Newbie here. We are very close to closing the deal with a pool builder on an 18 x 37 inground pool. He's trying to sell us the Nature 2 system, but I've read nothing but negative things about this system. We have no clue what to use. Can anyone here help us? We currently have an above ground pool with the Perma Salt system and HATE it. So, we don't want salt, we know that. Any advice and input you have is greatly appreciated!
In discussion with Pool Builder. What chemicals to use?
- Thread starter Tnkcfan
- Start date
I use plain old bleach or liquid chlorine marketed for pools to sanitize and oxidize. They both have the same thing, just different concentrations (liquid chlorine is more concentrated). They don't add metals which are never necessary, or things that tend to build up and cause problems like cyanuric acid and calcium. Some of each of these is a good thing; continually adding them by using packs, pucks and "shock" is not.
Edited to add: See the ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry in Pool School: pool-school/pool_water_chemistry. Pool school has lots of great information.
Edited to add: See the ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry in Pool School: pool-school/pool_water_chemistry. Pool school has lots of great information.
Welcome to the forum. Scratch the Nature 2. Plain old bleach is your friend if not going with a saltwater system. You can also use a combination of trichlor pucks, cal-hypo, and bleach as long as you know what each one does to your pool water. Everything has positives and negatives. Welcome to Pool School!.
UN1017
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Around here, just about everyone pushes bleach or a regular saltwater chlorine generator (SWG). Both are reliable and effective. The SWG makes the addition of chlorine an "automatic" process and has easily managed side effects. With bleach, you will need to be disciplined on adding it on a regular basis. For that reason, many people turn to pucks but then get into trouble with their stabilizer levels.
I have a salt system and it works great. If I didn't, I would use a Liquidator and bleach. The latter may be your best option if you don't wanna give salt another chance.
It costs money to sanitize a pool. You are either going to buy bleach or a salt system (which needs to be replaced every few years). The key is not having to spend extra money on fixing problems that arise from using incorrect or unneeded chemicals. After all, your pool is supposed to be Trouble Free.
So, in my opinion, I would have the builder install a normal SWG (something like an Aquapure) or nothing. After the pool is done, you can install the Liquidator on your own, if you want. The Nature 2 really has no place in the mix.
I have a salt system and it works great. If I didn't, I would use a Liquidator and bleach. The latter may be your best option if you don't wanna give salt another chance.
It costs money to sanitize a pool. You are either going to buy bleach or a salt system (which needs to be replaced every few years). The key is not having to spend extra money on fixing problems that arise from using incorrect or unneeded chemicals. After all, your pool is supposed to be Trouble Free.
So, in my opinion, I would have the builder install a normal SWG (something like an Aquapure) or nothing. After the pool is done, you can install the Liquidator on your own, if you want. The Nature 2 really has no place in the mix.
UN1017
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Ok....so I was assuming that the Perma Salt system was a chlorine generator. After checking it out, it seems like it is not. It's just another gimmicky mineral system that I would hate too! At least the Nature2 Fusion Soft is a mineral system combined with an SWG. You don't want either.
Thanks for the replies so far! We don't like our Perma Salt system for our AG because our pool stays green more than it stays clear. I bet you we spent $600 in 2 months trying to clear it up. It was supposed be cheaper, but it has not been so whatsoever! Granted, this is our first pool & I chose to know NOTHING about how to run it & maintain it (shame on me!), my husband does all of it. Going forward, if we do go with the IG, I will be schooling myself & using this website very often!
A few more questions after reading through Pool School:
1) Going the BBB route, how often would you say you test the water? How many of the recommended test kits would you say you typically go through in a pool season?
2) On a typical IG pool (mine would be approx. 27,000 gallons), once you get your levels like they should be, how often are you adding bleach (daily, 1x a week?), etc. & how much would you say you typically spend per month on BBB?
2) Our PB says the bleach will fade the liner at the top of the pool. But if bleach is chlorine, wouldn't chlorine do the same?
3) Our PB also says he would not worry about covering the pool for the winter. He would still winterize it, but not worry about covering it. We live in norther Middle TN & have fairly mild winters. Also don't have any trees nearby for leaves to get in the pool. The pool would have sunlight from sun up to sun down. No shade. What's your thoughts/opinions on this?
A few more questions after reading through Pool School:
1) Going the BBB route, how often would you say you test the water? How many of the recommended test kits would you say you typically go through in a pool season?
2) On a typical IG pool (mine would be approx. 27,000 gallons), once you get your levels like they should be, how often are you adding bleach (daily, 1x a week?), etc. & how much would you say you typically spend per month on BBB?
2) Our PB says the bleach will fade the liner at the top of the pool. But if bleach is chlorine, wouldn't chlorine do the same?
3) Our PB also says he would not worry about covering the pool for the winter. He would still winterize it, but not worry about covering it. We live in norther Middle TN & have fairly mild winters. Also don't have any trees nearby for leaves to get in the pool. The pool would have sunlight from sun up to sun down. No shade. What's your thoughts/opinions on this?
1) The TF-100 kit will usually last you two seasons if you're not starting out SLAMing the pool. If you are starting out with a green pool and have to SLAM it to begin with you'll probably have to buy extra FAS-DPD reagents but the rest of the stuff will last about two years.
2) You'll have to add bleach daily or at very least every other day. You can use the pool calc to figure how much it will take. Most pools lose about 2 to 3 ppm FC per day.
2 again) You are exactly correct. Chlorine is chlorine and if one form will fade the liner the other wil also. Introduced correctly, there is no danger of fading the liner.
3) Having done it both ways, I'd never winterize the pool without covering it. However, we have tons of leaves so that might make a difference. If you don't cover it, you'll have to add chlorine on a regular basis because the sunlight will burn it off even in the winter, and you'll have to have a way to circulate it so you can't really winterize it.
3)
2) You'll have to add bleach daily or at very least every other day. You can use the pool calc to figure how much it will take. Most pools lose about 2 to 3 ppm FC per day.
2 again) You are exactly correct. Chlorine is chlorine and if one form will fade the liner the other wil also. Introduced correctly, there is no danger of fading the liner.
3) Having done it both ways, I'd never winterize the pool without covering it. However, we have tons of leaves so that might make a difference. If you don't cover it, you'll have to add chlorine on a regular basis because the sunlight will burn it off even in the winter, and you'll have to have a way to circulate it so you can't really winterize it.
3)
Your pool stays green, because as someone mentioned earlier, that Perma Salt system is NOT a chlorinating system. It doesn't put any chlorine into your pool.
You need a system that will keep chlorine in your pool whether it's a SWCG, liquidator, or a Stenner dosing system.
I have had both a SWCG system, and a Stenner, and I am glad I made the switch to the Stenner dosing..so easy to use, cheap to run, no salt cells to replace, no 50 pounds of bags of salt to dump in each spring at pool top off day. Etc. Look into the Stenner dosing system, I think you'd like it.
1. the TFT test kit should get you two season of testing.
Dan
You need a system that will keep chlorine in your pool whether it's a SWCG, liquidator, or a Stenner dosing system.
I have had both a SWCG system, and a Stenner, and I am glad I made the switch to the Stenner dosing..so easy to use, cheap to run, no salt cells to replace, no 50 pounds of bags of salt to dump in each spring at pool top off day. Etc. Look into the Stenner dosing system, I think you'd like it.
1. the TFT test kit should get you two season of testing.
Dan