The Pool Store and CH levels

[Red Shirt Ensign]

We recently opened our new pool and I posted numbers in a different thread.... my Pool Store said to bring them water about monthly so they could check it in order to maintain the warranty on the Pool heater.

So my wife drove up some water and they they said everything looked ok but the CH was low.... and they want her to raise the CH level or it could damage the heater copper could turn hair green etc...

he pooled out a "Big bucket of something" as my wife called it but she didn't buy anything on this visit.

My CH test was 120 this morning... should I worry about raising to protect the heater or are they attempting "pool Store" us?

I'm obviously in a good range otherwise for a AGP with Vinyl liner

Thanks
Dan

 

[JasonLion]

Re: The Pool Sotre and CH levels

There is no risk to the heater at all. There is however some risk to your heater warranty coverage. They look for specific levels and if those levels can't be confirmed they are likely to deny you warranty coverage, should you need warranty coverage.

 

[Prav]

Re: The Pool Sotre and CH levels

IMO, if you do need to raise CH, might as well do it via Ca(ClO)₂ (calcium hypochlorite/shock) rather than CaCl₂ (calcium chloride for just hardness). You likely don't need to go right to 200, so might as well get value for your buck and get some chlorine into the water.

 

[Red Shirt Ensign]

Maybe a silly question but if I am adding Calcium Chloride to harden the water... and we are also adding borates to increase ph perioudically and also as a means of "Softening the feel of the water" will borates reduce the CH or are we speaking in two different terms of hardness vs softness?

I have a feeling it is the latter but it can't hurt to be sure

Thanks
Dan

 

[Red Shirt Ensign]

Also, its day 4 of adding Liquid chlorine at night and Im already counting the days to the Liquidator purchase. But they (furnace guys) don't like chlorine systems to be in front of the heater.. only behind it. How do people get around this in terms of installing the HASA liquidator (typically infront of the pump right?)

Im going to sponsor a "Pimp my Pool pad" contest soon to figure out the best way to align everythign based on the available utilities (More to come on that one day)

 

[Bama Rambler]

The chlorine concentration out of the LQ isn't as high as you might think and we haven't had any reports of problems yet.

If you are concerned you can use an injection pump instead.

 

[JasonLion]

Calcium harness is unrelated to how "hard" or "soft" the water feels.

 

[Red Shirt Ensign]

Thanks I added 8lbs and we'll see just how far that gets me... how long does it take to dissolve? (hopefully not as long as CYA... I added 4lbs of that and I've still yet too see near the amount of CYA the Calculator estimated I know it can take a week but its been 4 days I would expect to have seen more from that by now