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  1. pikeman

    Clorox salt alternative uses

    If it’s water softener salt, using it to sterilize an area is ideal. I keep the gravel areas along the street clean with salt. I’ve seen branded “pool salt” which is twice the price of simple “solar salt “ which is what I use for pool and softener. For our purposes lain salt is all we need.
  2. pikeman

    Baffling test results

    Agreed, Acid washing certainly erodes the cell. But Calcium buildup is a fact of life if you’re using municipal water. At least in my town, where we get water fro LCRA, and I have a plaster pool. You will get no argument from me about the downside of using any pool store, in particular...
  3. pikeman

    Baffling test results

    Okay, let me ask a dumb question. If the SWCG control unit monitors the salt level, and with mine the sweet spot is 3500-4000, why isn’t that good enough? If I am keeping my pool water balanced, isn’t that the critical control? Leslie’s is likely using a galvanometer in their updated system...
  4. pikeman

    Baffling test results

    I recently began working at getting my saltwater pool back in order. It had spent the winter with laundry bleach as the sanitizer and it remained crystal clear. Since I need to replace most of my test kit I took a water sample to Leslie's. That's always fun! The biggest deficit was salt. I added...
  5. pikeman

    Is this a calcium issue?

    LOL! The "magic" is revealing these so-called "professionals" as idiots selling snake oil! And also reducing costs by using some commonly available chemicals.
  6. pikeman

    Anybody know how to contact CircuPool?

    Yesterday I finally did manage to talk to someone after three lengthy sessions on hold. And I acquired the personal phone number of a senior person. I’m to receive a shipping label to send them the control unit. Issue closed.
  7. pikeman

    Anybody know how to contact CircuPool?

    1. I have a tech issue that is a month old and most of this time has been wasted waiting for them to call back. Additionally, the tech issue is unsolved. My SWG isn't functioning correctly. 2. Nobody answers the phone! I have lost track of how many times I have called and waited for 15-20...
  8. pikeman

    Anybody know how to contact CircuPool?

    I have been screwing around with tech support for a number of weeks and spent way too much time on the phone. After 15 minutes on hold I am done. So apparently nobody is there? And that is on any option presented by the robo answer machine. If there is anyone who has contact information beyond...
  9. pikeman

    What did you do to your pool today?

    Installed new shoes on the Navigator pool cleaner. Worked wonders on its performance! Tomorrow it’s finally time to get in the water. It’s up to 76.
  10. pikeman

    2023 Bleach Prices

    I’ve been buying laundry bleach at Big Lots in the Austin, TX area for $2 a gallon.
  11. pikeman

    Took down to level again still about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 off level

    The related article needs some serious editing. Using a laser level is the right way to do this. And 12 inch square pavers that are level with the surface are the best choice. No wood. My “ know-it-all” neighbor discovered this after three tries. He is now on the forum.
  12. pikeman

    Opening the pool in a month (ish), wish to upgrade to SWG. Have one picked out but want opinions...

    I've been used a CircuPool SWG for four seasons and it did a great job. I was running the RJ45+ on an approx 20K gallon pool with a six hour run usually at 70%. But the cell died. Now I am stuck with replacing it at a 20% discount thanks to the warranty. But I don't know anyone else who has used...
  13. pikeman

    What's the best pool cleaner?

    I have a dedicated suction line for the cleaner. I've owned a few over 20 years. My worst experience was with the Zodiac MX5. When it worked, it was great. But it was always breaking down and the parts were very expensive. In the end, I could not even give it away and my store had stopped...
  14. pikeman

    SWG and Cold Water

    Hello, I own a Circupool RJ+ SWG. It’s a good unit and the support has been excellent. It’s been a game changer as far as water quality, enjoyment, labor, and eliminating the cost of chlorine. I only regret not doing it sooner. I run mine about six hours a day, at night, and use sprayers to...
  15. pikeman

    How often to clean SWCG?

    My problem is calcium buildup. It’s just a matter of time before I need to drain and refill. However, in the meantime keeping my saturation index close to neutral has resulted in success. Nice swimming, happy eyes, no itching, even the wife is happy. It’s all about the numbers!
  16. pikeman

    Ready to switch to SWG.

    Without reading the previous posts, I’m not having anything from Hayward if I can avoid them. I think the products are cheap Crud. They used to be the gold standard and sold out. Just like Carrier and Cadillac. I bought a Circupool RJ60+ SWG and it’s been a game changer. Less work! Zero...
  17. pikeman

    Zodiac MX6 gets stuck on steps (with video) - need some help with what parts I need

    I’m never buying another mx zodiac, or even accepting a giveaway. They consume expensive parts like a German performance car. And the frequency of replacement was insane! Meanwhile, it was inoperative.
  18. pikeman

    Useless backwashing on DE filter

    I’m in a cycle of about every three weeks during swim season, late April to November. I envy your situation!
  19. pikeman

    Useless backwashing on DE filter

    I've stopped backwashing my filter due to how poorly it clears the DE out of the vanes. I've begun opening it and using the hose to wash out the internals. I'm not worried about the water use since the runoff from the pad waters nearby landscaping, but it is a PITA. Is this a common issue, or do...
  20. pikeman

    Solar rings

    I’m in Central Texas and have a garden pool without much deck and can’t use a full cover. I’d like to use solar rings to extend the swim season. The product sold by Leslies is badly reviewed and I’m wondering if someone has had luck with another product; something that’s lasted a few years and...
  21. pikeman

    Zodiac MX8 pool cleaner stops and starts

    I had the same issue. I lost track of how much money I spent on replacing parts. I gave up and went back to the Navigator cleaner. The MX8 went to Goodwill. I tried to give it away and nobody wanted it.
  22. pikeman

    Contemplating going SWG... salt cell suggestions

    I have a CircuPool RJ45 and wish I had installed a SWG sooner. It eliminated my algae problems and the water quality is incredible. I can't recommend it enough. Plus, CircuPool has good tech support. I had an issue that developed, and it was quickly resolved.
  23. pikeman

    A weird thing about CYA

    Good point about the rain. We did have some very heavy storms and the pool level went over the standpipe that’s part of the auto fill. I needed to add some salt to get back to the optimum level. So the CYA may have washed out.
  24. pikeman

    A weird thing about CYA

    Thanks for the input. I recently had a fresh finish coat installed and the lines were static tested. I do have an auto fill, but also watch my water use pretty carefully. Based on the replies I’ve received I think the deterioration of the CYA is the most likely cause. With the SWG removed now...
  25. pikeman

    A weird thing about CYA

    I had the perfect level of CYA in the pool before I turned the SWG on and it remained stable for over a year. No problems at all. So much so that I neglected checking the CYA for a few months and then it seemed to be zero. None at all! I thought my reagent was no longer any good, and had a...
  26. pikeman

    Economics of my SWG

    There is one cost nobody mentioned that's very hard to quantify. I'd call it the "Pain in the rear Cost". Before the SWG I was using pucks in a floater and had nonstop issues with low-level algae, buildup of CYA that required draining the pool 80% and so much brushing I wore them out. I was also...
  27. pikeman

    RJ-30 duty cycle

    The water is too cold! 65 is the lowest temp we're supposed to be running the SWG. If you are running the device out of spec, you don't have a legitimate issue.
  28. pikeman

    CircuPool RJ+ review

    This is the anniversary of installing this and I wanted to write a review. The first thing is I wish I'd done it sooner! Before, I spent plenty of time keeping the algae at bay. I never had a serious problem, but seemed to always be on the edge of one. I was using bleach mainly. supplemented...
  29. pikeman

    Helping my neighbor

    I have a nozzle that is adjustable for the smooth part and a brush for the cracks. At the lowest setting I've hit my bare feet and it wasn't pleasant, but I didn't break the skin. I want to make sure I don't create more problems than I fix!