Do i have a weak link in my set-up? Please help

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jm1010

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Aug 4, 2008
4
We've just installed our first pool: a 27' above ground and are having recurrent problems witht the water.

We're wondering if there's a weak link in our system, here it is:

We have a Zodiac LM2 water chlorinator (should handle up to 60K liters as we're told). We run it 12 to 14 hours every day.

The pump is a brand new 1 1/2 Jacuzzi and seem to be pumping all right.

The filter is maybe 8-10 years old. It's an Hayward S185T rated at 60 GPM with 175 lbs of sand.

The water is cloudy and has developed algae every other week. We're tested the water three times by 2 different pool store and they tell us the water is fine... but maybe chlorine is a little low. I don't thing we should have to chlorinate more than the 12/142 hours we do now?

The Dang plastic stairs that descent in the pool has cavities in them and I feel the water doesn't move as much in it maybe that's part of the problem, don't know.

"I head some people say that the sun is hard for the chlorine and that we should conside buying a blanket to protect/heat the pool.

I'm not sure what to think? is my chlorinator (new) not strong enough? is my filter too small for my 27" pool? Do I need a heater blanket to protect from the Sun? should I change my stairway?

Ho God! Please help!

Thanks

Jean
 
Hi, Jean,

We will not be able to help you much without a full set of test results. If you do not have a test kit, please post a set of results from the pool store and it'll be a good start.

Lack of chlorine is the number #1 cause of cloudy water but test results is the only thing that will reveal your water problems.
 
Thanks Guys. We had it tested today . My chlorine shows zero even through we run 10 hours a day and did 48 hours of super chorination... Makes you wonder...

Based on the test we did today the local pool shop recommended to add: 3KG ALKANITY & 8 KG CALCIUM. Does that make sense? Here's the test results and again thanks s much for the help. (the poool is 52" high)

Analyse for pool 1 (72000litres)

parameter recommended VALUE

FREE SANITEZER 1 TO 3 PPM 0

TOTAL SANITIZER 1 TO 3 PPM 0

PH 7,4 TO 7,5 7

TOTAL ALKANITY 120 PPM 94PPM

ADJUSTED ALKANITY 120PPM 94PPM

STABILIZER 30 TO 50 PPM 5 PPM

CALCIUM HARDNESS 200 TO 300 PPM 128 PPM

PHOSPHATE 0 TO 300 PPB 0 PPB

TDS 0 to 800 ppm oppm

BORATE 50PPM 0PPM

ALGAECIDE 1,5 TO 6 PPM 0PPM

SALT L;EVEL 3500PPM 0 PPM
 
No, I would not bring the Alkalinity or Calcium up. Since you are using a SWG your Alkalinity is ok where it is and could even come down a bit if you notice the PH creeping up regularly. In addition since you have a vinyl pool the calcium level isn't very important and you are good where you are at.

However, I see a big problem here. You've indicated that you have a SWG but if I am reading your test results right (I think the first column is the recommended level and the second is your test results, am I right?) then you don't have any salt in your water for the Salt water generator to be making any chlorine which would explain why your FC is 0. So, if I am reading your test results right then you need to get some salt into your pool ASAP. You can use the pool calculator link in my sig to calculate just how much you need to add. It looks like the Zodiac should be happy around 4000 ppm of salt.

Also, you need to bring up your stabilizer (CYA) levels you want to aim for somewhere between 60 to 80 ppm.

If you can't get salt into the pool very soon, I would start adding some bleach in the mean time or you will end up with algae again. You can calculate the amount of bleach to use using the pool calculator as well.

Good luck
 
It is very likely that you have a low level algae problem. With a SWG it is quite common to have a little algae and clear water. When this happens the SWG alone is almost never able to kill all the algae but it does keep it in check and prevents the pool from going green. You need to bring the pool up to shock level with manual additions of chlorine (I suggest bleach).

That is in addition to the several adjustments you need to make to your chemistry, read the material waterbear suggested.
 
jugger2500 said:
No, I would not bring the Alkalinity or Calcium up. Since you are using a SWG your Alkalinity is ok where it is and could even come down a bit if you notice the PH creeping up regularly. In addition since you have a vinyl pool the calcium level isn't very important and you are good where you are at.

However, I see a big problem here. You've indicated that you have a SWG but if I am reading your test results right (I think the first column is the recommended level and the second is your test results, am I right?) then you don't have any salt in your water for the Salt water generator to be making any chlorine which would explain why your FC is 0. So, if I am reading your test results right then you need to get some salt into your pool ASAP. You can use the pool calculator link in my sig to calculate just how much you need to add. It looks like the Zodiac should be happy around 4000 ppm of salt.

Also, you need to bring up your stabilizer (CYA) levels you want to aim for somewhere between 60 to 80 ppm.

If you can't get salt into the pool very soon, I would start adding some bleach in the mean time or you will end up with algae again. You can calculate the amount of bleach to use using the pool calculator as well.

Good luck
Click to expand...

Spot on! :goodjob:

The SWCG can't generate chlorine if you have 0 salt and you also need CYA. You'll be in better shape after reading the recommended article and following the recommendations. On a side note, it's better to supplement the SWG by adding bleach or liquid chlorine manually, rather than using the "superchlorination" which can shorten the life of the cell. So if you need to shock, pour in the jugs of bleach instead of turning up the SWG (once you have salt... :wink: )
 
Wow We feel love! thanks for the support!!!!

Bythe way, I have over 200 KG of salt in there so I assume that is not the porblem . I willtr to add bleach, can anyone tell me about proportion? It's a 27' * 52" high pool.

PS If I hear you well you think that the recommendation from my pool suplier is baloney?

Have a good day

Jean
 

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Hotrod30 said:
jm1010 said:
Bythe way, I have over 200 KG of salt in there so I assume that is not the porblem .
Click to expand...

If I remember right, 200 KG is about 90 lbs. Why is your salt reading zero?

I figure you have 17100 gals of water.

Have you used the pool calculator yet?

http://www.poolcalculator.com/
Click to expand...
There are 2.2 lbs per kilo so that would be about 440 lbs of salt. The pool is about 17000 gallons assuming a 4 ft water depth. This would be a salt level of abou 3100 ppm. Why is the pool store readout showing 0 ppm salt?
Do NOT trust this pool store, get your own test kit and do your own testing. For salt the most cost effective way to accurately test it is with AquaChek salt test strips.
 
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