Is our SWG too powerful for our small pool?
- Thread starter Rachelmarie
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,300
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Once you get a proper test kit (Taylor K2006C or TF100), run a full suite of tests and post them up.
Take care.
Take care.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,229
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If your Aquapure only has 10% and 20% settings that may be part of your problem in managing a 5100 gallon pool with a 40k gallon sized cell. 20% is probably about right in the summer when you lose a lot of FC to the sun but too much in the winter when days are shorter and the sun is not as strong.
If you dont have settings on the SWG between 10% & 20% then you need to use other tools to adjust your FC output. Pump runtime can adjust SWG output. 20% output for 8 hours is the same as 10% for 16 hours. We can’t set the SWG to 15% but we can run the pump and SWG at 10% for 12 hours to get the same FC generated. So adjust your pump runtime to dial in your FC generated rather then the adjusting the % runtime on your cell.
The other thing you can do is let your CYA drop from 70 to about 40. Most people want a high CYA to sunscreen the FC and prevent sun loss. With your large SWG cell you can deal with FC better then most. Letting more FC burn off can make a setting like 20% work.
You have to experiment a bit to find the SWG%, pump runtime, and CYA level that works for your setup as the seasons change. Most people have to adjust their SWG output during the year. Reduce it from summer settings as the winter comes. Your small pool is more sensitive to 10% changes with your large cell then most others.
Having your own test kit will let you easily check your FC daily while you work to learn what settings work best for your pool across the year.
If your Aquapure is hooked up to your automation, you should be able to adjust it in 1% increments, versus 5% increments manually on the Aquapure box when it is not controlled by automation.
Why are you running your pump for 8 hours a day? That's probably far more than necessary considering that your pool is enclosed in a birdcage and your FC rises too much.
I'd suggest you drop your pump run time to 4 hours a day and see how that does. You can tweak FC by either pump run time or percentage on the cell. Its a balancing act.
Maddie
I'd suggest you drop your pump run time to 4 hours a day and see how that does. You can tweak FC by either pump run time or percentage on the cell. Its a balancing act.
Maddie
My friend came by and tested my pool. He has a system called waterlink spintouch which he said is a $700 machine (he used to sell them) and is very accurate. It did yield some different results from what the pool store gave me which does make me question them. I will say after I added another cup of acid this morning and tested it, it finally started looking in the normal range and he confirmed that for me. Results are:
FCL- .56 (I already turned the SWG back on to 5%
TCL- .83
CCL- .27
PH- 7.7
Alk- 99
CH-351
CYA- 49
Pho-272 (We are going to add phosphate remover)
I added one more cup of acid to stay ahead of the game so it seems I am finally getting somewhere with the ph thank god. Is my calcium level too high? Anything else I need to do based on those results?
FCL- .56 (I already turned the SWG back on to 5%
TCL- .83
CCL- .27
PH- 7.7
Alk- 99
CH-351
CYA- 49
Pho-272 (We are going to add phosphate remover)
I added one more cup of acid to stay ahead of the game so it seems I am finally getting somewhere with the ph thank god. Is my calcium level too high? Anything else I need to do based on those results?
Why are you running your pump for 8 hours a day? That's probably far more than necessary considering that your pool is enclosed in a birdcage and your FC rises too much.
I'd suggest you drop your pump run time to 4 hours a day and see how that does. You can tweak FC by either pump run time or percentage on the cell. Its a balancing act.
Maddie
No specific reason other than that is what the PB changed it to. I will go ahead and lower it a couple hours. Thanks!
272 phosphate level is not really a concern atm. I would focus more on the other things first and deal with that later. Phosphate removers May make your chemistry a bit wacky. Of course I’m sure someone will say I’m not correct on that either.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,300
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
No need for phosphate remover.
You still need your own test kit to properly manage your water. The unit the person used is fine as long as it is properly calibrated and maintained.
You still need your own test kit to properly manage your water. The unit the person used is fine as long as it is properly calibrated and maintained.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
Ditch the phosphate remover and
All test results!
You need a TFT 100 or Taylor 2006c
All test results!
You need a TFT 100 or Taylor 2006c
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,229
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Your calcium level is fine.
Don’t add phosphate remover.
Get your own test kit. The TF-100 Test Kits costs $70 and is as good as your friends fancy test machine and better then pool store testing.
Don’t add phosphate remover.
Get your own test kit. The TF-100 Test Kits costs $70 and is as good as your friends fancy test machine and better then pool store testing.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
With his fancy test machine....did *he* say your CH was too high? What advice did *he* give you??
To be honest I question the validity of his testing. Just because something costs $700 doesn't mean its worth a hill of beans.
After you dropped that extra acid in, did you re-test to see what your final pH is?
I wouldn’t retest it so soon. These chemicals you add need time to mix in and disperse before you can retest them. If your dumping acid in and retest the water 10 mins later your not doing any good. Nothing beats a good Taylor test kit either
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,229
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I find 30 minutes is sufficient time for MA to mix and show the change in pH. Some other chemicals take longer.
The TF-100 Test Kits uses Taylor reagents and is a better value for TFPC methods. See pool-test-kits-comparison
True'dat.... letting the water mix up is imperative.
TFP only endorses the Taylor reagents, and the kits we recommend are the TF-100 or the Taylor K-2006C (the C version is most compariable to the TF-100 in the size of reagent bottles. The TF-100 has more reagent for the tests we do the most and is cheaper at $70).
I have no re tested it because I had to dump it in and left the house 20 mins later. I will test when I get home in a couple hours.
My friend sold those systems for his job so knows all about them and how to calibrate. He did tell to disregard the salt reading because he hadn't calibrated it. He said nothing about the calcium but did say it's good to get phosphate down. Why should I not bother with phosphates?
My friend sold those systems for his job so knows all about them and how to calibrate. He did tell to disregard the salt reading because he hadn't calibrated it. He said nothing about the calcium but did say it's good to get phosphate down. Why should I not bother with phosphates?
First of all, Phosphate level of 272 is almost nil in the scheme of things. If in some unusual circumstance your pool needed the phosphates removed it would be sooooooo much higher than 272.
Phosphates are algae food. If one doesn't *have* algae, who cares if the food is on the buffet?
Some water departments actually *add* phosphates to their city water.... you'd be fighting a losing battle if you had to top off often, huh?
The PhosFree that Leslie's sells is watered down strength, and not the stuff we'd recommend using *if* one was going to use it.
Phosphates are algae food. If one doesn't *have* algae, who cares if the food is on the buffet?
Some water departments actually *add* phosphates to their city water.... you'd be fighting a losing battle if you had to top off often, huh?
The PhosFree that Leslie's sells is watered down strength, and not the stuff we'd recommend using *if* one was going to use it.
Funny you say that about adding phosphates. Here in Florida they sent a letter out last year stating they will be adding phosphates to the water to help coat the pipes to increase any kind of issues such as the Michigan water issue a while back. Our water here is no bueno for pools. Luckily we get a ton of rain so hoses typically stay out for the most part.