the diverse amount of people in the pool and detergent in their suits.
We only have 2 pool stores I luckily found a bottle of remover the store was given as a sample, unusual that he had it at all.
Followed the directions exactly, BIG WARNING on bottle DO NOT USE TOO MUCH! Did the trick for me. Probably the only person that will ever need that up here. I haven't needed it since but I test for phosphates when the chlorine levels don't come up like the should with the SWG

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Phosphates are algae food, but if you maintain proper FC levels, high levels of phosphates are irrelevant.

 

[chem geek]

The reason I used a phosphate remover was I had a problem with the SWG output and the tech guy recommended to test for phosphates that they will eat all the chlorine as it is made.

This is complete baloney. Phosphates do not consume chlorine. As noted, phosphates are one of the essential nutrients for algae (nitrates being another, as well as carbon dioxide and sunlight) so if you aren't maintaining an appropriate Free Chlorine (FC) level relative to the Cyanuric Acid (CYA) level, then algae can grow faster than chlorine can kill it. Initially, this looks like unusual chlorine demand because the algae is not yet visible (i.e. water is not yet dull or cloudy).

The standard recommendation by SWG manufacturers of 1-3 ppm FC with 60-80 ppm CYA is NOT sufficient to prevent algae growth under conditions when algae can grow quickly, including when phosphates and other nutrients are high enough. So often people find their SWG can't output fast enough to kill algae and then blame phosphates. A shock with chlorinating liquid or bleach and then maintaining at least 4 ppm FC would be all that is needed. In my non-SWG pool, I have 2000-3000 ppb phosphates and yet am able to keep algae from growing by maintaining an appropriate FC relative to CYA. Some others on this forum have even higher phosphate levels.

Phosphate removers can be seen in the same way as algaecides; an extra product at extra cost that can prevent algae growth, but is not necessary if one maintains an appropriate chlorine level.

Richard

 

[Guest]

The reason I used a phosphate remover was I had a problem with the SWG output and the tech guy recommended to test for phosphates that they will eat all the chlorine as it is made.

This is not true. Phosphates do NOT "eat" chlorine. You had a nascent algae bloom that was consuming your chlorine and you could have solved the problem easier and cheaper by shocking with bleach and then raising your cell output a bit to prevent it from happening again. This is assuming your CYA was not too low, which is often a contributing factor.