Hayward AQR100 guide vs TFP for CYA and FC

[Strackmomof3]

Pool installed Fall 2023 so not tons of experience yet, but I’ve read tons of the TFP docs, classes,…and been using the salt testing kit. I’ve been keeping CYA 60-90 and FC 4-6 but in doing some testing and trying to figure out what Hayward AQR100’s 24 hour swg output is (and still haven’t figured out and don’t see it in selection on Pool Math app) I noticed this chart in the owners manual. It says target cya 30-50 and fc 1-3 so I’m confused! Current cya is 60 and fc 1.5 Not sure if leave alone, put on super chlorinate for a while (salt levels 3200), add a little liquid chlorine, …? Please help!

 

[ajw22]

Simple answer is pool manufactures have not updated their chemistry recommendation since the 1970's.

A lot has been learned since then. TFP recommendations reflect the most modern thinking.

You can decide if you want to follow TFP recommendations or the mid-20th century understanding of pool manufacturers.

 

[Strackmomof3]

Pool installed Fall 2023 so not tons of experience yet, but I’ve read tons of the TFP docs, classes,…and been using the salt testing kit. I’ve been keeping CYA 60-90 and FC 4-6 but in doing some testing and trying to figure out what Hayward AQR100’s 24 hour swg output is (and still haven’t figured out and don’t see it in selection on Pool Math app) I noticed this chart in the owners manual. It says target cya 30-50 and fc 1-3 so I’m confused! Current cya is 60 and fc 1.5 Not sure if leave alone, put on super chlorinate for a while (salt levels 3200), add a little liquid chlorine, …? Please help!View attachment 558724

Simple answer is pool manufactures have not updated their chemistry recommendation since the 1970's.

A lot has been learned since then. TFP recommendations reflect the most modern thinking.

You can decide if you want to follow TFP recommendations or the mid-20th century understanding of pool manufacturers.

That’s fair! So following TFP, I need to get my FC up to 4-6 and I’m currently at 1.5. Which of the options I posted above would be recommended? Pool Math doesn’t have my swg listed (or I don’t know what it equates to!). Thanks so much!

 

[BowserB]

That FC of 1-3 comes from, as I recall, the CDC. Down here in southeast Texas FC of 1-3 is only if you're growing algae as a cash crop! I treat 6ppm as my objective. For all other specs, I follow TFP recommendations. If I tested at 1.5, I'd be adding liquid chlorine in panic mode. No time for the SWCG to catch up.

 

[mknauss]

I would suspect it is a 25K cell so daily output (24 hours at 100%) is 0.98 lb chlorine gas. Use T9 in Poolmath.

 

[Strackmomof3]

I would suspect it is a 25K cell so daily output (24 hours at 100%) is 0.98 lb chlorine gas. Use T9 in Poolmath.

Thank you!!

 

[Strackmomof3]

Thank you!!

Thank you!!

In pool math it says should run at 100% for almost 13hrs. Would you recommend that or putting in some liquid chlorine and decrease from max? Appreciate the guidance?

 

[Newdude]

Liquid chlorine is for when you need a 'now' boost and the cell will take too long to raise the FC.

You want to set the cell to match the recent daily FC loss, or a little more. It starts mild right now, then the loss increases slowly up to 4 ppm (give or take) a day mid season. Then it slowly decreases for the back half of the season, back to almost no daily loss in the winter. Think of a bell curve.

You test to ensure you're not missing an adjustment time. Up in the spring, and down in the late summer or fall. In the spring, if you miss an adjustment you don't make enough FC and you may get an algae bloom. In the fall, if you miss an adjustment you make a little extra FC and there's no harm done.

 

[generessler]

As to the production rate, you're right. It looks like this is a Hayward top secret. But they advertise a T-3 cell as 25kgal. It makes 0.9 pounds FC per day. If you pro rate for the claimed 30 kgal capability, it works out to (drum roll) 1.08 pounds per day. That's pretty minimal for a 25 kgal pool. The manual says the cell is good for only 200 pounds total, so you can see why it also says replace the cell every season (for ~$450; yikes). It's done after 185 days of full output. Unless your pool requires minimal chlorine (i.e. it's well-shaded or covered most of the time), you might want to consider a more robust cell in the future.

 

[Strackmomof3]

As to the production rate, you're right. It looks like this is a Hayward top secret. But they advertise a T-3 cell as 25kgal. It makes 0.9 pounds FD per day. If you pro rate for the claimed 30 kgal capability, it works out to (drum roll) 1.08 pounds per day. That's pretty minimal for a 25 kgal pool. The manual says the cell is good for only 200 pounds total, so you can see why it also says replace the cell every season (for ~$450; yikes). It's done after 185 days of full output. Unless your pool requires minimal chlorine (i.e. it's well-shaded or covered most of the time), you might want to consider a more robust cell in the future.

Ugh, that’s pretty disappointing if that’s all it lasts!

 

[Divin Dave]

Getting back to the CYA and FC... Maybe I missed it, if so, plese ignore me. But if not, then let me try and help you understand this...
You posted this from the manual It says target cya 30-50 and fc 1-3 so I’m confused!

This is where the manufacturers differ from TFP, it's how and for what purpose the FC is used.

Per the CDC, the FC of 1-3 is sufficient to kill bacteria and stinky organisms that can make people sick. And that is true.
But Per TFP, we use Free Chlorine to also control algae, Read that again. TFP uses FC to Also Control Algae! That is the difference!! instead of using expensive and potentially damaging algaecide products sold at pool stores.

So, the correct level of FC in the pool to control algae is a percentage of the CYA. The higher your CYA is, the higher the FC needs to be in order to keep your pool algae free, bacteria free and the water sparkling.

TFP FC recommendation is a percentage of the CYA level. The FC recommendation is 7.5 - 11.5 percent. Because I suck at math, I just use 10% of the CYA level as my FC target. It's well inside the range we need and easy for me to calculate in my head....

FC below 7.5 percent puts you at risk for algae growth.
FC above 11.5 percent is not dangerous at all, far from it. But Its just wasted chlorine and there's no good reason to be wasteful..... It's wasted because at this level, there isn't isn't enough CYA to protect it from burned off by UV from the Sun.


I really hope this helps,
If you still are confused about it, let us know and we'll try and explain it better.

 

[cobravin]

As to the production rate, you're right. It looks like this is a Hayward top secret. But they advertise a T-3 cell as 25kgal. It makes 0.9 pounds FC per day. If you pro rate for the claimed 30 kgal capability, it works out to (drum roll) 1.08 pounds per day. That's pretty minimal for a 25 kgal pool. The manual says the cell is good for only 200 pounds total, so you can see why it also says replace the cell every season (for ~$450; yikes). It's done after 185 days of full output. Unless your pool requires minimal chlorine (i.e. it's well-shaded or covered most of the time), you might want to consider a more robust cell in the future.

Just an FYI, I have the AQR100 as well, it seems to be much different total output from the T3 you compared it to, this is what I found as output for the 100
"The salt cell in the AquaRite 100 produces approximately 450 lbs. of pure available chlorine, which is 20% more than other comparable systems. Hayward salt pools maintain low salt concentrations for ultimate swimming comfort."