AquaFresh chlorine free pool troubles

Whit68 · Dec 26, 2018

G’day everyone,

I have a small fibreglass plunge pool (13,000 L) and it has an AquaFresh Chlorine free system, UV lamp and cartridge filter (https://lochlor.com.au/products/aquafresh). I’ve had it for about four years and it has been perfect up until this summer.

I had an algae outbreak that I just couldn’t get rid off using the suggested algaecides, so I had to bomb it with chlorine to get rid of it. I now have a cloudy pool that doesn’t want to clear. I have added 130ml of miraclear clarifier as per the instructions but it doesn’t seem to have made any difference.

Appreciate any advice.

cheers
Anthony

JohnT · Dec 27, 2018

Welcome to TFP!

I moved your post to this forum because AquaFresh is a biguanide based system like Baquacil.

You’ll find many people begin to have trouble with the system after a few years, with most making the switch to chlorine.

Texas Splash · Dec 27, 2018

Anthony, just in case you haven't seen these yet, here are some links that may apply to you:
Pool School - Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine
ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Alternative sanitizers and pools--The Truth!!

Keep in mind that many algaecides are copper-based which you never want in the water, and they aren't designed to kill algae anyways, only reduce the likelihood of an outbreak. Clarifiers may have occasional uses, but certainly not to kill algae. For that we follow the SLAM Process process in our chlorine-based pools.

Donldson · Dec 27, 2018

Welcome to TFP!

Unfortunately adding chlorine made a bad problem worse. Biguanide and chlorine cannot be used together, the chlorine and sanitizer react and create a substance we 'lovingly' refer to as BaquaGoo. This stuff clouds water and gums up filters. Here is an example of TFP's Administrator's DE filter when he converted his pool from biguanide to chlorine:

That's what is in your pool and since you have a cartridge filter I would be willing to bet it is gummed up now and adding clarifier is only making matters worse. Replacing the cartridge would probably be the most prudent course of action if this is the case. If you are planning to stick with AquaFresh then you will need to avoid chlorine in the future and make sure you stick with hydrogen peroxide oxidizers to correct these problems. Can't say I'm a fan of biguanide systems, but they can work if you understand the system and why you add what you add to your pool. Regardless of whether you stick with AquaFresh or are open to investigating other (IMO better) systems, knowledge is your best weapon in the fight for clear and sanitary water.

Welcome again, and best of luck with your pool!

Whit68 · Dec 30, 2018

Thanks for the welcome and responses all, how do I Sort the cloudy water problem I now have? I’ve added a flocculant two days ago and let the pool sit but it doesn’t seem to be clearing at all.

thanks
Anthony

tim5055 · Dec 30, 2018

At this point you probably have two choices:

1. A complete drain and refill

2. An attempt at a Pool School - Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine It's doubtful this will work at this point after all the clarifier, flocculant and chlorine you have added to the pool.

Re-read JD's post above (post #4).

You have to stop throwing magic potions in the pool.

If it were my pool it would be a drain/refil and use of chlorine moving forward.

AUSpool · Feb 21, 2019

Geday Anthony and welcome to the forum.

It really pays to know what your using, in your case LoChlor and Aquafreash have are bagging chlorine but have you using a 20% Polyhexamethylene biguanidine solution. It bet It would have helped your decision if they gave you a copy of their MSDSheet for the aquafreash sanitiser from the beginning. Listed as a class 9 dangerous good. From the MSDS at https://lochlor.com.au/image/catalog/pdf/Aquafresh Sanitiser.pdf
Harmful if swallowed, causes skin irritatiom, may cause an allergic skin reaction, causes eye irritation, suspected of causing cancer, causes damage to the respiratory tract through prolonged or repeated inhalation,toxic to aquatic life. I’ll be sticking with chlorine.

Sorry I cant be of more help, good luck with it.