SWG/ Ozone and Minerals!

[elanmike]

Ok, so the pool installer we used saw me coming. They installed a Pool Frog system with seperate mineral and chlorine packs and an ozone generator.
I replaced the Pool Frog system with their Mineral Hybrid system. I have a 14,000 gal pool/spa combo so I got the 25k unit. Thwt was back in 2010 all was OK to start but now i have major issues The chlorine is way low- trouble getting above 0.5ppm! The cell is clogging with calcium every few days. And to top it all, the mineral pack has gone from $75 to $150. The pool store checked the chemicals and all are in range, so I looked onlie and found this site.
Based on what I read here, I'm planning to stop using the minerals. I will keep the Ozone and Salt system. The question is, should the Pool Frog be able to hack it, or do I need to look at investing in a different model? I have a Jandy controller so I've been thinking about using their salt system.
Any recommendations old be welcome.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

You are wise to stop using the minerals, they are nothing but $ and increased risk of staining and green hair.

I would recommend a little reading in Pool School so you can hopefully learn some things ... I learn something new every time I read it.

Also, it would be very helpful if you could post up a full set of chemical levels so we can see what is going on. It could be that your CYA is too low and the SWG can not keep up due to the FC being lost to the sun.

It also could be that the SWG you have is just too small and that switching to a Jandy might help ... we have to figure out how much chlorine that Pool Frog is able to generate.

Found this thread that might be the same setup:
pool-frog-hybrid-system-please-explain-t20598.html

 

[JasonLion]

Could you post a complete set of water test results? Calcium scaling in the SWG cell only happens when some of the chemical levels are out of balance, so obviously the pool stores statement that everything is alright is wrong. We need to know your levels to be able to give you any specific advice.

 

[Poolsean]

The cell can also scale up if the unit is not going through the reverse polarity properly, and sometimes when it getting towards the end of it's life it will scale up with a softer type scale.
I'm not completely familiar with the Frog system, but I would guess that they are relying on both the mineral pack and salt system to be functional for it to maintain up to a 25,000 gallon pool. The Ozone generator should help out quite a bit, if it's working properly.
I agree with jblizzle in that you should look for a larger salt system (if you're no longer planning on using the mineral pack).

 

[elanmike]

Here is the report from the store.
FAC = 3ppm
TAC=3ppm
Salt=3300ppm
CH=270ppm
CYA=50ppm
TA=90ppm
pH=7.6
Pho=300
For the PHo issue I added 3 caps of Pool Clean + PhosFree
I should mention the pH goes up very quickly. I am using a lot of Muriatic acid to try to keep it in the right pH range.
The pump/ SWG run over night for 6 hours with the SWG set to max. The measurements are taken in the morning shortly after the cycle ends. The pH can be good one day, and 2-3 days later it is off the charts. I normally check/ dose the pool once a week.

 

[jblizzle]

there is no point lowering phosphates ... just a way for the pool store to make money.

SWG make pH rise. Many have to adjust the pH every couple days. You should be testing every few days not weekly.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone

 

[elanmike]

I spoke to King Tech today (they make the SWG). They said to add a few pounds of chlorine shock each week - apparently the SWG can only 'maintain TC levels', not build them. To me that seems like they are saying I need to chlorinate the pool anyway - in which case what's the point of the SWG. Then he switched and said the controller was probably not working right and to RMA the unit. I'm sure the cell has probably had it too, but they wouldn't replace that as 'it is still generating some chlorine' -if you can call <0.5ppm after 24 hours 'generating chlorine'!
So I will RMA, but I'm still not convinced the Pool Frog is going to cut it here in Arizona when it's 100-120F most of the summer. Dropping another $800 on a new SWG though seems like a lot when I just bought this one 3 years ago.

 

[jblizzle]

Most SWG have trouble starting from 0FC ... especially if your CYA is too low.

We advise bumping the CYA up to around 70ppm and then adding enough FC to stay in the recommended range as you are dialing in the SWG. After it is dialed in, you should not have to regularly add FC manually (except for parties, etc). That is until the weather changes which has a different FC demand (dialing it back in the winter or up in the summer).

All that said, that Pool Frog is a pretty small unit and you are correct that it may not keep up unless you are running the pump 24/7.