With one of the stated pros of adding borates being improved water clarity, I was wondering if anybody in the TFP community had pics of their pool before and after the addition of borates? While an "improvement" can be subjective, I would think that any material change in clarity would still be identified by photos.
Borates: Before and After Pics
- Thread starter perryw4
- Start date
Thanks, JamesW, that is a great forum, but I'm hoping for more for side-by-side pics and less discussion on the particulars. That link seems to be light on pre vs post pics.
So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How
Did you see these pictures?
Note that "sparkle" is subjective. People report that the water seems more sparkly, but the water should sparkle without borates.
Maybe someone will have some good pictures.
Did you see these pictures?
Note that "sparkle" is subjective. People report that the water seems more sparkly, but the water should sparkle without borates.
Maybe someone will have some good pictures.
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- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,768
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
There are reasons to add borates, but added “sparkle” isn’t one. Borates are not a panacea. The primary purpose is to help buffer pH change, any other benefits are minimal and only secondary. I doubt any side by side photos will show a difference.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,247
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- 18375
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
I added borates last spring. I didn't see any appreciable difference in water clarity or feel. If there was, it would not show up on camera. After a 2/3 drain and refill, I do not plan on adding borates unless needed to help stabilize pH swings.
At last, some VERY reasonable posts about borates from "Chief" and "Rancho".
Borates are simply not the magic bullet many people have posted they are. I firmly believe they are valuable for pH control and the buffering effect they can provide is a nice additive......if you want to try them.
But I just as firmly believe that they are optional and are not mandatory for proper pool water management.
Borates are simply not the magic bullet many people have posted they are. I firmly believe they are valuable for pH control and the buffering effect they can provide is a nice additive......if you want to try them.
But I just as firmly believe that they are optional and are not mandatory for proper pool water management.
Brad_C
Well-known member
- Nov 15, 2018
- 188
- Pool Size
- 19000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Monarch ESC24 / ESC7000
I added borates to my pool 3 days ago. I also read probably 50 articles dotted around the web about how borates are an answer to a maidens prayer. About half of those mentioned "water clarity" along with a long list of other magical properties, but if you actually read the article critically it's quite obvious they actually don't understand any of the "promotional material from a chemical company" they are regurgitating and pretending they understand.
Yes, I noticed a difference in the water look and taste, but it's so minor there is absolutely no way that could be captured on camera even in laboratory conditions and it has nothing to do with clarity.
I did it for pH control and after some medical advice that it might help with one of my kids skin conditions as one of a long list of things to experiment with. Aside from cost I couldn't see a down side, so I did it. We'll see if it helps over the next couple of months.
That's a very good point that I failed to mention. I don't believe this forum has ever received any negativity about it's use
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- Sep 23, 2015
- 1,598
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V25
I didn’t notice any before or after difference from adding borates with regard to feel or appearance. At the time I had a self cleaning SWG with an old cell that did require some manual cleaning. After adding the borates the cell still required cleaning but the calcium scale was kind of ‘mushy’ and cleaned off much easier. Generally if I notice my pools look sparkly and clear it is because no ones been in for a while and/or I’m riding high on FC.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,211
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
On the cost side, for a northern pool (where you drain x% of your pool each fall) and for locations that receive a lot of rain which overflows the pool, there is the cost to replenish borates as well.
I had added them years ago to assist with pH buffering, which worked as expected (add more MA less often), but come spring I had to add more borates to get the level back up and I didn't want to continue with that expense. And since my pH stabilized to a large degree over time, there was no longer a need for them in my case.
If my water was any more sparkly than it is today, I'd have to wear two pairs of sunglasses, so that would be another expense as well.
I had added them years ago to assist with pH buffering, which worked as expected (add more MA less often), but come spring I had to add more borates to get the level back up and I didn't want to continue with that expense. And since my pH stabilized to a large degree over time, there was no longer a need for them in my case.
If my water was any more sparkly than it is today, I'd have to wear two pairs of sunglasses, so that would be another expense as well.
I just added borates a few days ago. I can get Solubor free at work, so cost was not an issue, and I figured, why not? pH buffering is a good enough reason for me.
I feel like my water looks more clear, and a bit more sparkly than before. But pretty sure it's not enough that anyone else would look at my pool and see a difference, including my wife. You certainly would not be able to tell the difference with side by side photos. The likely variations in sunlight between the two would probably change more about the two photos than the borates would.
For what it's worth, you can see a finished picture in this thread - Adding Borates with Solubor, and before pictures in the build link in my sig.
I feel like my water looks more clear, and a bit more sparkly than before. But pretty sure it's not enough that anyone else would look at my pool and see a difference, including my wife. You certainly would not be able to tell the difference with side by side photos. The likely variations in sunlight between the two would probably change more about the two photos than the borates would.
For what it's worth, you can see a finished picture in this thread - Adding Borates with Solubor, and before pictures in the build link in my sig.