My husband wants to get an ionizer for our pool. I really do not see the point of spending $400. Any ideas, comments, pros or cons? 
Ionizer for 24' AGP
- Thread starter Leslie
- Start date
It's a waste of money. It adds metal to the water which primarily helps prevent algae in pool use.it costs money, could cause problems and has almost no benefit.
You still have to have chlorine in the pool to keep it sanitary and that will keep any algae killed, so as JT said, it's just a huge waste of money and when it does cause staining or other problems it costs even more to fix those problems.
The pool stores that sell it, like selling you those meneral packs and also the stuff that you'll need to fix the problems it creates later on.
The pool stores that sell it, like selling you those meneral packs and also the stuff that you'll need to fix the problems it creates later on.
It's a chlorine injection pump. I use it to inject bleach (chlorine) into the pool so I don't have to manually dose it. I just fill it up about once a month and it injects bleach whenever the pump runs.
So, you don't use chlorine tabs? Just regular household bleach and the pump doesn't run all the time? How do you know when to turn it on? I'm sorry I'm asking so many questions but I have 50 people telling me 60 different things. :-?
That's correct! 
Tabs cause problems by raising the CYA every time you use one. Bleach has none of those problems and I buy it whenever I find it on sale. I'm using Dollar General bleach right now because it was on sale for $2.50 for 121oz. And it's 8.25%!
Tabs cause problems by raising the CYA every time you use one. Bleach has none of those problems and I buy it whenever I find it on sale. I'm using Dollar General bleach right now because it was on sale for $2.50 for 121oz. And it's 8.25%!
To be honest about the only thing I ever use is bleach. I almost never have to adjust anything else. I have a gallon of muriatic acid that's about 3 years old and I use a cup or 2 a year out of it to adjust the pH, and that's honestly about it. I use about a quart of bleach a day.
I have never shocked my pool. I have never used algaecide. I test chlorine and pH every day or every other day and the rest of the chems once a month. I have zero CH and have always had zero. My TA (alkalinity) stays about 70 to 80 ppm all the time. I run my CYA between 50 and 60 ppm.
I have never shocked my pool. I have never used algaecide. I test chlorine and pH every day or every other day and the rest of the chems once a month. I have zero CH and have always had zero. My TA (alkalinity) stays about 70 to 80 ppm all the time. I run my CYA between 50 and 60 ppm.
Leslie, I am with Dave with this. Last couple of years I used the stupid salt water thing.....it was OK, but this year, I went strictly bleach.....Clorox, nothing more. I added my own CYA from a 5 pound pail I bought from Amazon and I have two gallons of muratic acid that I used to adjust chemistry as I wanted to try the Borax thing for water feel and appearance, but seriously, this year doing almost exactly as Dave does, I have the best pool I have ever had.
My smaller pool takes about two cups of bleach a day and that's it. I have had no algea, no indication of algea and nice, wonderful pool. I will not put another puck in any pool of mine no matter what. Bleach is all you need, except for CYA when you open it in the beginning. I know that sounds stupid simple, but it will be with proper testing and keeping your chemistry where it is supposed to be. Every day I go out to my pool I giggle.....everyone around me uses a pool service or goes to the pool store for testing, and they are always complaining about cost or results.....
Bob E.
My smaller pool takes about two cups of bleach a day and that's it. I have had no algea, no indication of algea and nice, wonderful pool. I will not put another puck in any pool of mine no matter what. Bleach is all you need, except for CYA when you open it in the beginning. I know that sounds stupid simple, but it will be with proper testing and keeping your chemistry where it is supposed to be. Every day I go out to my pool I giggle.....everyone around me uses a pool service or goes to the pool store for testing, and they are always complaining about cost or results.....
Bob E.
Leslie,
I typically use a jug of 96 oz 6% bleach from Aldi's each day. I have high TA fill water so my PH tends to creep up, to correct that every 3-4 weeks I add several ounces of muratic acid. That's it, I test most every day and correct the balance from there. Usually takes about 5 min now that I know what I'm doing. To do it this way though you need one of the recommended test kits, http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison
I typically use a jug of 96 oz 6% bleach from Aldi's each day. I have high TA fill water so my PH tends to creep up, to correct that every 3-4 weeks I add several ounces of muratic acid. That's it, I test most every day and correct the balance from there. Usually takes about 5 min now that I know what I'm doing. To do it this way though you need one of the recommended test kits, http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison
I have a solar cover that is on most of the day (all day if there is no swimming), so I usually lose about 1 ppm of chlorine a day. That works out to 28 oz of 6% bleach a day, but I aways round up to the nearest 8 oz. So for me, I usually add about 32 oz of 6% bleach each day in front of the return. Some days more, some days less.
Leslie, I have a 14' x 42" Ultra frame Intex pool. I added a Hayward skimmer to it. Unless I catch the pool uncovered, I normally take the cover off the skimmer, grab some water, test, then add my chemicals to the running pool through the skimmer (yes, there is significant flow there).
Generally, like John, my pool is covered unless it's being used. THAT really made a difference for me with tree Crud blowing into the pool and this year it's about every 3 weeks I change/clean my Unicell replacement filter on my Intex filter pump. (for you Intex people....yes, you read that right, it's about every THREE weeks I change my filter out).
It takes about 24 to 32 oz. of bleach every other day to keep my chlorine level at the recommended level as per pool school.
Bob E.
Generally, like John, my pool is covered unless it's being used. THAT really made a difference for me with tree Crud blowing into the pool and this year it's about every 3 weeks I change/clean my Unicell replacement filter on my Intex filter pump. (for you Intex people....yes, you read that right, it's about every THREE weeks I change my filter out).
It takes about 24 to 32 oz. of bleach every other day to keep my chlorine level at the recommended level as per pool school.
Bob E.
There's the new intex swg/ozone unit as well. I was looking into some UV unit, but came across the intex unit. Just at the same time my old swg unit started leaking at a seam. I just wanted some extra protection besides clorine for the pool/kids. It injects air thru a venturi, so you get aeriation as well.
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