Lurker > Member

[cpachris]

Hello all.....long-time lurker....brand new member.

My wife and I began planning our dream backyard project a couple of years ago, and as I researched pools and equipment, etc....TFP was always prominent in the search results. I've always been more of a DIY'er in nature, and that seems to mesh well with TFP community. Well we finally got to the initial pool fill-up stage a few weeks ago, and I'll be putting salt in next weekend. Very excited about the results. Too new to have experienced any water issues at all yet, but I'm sure when I hit my first issue, I'll be scouring the forums for help.

No offense intended to anyone specific here...but the only critique I would make of the overall forum environment, is that much of the advice/replies I've read to posts asking questions...seem to be very black/white. No opportunities for shades of gray. A group-think mentality of "this is the way...other ways don't make sense"...sometimes permeates the advice. As a pool newbie...I don't have any experience to refute anything at this point. But I've noticed that questions about things like Ozone or UV, are typically shot down with more of a "why would you do that" type answer. "Chlorine does the job" type answer. I chose to install UV/Ozone simply because my wife and I travel a bit...and I like the thought of additional insurance if there are issues with chlorine while we are gone. I'm not going to rely on UV/Ozone to do the job, but like the thought of it being there if I'm away and my FC drops. I don't like the thought of having someone else come by to take care of pool and tinker with my stuff, so I was after the most insurance possible in the equipment.

I look forward to "virtually" meeting more pool owners here, and promise to celebrate my triumphs and lament my woes as they occur. It's how we all learn.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Chris and Welcome !!!

But I've noticed that questions about things like Ozone or UV, are typically shot down with more of a "why would you do that"

Again. Why would you do that.

The UV and Ozone devices both consume FC. Why would you add devices to make you need *more* chlorine ? (Not alot, but still).

The industry is fixated on battling algae. They will sell you UV and Ozone to help with algae control, but we don't have that problem here. We only have to deal with the FC loss from the sun. Everybody on the planet needs to deal with that, no matter what the UV/Ozone manufacturers say. They claim their devices allow you to use less chlorine, but unless they get rid of the sun for half the day, it's simple untrue.

Now the SWG on the other hand will create and add chlorine for you. It can go weeks at a time without being adjusted and gives you those worry free vacations/trips. I often joke that I take a 2 week staycation from poolcare, every two weeks.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Welcome...

The badge looks good on you.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome! In the end, it's your pool and you can put whatever you want in it. In some cases there is more than one answer. Many people simply don't understand the side effects of some products, and TFP attempts to clear that up for the average homeowner. If you have any questions about TFP methodology, please ask. Enjoy the forum.

 

[cpachris]

Again. Why would you do that.

Lol....exactly. Only time will tell if it was a good/ok/bad idea. I absorb and appreciate opinions...even when mine differ. Thanks @Newdude !

The badge looks good on you.

Twinkie badges I see. It is even more becoming on you @Rancho Cost-a-Lotta

Welcome! Enjoy the forum.

Thank you @Texas Splash

 

[PoolStored]

I like the thought of additional insurance if there are issues with chlorine while we are gone.

Welcome to Membership! I like the thought too, but it doesn’t work that way. There is no residual sanitation with UV, only the water that sees the UV will be affected. UV will consume FC, raising your demand and requiring more FC.

The reason there isn’t much gray is because the science behind pool water maintenance is fairly, well, black and white.

You are welcome to think UV/Ozonei provides insurance if you like. The fact remains, it does not…

 

[Newdude]

Only time will tell if it was a good/ok/bad idea

For future reference, we've been at it for 17 years. *this many* people have reported what worked best for them :




We were founded in science. We have since fine tuned it to available equipment and location. While it may be your first rodeo, it's my 1000th Oklahoma rodeo thanks to collective wisdom.

It could very well be someone else's 10,000th rodeo in Oklahoma. It's up to you if you choose to let the TFP braintrust guide you.

 

[JamesW]

I have a doohickey that provides plenty of UV for free.

The total power output is 3.86 x 10²⁶ watts.

Here is a picture of the UV machine.

 

[cpachris]

You are welcome to think UV/Ozonei provides insurance if you like. The fact remains, it does not…

We'll have to agree to disagree on that "fact". If I'm vacation traveling for 2 weeks and my SWG fails, there may be no chlorine in the pool at all. UV/Ozone equipment could still be running and be providing some protection still. For me...that's insurance. Belt and suspenders approach. I can simply turn off the bulbs if I don't need the UV/Ozone to run while I'm at home monitoring my chlorine levels. But I travel a lot and am not always there to monitor.

I have not put forward the argument that UV/Ozone is a good method for primary sanitation, and have said nothing about residual protection. You are kind of proving my point, that the community jumps all over any idea of UV/Ozone without trying to understand why someone may want that equipment installed. But again...I'm here because I find most of the information on this forum very useful.

While it may be your first rodeo, it's my 1000th Oklahoma rodeo thanks to collective wisdom.

It could very well be someone else's 10,000th rodeo in Oklahoma. It's up to you if you choose to let the TFP braintrust guide you.

+1 for the Okie reference! I'm definitely influenced by the TFP braintrust, and would not have joined otherwise. But I have to point out....that's an awful lot of rodeos. I'd probably never trust someone that spent that much time at a rodeo.

I have a doohickey that provides plenty of UV for free.

Cool. If it came in a smaller size and made ozone also...I might be in!

 

[Newdude]

If I'm vacation traveling for 2 weeks and my SWG fails, there may be no chlorine in the pool at all. UV/Ozone equipment could still be running and be providing some protection still. For me...that's insurance. Belt and suspenders approach.

Fair enough there. But with the bulk of the water sitting there not being treated, the units wouldn't be able to overcome an active (exponentially growing) algae bloom once it started. So, yes. Something is better than nothing. But also no, because it likely wouldn't be enough.

Certainly not enough to justify the cost of the UV and Ozone devices IMO.

When the SWG was working as it should the overwhelming bulk of the time, the units would consume some of your residual FC, being counter productive.

I'm definitely influenced by the TFP braintrust,

We have 17 years of people coming here because those devices didn't cut the mustard. We have lost no people to them, to the best of my knowledge. They'd be back to gloat up a storm if they did find success going that route, so I'm sure we would have heard.

We've had more newbs than I can count thinking that'd *they'd* be the one to finally score, but nobody wants to hear it at that stage.

I DO like your approach that it's solely a backup, but again, it's an expensive option that will only delay an algae bloom for a day or two at best. Murphys dictates that the problem happens on day 2, not day 13.

 

[cpachris]

Fair enough there.

Something is better than nothing.

I DO like your approach

@Newdude love's me! He really loves me!

Certainly not enough to justify the cost of the UV and Ozone devices.

Will you at least give me the bro nod...that justification of cost....is relative and not absolute? In the grand scheme of my backyard project, this represented about 0.2% of the budget. I can justify it. Other may not be able to.

but again, it's an expensive option that will only delay an algae bloom for a day or two at best. Murphys dictates that the problem happens on day 2, not day 13.

We've had more newbs than I can count thinking that'd *they'd* be the one to finally score, but nobody wants to hear it at that stage.

I'll accept the "newb" label...but I'm definitely not trying to "score" anything. I would never mock someone's decision not to have this equipment...but a fair number of users on this forum would absolutely mock the decision to have it...without understanding the reasoning, strategy or whether the cost was even an issue.

Can't we all just gather around (my ozone generator) and sing kum-by-yah?

 

[PoolStored]

 

[cpachris]

View attachment 524422

If you were able to find any "hate, blame or fear" in my posts...you are definitely living in a different dimension than I am.

 

[Newdude]

If you were able to find any "hate, blame or fear" in my posts...you are definitely living in a different dimension than I am.

I'm 99.9999% sure it was a statement explaining the human mentality why people mock others.

 

[PoolStored]

^^^What he said...