Convert to a SWG decision not yet made.... 2nd home pool.

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Lamby2244

Member
Jul 12, 2021
22
Kent England
Pool Size
71000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hello. I am a very lucky human I have two homes and one has a pool in. I am there on an irregular basis but am having a challenge - the guy who looks after the pool comes weekly which has worked until I started to truly monitor the chemistry and things are very up and down - It feels like the pool needs at least every other day attention and at minimum twice a week to keep things in balance. Is that what others experience?

On this basis and doing some more research I am wondering if I should convert over to a Salt Water Generator? It seems this is less intensive on maintenance in the medium term.....

Any thoughts to help my process?
 
tim5055 said:
I agree with @PoolGate, while not perfect you can get away with once a week with pH.

Your two choices are a SWCG like you say or a peristaltic pump that constantly adds liquid chlorine. Even living in the house, I went with a Stenner Pump


Stenner Pump
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Literally I learn things every day here - the false words of my pool installer 'Don't worry this is simple' may have been true but only apply when you have done the learning...... Thanks for this I will go have a look - how long can does the peristaltic pump last between refills - of course the question context dependent on the pool you have and its environment..... LOL
 
I weighed the use of Stenner Pump vs. SWCG and came to the conclusion it was a lot of effort to purchase the pump and hook it up, ensure it was in a shaded area plus continue to purchase LC vs. the effort to install a SWCG. I have done the latter as this fits my setup better. I am not against the use of Stenner Pumps, I was close to doing that but just ask that you consider all the points of installation and future maintenance of both systems. Remember that with a SWCG, especially once you are past the initial install is that you are basically prepaying your LC for a number of years Vs. pay as you go with a Stenner pump system or if you just stay with manual additions of LC.
 
Lamby2244 said:
Literally I learn things every day here - the false words of my pool installer 'Don't worry this is simple' may have been true but only apply when you have done the learning...... Thanks for this I will go have a look - how long can does the peristaltic pump last between refills - of course the question context dependent on the pool you have and its environment..... LOL
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Just found this ASIN Aqua Chlorine & PH Automatic Pool Dosing Systems - The Wooden Pool Store
 
HermanTX said:
I weighed the use of Stenner Pump vs. SWCG and came to the conclusion it was a lot of effort to purchase the pump and hook it up, ensure it was in a shaded area plus continue to purchase LC vs. the effort to install a SWCG. I have done the latter as this fits my setup better. I am not against the use of Stenner Pumps, I was close to doing that but just ask that you consider all the points of installation and future maintenance of both systems. Remember that with a SWCG, especially once you are past the initial install is that you are basically prepaying your LC for a number of years Vs. pay as you go with a Stenner pump system or if you just stay with manual additions of LC.
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I like the mindset shift to prepay. This is helpful.
 
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I have a friend that has a home on Canyon Lake in Tx with the same problem. For years he used a Liquidator but still had to deliver liquid chlorine and now it's on its last lap. Worked great just worn out - plus cost of liquid chlorine seems to have gone way up even in bulk. I think he'll switch to swg this winter. As far as I know some sort of pump or swg are the only way to go. A pool company can't afford to check/adjust multiple times per week which is what's really required. If you're open to that I'd talk to him about a reasonable cost for 3x per week and make sure he uses TFP methods. SWG would be my choice although it will need to be lined out to work. Then just do pH weekly which should be workable for a pool more than a year or two old.

Chris
 
I started with a SWG pool. Aside from needing to add Ph Down on a weekly basis, it’s pretty maintenance free and by mid-July (I’m in the Northeast), the pool becomes really stable. The salt cells do need to be replaced every 3 years or so depending on use and chemistry of your water.
 

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ImMyOwnPoolGuy said:
I started with a SWG pool. Aside from needing to add Ph Down on a weekly basis, it’s pretty maintenance free and by mid-July (I’m in the Northeast), the pool becomes really stable. The salt cells do need to be replaced every 3 years or so depending on use and chemistry of your water.
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Dry acid isn't recommended in pools with a SWG. Dry acid adds sulfates to the water which aren't good for the longevity of the SWG. Use muriatic acid.

If you manage the pool water chemistry to TFP guidelines - and monitor/manage CSI - a SWG should last a lot longer than 3 years ..... especially in areas like NJ where the pool season is a lot shorter than the FL, TX, AZ and the like. The recommendation is to size the SWG for at least 2 times the pool volume.
 
One of the biggest advantages of a SWG over anything else is that if you have a variable speed pump you can run the pump and the SWG 24/7. My pool kept having issues and algae outbreaks before I started running it 24/7. It’s much better to maintain a chlorine level 24/7 with a consistent drip, then to dump in a bunch at a time everyday and let it drift down during the day. You get more of a chlorine buffer this way for things like heavy rains and lots of people in the pool, that is constantly being replenished. My pool also has no water features, so I pointed my returns down so that the surface aeration is at a minimum. This prevents the PH from rising. I let my TA drift down to 60 and I haven’t had to add any acid since the beginning of summer. I have had to add more CYA and salt this year then anything else. If it wasn’t for all the leaves and debris I get, I wouldn’t have to do much maintenance at all other then running my robot. I just check my chemicals once a week now. It can be easy once you invest in the right stuff, follow TFP methods and get to know your particular pool and it’s tendency’s . The most amount of work I have done to my pool this week is to chase around a particularly fast snake with my net last night. Largest snake and fastest swimmer this year…. I get a lot of snakes.. Considering your not going to be at the pool for most of the week, you want to figure out how to manage it as easily as you can. A SWG gives you more options.
 
Orion7319 said:
One of the biggest advantages of a SWG over anything else is that if you have a variable speed pump you can run the pump and the SWG 24/7. My pool kept having issues and algae outbreaks before I started running it 24/7. It’s much better to maintain a chlorine level 24/7 with a consistent drip, then to dump in a bunch at a time everyday and let it drift down during the day. You get more of a chlorine buffer this way for things like heavy rains and lots of people in the pool, that is constantly being replenished. My pool also has no water features, so I pointed my returns down so that the surface aeration is at a minimum. This prevents the PH from rising. I let my TA drift down to 60 and I haven’t had to add any acid since the beginning of summer. I have had to add more CYA and salt this year then anything else. If it wasn’t for all the leaves and debris I get, I wouldn’t have to do much maintenance at all other then running my robot. I just check my chemicals once a week now. It can be easy once you invest in the right stuff, follow TFP methods and get to know your particular pool and it’s tendency’s . The most amount of work I have done to my pool this week is to chase around a particularly fast snake with my net last night. Largest snake and fastest swimmer this year…. I get a lot of snakes.. Considering your not going to be at the pool for most of the week, you want to figure out how to manage it as easily as you can. A SWG gives you more options.
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I am coming to this conclusion! FAST

Thanks for the note.
 
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