what else to use besides adding Renew on a weekly basis's

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mahansc

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Apr 1, 2010
23
what else to use besides adding Renew on a weekly basis's? I've started buying pool salt from my local large building chain store (yes its 99% pure) but I read all about using 20 Mule Team and baking soda. so what else can I use instead of pour more $$ into the pool on a weekly basis's to keep my PH, CYA, FC etc in check? thanks in advance.

scott
 
Welcome Scott. The best thing you can do for yourself is to read Pool School. And when you get through with that, read it again.

When you say Renew, exactly what is it? The only thing I can find on the net is spa shock. What are the ingredients? (that should be on the container).

Also, tell us a little more about your equipment (pool size & type, pump, filter, other equipment, etc).
Are you buying salt because you have a salt water chlorine generator?
Tell us how you test and give us some test results.
 
welcome scott...the best advice is what Bama already stated as well as getting a good test kit such as the TF100 (TFTESTKITS.net).

Once you understand the concepts in pool school and use a proper kit, you will notice your maintenace costs go WAY down. I found this site last year and bought the kit...with proper maintence and a SWG, I did not shock my pool once during the entire season, except when closing for the winter.

Net...
1) welcome

2) READ POOL SCHOOL (over and over)
3) Get a good test kit and avoid paying for chemicals you just do not need.
 
bk406 said:
Renew is a Leisure time product. It's MPS non chlorine oxidizer.
Click to expand...

Once you get the swing of a properly chlorinated pool you'll never need to use this product again. :wink:

I haven't had to routinely shock my pool at all - in 3 years I've shocked for extended vacation/winterization and that's it.
 
Renew is a Mineral Springs Renewal product that is added weekly to maintain mineral levels.

I thought about using the BBB method but allot of what i've read states not to use it if your using a SWG. I haven't bought a test kit yet as I've been taking my water sample to the PS. this season i wont be. I've been looking at the Aqua Chek True Test Digital Tester along with AquaChek White - Salt test strips, i've good results all over the net about this product but was still wasn't sure it was worth the $$. has anyone used this product if so what's your thoughts on it?

My pools is a Trilogy pool and it's 32’x14’ (8,000K gallons)
Pentair Filter with Cartridges
1 hp Hayward variable speed pump
mineral springs SWG
 
mahansc said:
I thought about using the BBB method but allot of what i've read states not to use it if your using a SWG.
Click to expand...

Read where? Most if not all, SWG members on this forum follow the BBB method.

The best kits are the TF100 and the K2006. Both are drop based kits and super simple to use, and the most accurate. Digital readers often need calibration, seemed to be used by more pros. The kits I mentioned are perfect for the residential pool owner. Aqua Chek Salt test strips are okay for reading salt.

It sounds like your Renewal product is just Borax and Salt. A money scam if you ask me.
 
mahansc, I have a mineral springs swg also. When I ran out of the renewal bags that my pool builder left for me, I quit using it. That stuff is a ripoff - nothing more than salt, dry acid and a little borate. The Mineral Springs SWG is a great system - it is identical to the goldline aquarite with different stickers on the case and cell.

BBB will work great with your system! Most important thing about BBB, though, is being able to test your water accurately, precisely and consistently. Consistency is up to you, but the strips will fail you on the other two. Get a good, drop based test kit - either the TF100 available from tfteskits.net, or the taylor K-2006. Once you know how to test your water, and how to properly keep it balanced, then you can add only the chemicals that your pool needs instead an expensive bag of salt that may or may not keep your pool in proper balance.

Read "Pool School", and post back here with any questions you have. :goodjob:
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. looking up the two test kits now, and I printed most of the stuff from "Pool School" and will be reading it again later today while I'm drinking beer pool side.
 

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OK I just ordered the TF100 kit along with the Acu chk salt test strips. thanks again for all help. just have to wait for the kit to come in and go and purchase all the over the counter goodies.
 
I'm always intrigued by the folks with SWG that feel the need for excess maintenance. We are entering our third season with our SWG system. I have used my TF100 kit a total of five times. I still have most of the third gallon of acid that I bought. I dump 80 lbs of salt in the pool in April, and again in July. Pool is used regularly from mid-April through September. Are the numbers always perfect? No.

The water has been crystal clear since day one and I'm not exagerating.
 
Well to my surprise I RCV the test kit and salt test strips on saturday and I just ordered them on friday, two thumbs up on them for a fast response. I went out and tested the water i forgot to grab my chemical nrs to share but my salt was at 2000K per the electronic reading Friday night so i threw in 80lbs of salt (I've some what figured out that 40lbs brings it up approx, 700 ppm ( guess is the right terminology)) i checked it on saturday and the electronic reading was 3400, now the salt test strip gave me a reading of almost 4000, so I'll either cut back on the salt or take the average of the two and thats 3700. I try to keep the salt right about 3500, with all the neighborhood kids i lose allot during the summer. I used the blue test kit and it showed no chlorine so i set it to boost mode over night. the PH was way down (i guess this was caused by the M. acid i added to get the scaling off the wall during the winter) so i was on the hunt for 20 mules, i found 6 boxes at the french store (Target) of course i bought all six at $2.99 each. the cashier looked at me like i had loads of laundry to do. i added 1 box (4lbs) not knowing how much to add boy was i wrong, the PH went high and the water turned green. and over time it got greener. so about 1530 i went to HD and grabbed some M. Acid and added two gals and within 3 hours the green was going away. it's dark out at 5am this morning so I wasnt able to see how clear see is till my kids get up and call me. i plan on doing all the chemical test later today and post the nrs. i was getting some funky colors when I tested this weekend which are not on the list so standby for those maybe yall can tell me whats going on. thanks again for all the info and the test kit.
 
Not sure if you are, but don't just dump in stuff!!! Test your water, and plug the numbers in to the Pool Calculator (link is in my signature) and it will tell you exactly how much of what to add.

Just like you now know that 40# salt = 700ppm increase, you will soon know how much an amount of a given substance will affect your numbers.

Also, if your chlorine is zero, or if you need to shock, a faster way to get it up is to use bleach, not the boost function on your SWG.
 
Yes I do know all to well now. I do have a question on the pool calculator though when you plug in your pool dimensions is that outside or inside dimensions? cause i plugged in 14x32 and it shows me having 18K gal pool but the book shows only 8K gallons. i used an average of 4.25 for the depth. maybe that's where my numbers are all screwed up. I do know that my water is crystal clear this morning, that's the first thing my son called and said to me.
 
mahansc said:
Yes I do know all to well now. I do have a question on the pool calculator though when you plug in your pool dimensions is that outside or inside dimensions? cause i plugged in 14x32 and it shows me having 18K gal pool but the book shows only 8K gallons. i used an average of 4.25 for the depth. maybe that's where my numbers are all screwed up. I do know that my water is crystal clear this morning, that's the first thing my son called and said to me.
Click to expand...

If your inside dimensions are 14' x 32' then your average depth would only be ~2.5' for 8000 gallons. I'll bet you're closer to 16000 to 18000 gallons.
 

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