Hey guys Im in the market right now for a SWG system for a 40 k pool. i have been reading through comments and reviews on this site and so far i think i heard more good things about the auto pilot system then all others. But before making my purchase i was wondering if someone hear strongly agrees or recommends another brand. I am looking for the least amount of maintenance as possible. i rather pay a little more to get a better system.
autopilot vs all swg
- Thread starter wesley1769
- Start date
You definitely won't go wrong with an Autopilot system, but before you buy any swg I suggest you invest in a good test kit if you dont' already have one and get your water in shape and ready for it.
How have you been maintaining the pool up to now?
How have you been maintaining the pool up to now?
Welcome to TFP!
AutoPilot is my favorite premium brand. If you are price sensitive there are other brands to look at, but at the higher end they seem to be the clear choice.
AutoPilot is my favorite premium brand. If you are price sensitive there are other brands to look at, but at the higher end they seem to be the clear choice.
Currently I am using a de filter with the natures 2 system and I hate it. Like many others here I had so many issues with maintaining the water and had a real big problem with alge last year. I only have the pool open for 3 months here in jersey so those three months I am trying to enjoy, not fighting with my water.
Welcome to tfp, wesley1769 
I am hopeful once you get up and running with whatever swg you choose, you will have a better experience than what you have had with the Nature2. With that said, the swg in and of itself will not make the experience better...it will be important to have reliable test values while you dial in the swg. So definitely follow Bama's advice on an appropriate test kit.
I am hopeful once you get up and running with whatever swg you choose, you will have a better experience than what you have had with the Nature2. With that said, the swg in and of itself will not make the experience better...it will be important to have reliable test values while you dial in the swg. So definitely follow Bama's advice on an appropriate test kit.
I hate to sound like a broken record, but...wesley1769 said:
Ditch the Nature2
Buy a proper test kit - K2006 or TF100
Bookmark http://www.poolcalculator.com
The SWG will eliminate some of the daily chore, but it will not, of and by itself, keep your pool perfect. You can do that with plain, old chlorox (or the equivalent store brand).
Because of where I live, I maintain my pool year round. Using nothing but a TF100 test kit (I sprung for a speedstir, too), Muriatic Acid, Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach), and Trichlor pucks in a floater when I leave town, my pool has been balanced every day for a couple years. Clear enough to tell that the screws in the drain cover in the deep end are phillips head and perfectly balanced so that no one ever complains about smell, dry skin, red eyes, rashes, or any of the other common complaints. No algae. The only thing that prevents me from going in any day of the year is the water temperature, because I'm too cheap to heat it.
It's not the equipment, it's the knowledge that comes from studying pool school and regular, accurate testing that makes a pool troublefree.
Welcome to TFP!!! Sorry to have to agree with everyone, but there is no such thing as a "maintenance free" pool. With knowledge and routine testing, it can become trouble-free regardless of your choice of chlorine source. The SWG should reduce the frequency of manual chlorine addition, but may increase the frequency of muriatic acid addition. You must still be testing the chlorine levels, as weather changes, you will need to adjust the SWG settings.