- Nov 21, 2011
- 21
- Pool Size
- 18000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
This is my first year as a pool owner. I have an in ground pool 18k gallon and a 1k gallon in ground spa in Seattle. For inexplicable reason I was given a bromine swimmer and tabs for the spa to use over the winter (while I was told to use a chlorine swimmer in the pool). The spa and pool are connected through a waterfall feature. I would drain the spa into the pool about once a month.
Once summer arrived we added the salt and started the SWG chlorine system. Over weeks, I was not able to record a chlorine level (DPD testing kit). The water looked great, so I kept using the pool. I kept an eye on pH and TA and was adding muriatic acid faithfully. I noticed TA rising to 200ppm and combated that with muriatic acid and aeration. I was getting kind of nervous and our pool contractor suggested we replace the SWG cell.
After getting the TA back to 120ppm, the SWG seemingly worked again. I was finally able to get the free chlorine between 3 and 5!
Now I'm wondering if it wasn't the bromine tabs that were wasting my chlorine and after the summer sun and pool use the bromine was used up.
Obviously (and especially after reading much of what was posted here about bromine and chlorine) I won't be using the bromine tabs and swimmer again. Do I need to take a measurement of bromine or do anything else. All seems well with water clarity, comfort, pH, TA and chlorine levels.
Once summer arrived we added the salt and started the SWG chlorine system. Over weeks, I was not able to record a chlorine level (DPD testing kit). The water looked great, so I kept using the pool. I kept an eye on pH and TA and was adding muriatic acid faithfully. I noticed TA rising to 200ppm and combated that with muriatic acid and aeration. I was getting kind of nervous and our pool contractor suggested we replace the SWG cell.
After getting the TA back to 120ppm, the SWG seemingly worked again. I was finally able to get the free chlorine between 3 and 5!
Now I'm wondering if it wasn't the bromine tabs that were wasting my chlorine and after the summer sun and pool use the bromine was used up.
Obviously (and especially after reading much of what was posted here about bromine and chlorine) I won't be using the bromine tabs and swimmer again. Do I need to take a measurement of bromine or do anything else. All seems well with water clarity, comfort, pH, TA and chlorine levels.