What's an Oxidizer do?

[haze]

Anyone know what an Oxidizer is supposed to do?

I saw one the other day by a pools filtering equipment, it was "Smart Pure" or "Pure Smart"

It was basically a 6" x 9" Aluminum box about three foot long, electrically powered, and had just a small 1/2" tube running from it.

Never saw one before.

 

[chem geek]

This sounds like an ozonator (which produces ozone that is an oxidizer) where you would attach the tube to your return pipe after all other equipment. I found some links referring to "Smart Pure", but no website showing the product itself. You should not need to use an ozonator in a properly managed chlorine pool.

 

[haze]

Thanks,

I found an explanation of the device and I think it may actually be somewhat effective.

The pool is a little over 100 CYA, the Cl at 7 , and suprisingly clear

They're using 3 inch tabs in a feeder.

I pointed them to the forum.

 

[chem geek]

7 ppm FC with 100 ppm CYA is at the Minimum FC level so it doesn't surprise me at all that the pool is clear. If the FC were at 3 ppm or below, then I wouldn't be surprised if the pool was dull, cloudy or developing an algae bloom. The problem is that if they continue to use Trichlor, the CYA may continue to climb so unless they also increase their FC level then eventually they risk getting algae unless they use a supplemental algaecide (PolyQuat 60 or a phosphate remover).

Can you post a link to the device or explain what it does?

 

[haze]

Found this expalantion:

"Oxygen ( 02 ) is converted into Ozone Molecules ( 03 ) by an electrical charge. The Ozone molecules are then injected into your spa’s water. Ozone is highly reactive, so it interacts with “contaminants” it encounters in your spa water. One of the 3 oxygen atoms splits off to oxidize ( eliminate naturally ) the encountered contaminant—leaving behind the pure oxygen ( back to 02) which harmlessly rises to the surface and returns to the air. The end result is cleaner water, less maintenance, ongoing effortless sanitization and other benefits to you—the spa owner."

Most descriptions refer to using a UV light to make the Ozone.

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[chem geek]

Thanks. Then my guess that it was an ozonator was correct. It's generally not that useful for pools. Ozone can actually consume chlorine (oxidizing it to chlorate) so it doesn't always save on chlorine usage. Usually in an outdoor pool exposed to sunlight, most of the chlorine usage is from breakdown from the UV in sunlight with much less lost due to organic demand in the pool -- unless the pool is very small.

 

[haze]

This is a 36000 gallon, Gunite IG, I am guessing ti was part of the "package" the owner got sold.

While I have you, the plaster looks sort of mottled and yellowed in spots, mostly within a foot below the water line. Calcium reading 190, could the water be leeching the calcium out of the plaster?

I actually put 150 pounds of calcium flakes in this pool 2 years ago, because I thought that was the problem, now reading is low again.

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[JasonLion]

We can't say if your water might be pulling calcium out of the plaster without a full set of test results.

What you describe sounds a bit like iron stains. Try holding a Vitamin C tablet to one of the yellowed spots for 30 seconds and see if that makes any difference.

 

[PoolOwnerNumber9]

Using ozone O3 is similar to using hydrogen peroxide H2O2. O3 converts to O2 + O. H2O2 converts to H2O and O. The released Oxygen oxidizes the contaminants. You should try to reduce the Cyanuric acid levels. High Cyanuric Acid interferes with your chlorine's effectiveness and it does has some associated toxicity concerns. Some people like using ozone, but it is really somewhat complicated to use properly.

 

[chem geek]

Ozone is more reactive than hydrogen peroxide so does not last as long and does not retain a residual in the bulk pool water. It is more similar to UV in that regard in that it only disinfects and oxidizes the water that passes through its injection/exposure point. You still need a bulk sanitizer (e.g. chlorine) in the pool.

As for CYA, you can read more about the chemistry of chlorine and CYA in this thread. The science behind this has been known since at least 1974. CYA at the level found in pools has not shown any toxicity concerns.

Richard

Further discussion of the pros and cons of higher CYA levels has been moved to this thread. JasonLion