Pristiva Primer & Activator

[TexasLaurel]

Hey guys,

I read all the articles in the Pool School section, and I am intrigued at the prospect of severing ties to the local pool store. I like to DIY whenever practical. I generally purchase acid, stabilizer, and occasionally baking soda (balance pack 100) from the pool store on a regular basis. I also purchase this product called Pristiva (see http://pristiva.net/). The reason I started buying it was about 2 years ago, I had rock hard, stalagmite-like formations on my spa tile between the spa and the pool (there are 4 steps between the spa and the pool where water splashes when the pump is running). I tried acid on it, didn't do a lick. When I talked to the local pool pro, he said you can bust out the tile, or you can try a couple other products, one of which was this Pristiva. So i did, and after about 2-3 months, the rock-like formations dissolved and now the tile looks perfect!

I really really want to follow the instructions and advice from this website and stop spending money on Pristiva (very expensive salt & primer), but I am afraid that if I drop the pristiva, the rock -like formations will return.

In case it matters, I live in Houston Texas, and the pool is open year-round.

Please help me decide what to do.

 

[zea3]

Hi welcome to TFP! I need to do a little research on Pristiva before I can give an opinion. Do you have a current set of test results you could post? I am curious what your CH level is.

 

[TexasLaurel]

Hi welcome to TFP! I need to do a little research on Pristiva before I can give an opinion. Do you have a current set of test results you could post? I am curious what your CH level is.

zea3,

thanks for the quick response. I do not have the reading on hand. I will be able to post one tomorrow. I get my water tested by the local pool store weekly, and I have never had a high CH reading... always within range. I don't know if that's the pristiva doing something as well. I do know that when you use prisitiva, the water feels much softer on the skin (which is one of the things they advertise as a benefit). Thing is, they want you to add this "primer" every 3 months, and only use their salt (supposedly salt with some kind of "activator" in it).

The other interesting thing is that you have to clean your filters before you add the primer. If you don't, the product will loosen all the crud in the filter and your return jets will pump it all into your pool.

Also, my water is always crystal clear.. I have never had to shock it.

 

[jblizzle]

I am sure the Pristiva is a scam of sorts and that the same ingredients are readily available for much less money.

There is really nothing that would be in it that should have had the effect of dissolving the scale you had.

I would highly recommend you get yourself one of the Recommended Test Kits and stop trusting the weekly pool store testing.

 

[jblizzle]

Got the MSDS for the products ... lots of secrecy.

Primer:
40-60% Trade Secret ... hmmm, do I want that in the pool?
20-50% Sodium Chloride = salt
10-40% Boric Acid = borates, pH buffer and water "smoother"

Activator:
90-99% Sodium Chloride = salt, solar salt is 99+% this
1-10% Magic, I mean Proprietary Mixture