SWG - IntelliPH or other system?

[darin.brown]

Looking to purchase our equipment for our new SWG pool. This will be our first pool so anything that makes things easier will be nice. We're going with Pentair for the equipment (IC40, PSL8) and it looks like the IntelliPH fits nicely in this setup despite the fact that some of the items require annual replacement due to acid corrosion, etc..

I haven't looked much into the various other acid delivery systems available but I'm looking to stay around $500 as my max budget here. I assume a non-Pentair solution would be something from Stenner? Any pros/cons to that approach?

 

[cowboycasey]

hmmm, if you keep the TA down in the recommended range of 70 to 90 you should not have a huge problem needing constant addition of MA.. unless your going to install a river/waterfall and have it run 24/7.. I have a SWG and only add MA once a month or so.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Can you tell us a bit about your pool? Plaster, Vinyl or Fiberglass? Size? Water features? Equipment? Test kit??

 

[bdavis466]

Looking to purchase our equipment for our new SWG pool. This will be our first pool so anything that makes things easier will be nice. We're going with Pentair for the equipment (IC40, PSL8) and it looks like the IntelliPH fits nicely in this setup despite the fact that some of the items require annual replacement due to acid corrosion, etc..

I haven't looked much into the various other acid delivery systems available but I'm looking to stay around $500 as my max budget here. I assume a non-Pentair solution would be something from Stenner? Any pros/cons to that approach?

I have the IPH and I don't know that I would buy it again. My pool has a huge hunger for acid and the only way for the IPH to keep up is longer pump run times since it doses a max of about 2oz per hour. A Stenner would likely be a better option since you could dial it in to your exact needs.

As mentioned above, try maintaining a lower TA and see what that does for the pool's acid demand. If the pH still rises uncontrollably, then look into the IPH or a Stenner acid pump.

hmmm, if you keep the TA down in the recommended range of 70 to 90 you should not have a huge problem needing constant addition of MA.. unless your going to install a river/waterfall and have it run 24/7.. I have a SWG and only add MA once a month or so.

I maintain a pH of 7.8, a TA of 60,have the acid pump dumping 12 oz/day and still have to manually add acid every 1-1/2 weeks. Without the acid pump, the additions are about every 3-4 days...

 

[cowboycasey]

Brian, your pool sure is MA hungry, is it because of the spa or do you have some kind of waterfall? I know some pools are just that way...

I have the IPH and I don't know that I would buy it again. My pool has a huge hunger for acid and the only way for the IPH to keep up is longer pump run times since it doses a max of about 2oz per hour. A Stenner would likely be a better option since you could dial it in to your exact needs.

As mentioned above, try maintaining a lower TA and see what that does for the pool's acid demand. If the pH still rises uncontrollably, then look into the IPH or a Stenner acid pump.



I maintain a pH of 7.8, a TA of 60,have the acid pump dumping 12 oz/day and still have to manually add acid every 1-1/2 weeks. Without the acid pump, the additions are about every 3-4 days...

 

[bdavis466]

I have both a waterfall and spa but use them as little as possible. My pool is just one of those that the pH rises no matter what. I see little to no difference with even lower TA levels. My fill source TA is 90 which isn't terrible, but that and whatever other mysterious driving force of my pH sure makes for a lot of acid.

 

[darin.brown]

thanks for the thoughts and feedback so far. perhaps I'll wait to see what my chemistry needs are before going this route. it's going to be a 23x32 gunite sport pool, around 17k gallons.. only water features is a pair of bubblers in the tanning ledge so no waterfall or anything like that. spa will be a standalone hot tub so no need to worry about maintaining 2 sets of water. planning on picking up the Taylor kit to maintain chemistry once we've built.

 

[Saturn94]

hmmm, if you keep the TA down in the recommended range of 70 to 90 you should not have a huge problem needing constant addition of MA.. unless your going to install a river/waterfall and have it run 24/7.. I have a SWG and only add MA once a month or so.

+1

I keep my TA about 80 and borates about 50. Even with the SWCG I haven't had to add acid in 3 or 4 years; pH stays rock solid at 7.5 all season.

For reference I don't have a spa or water features. I also point the returns so that they don't create much surface turbulence.