Sorry this post is so long, but I have a lot to lay out and I have been building up to this post for some time.
I have an in-ground 16x32 vinyl pool in Northern New Jersey, roughly 22,000 gallons. It is a typical setup with chlorine tablet dispenser, a Sta-Rite cartridge filter, a Polaris 280 vacuum with booster pump, 1.5HP main pump, and an oversized automatic GoldLine solar heater on the roof that keeps the pool in the low to mid-90s. I also have a natural gas heater, but it has died and is connected but not in use. And I have a Nature2 copper and silver ion dispenser, but I have stopped using it because my wife’s blond hair is now green — I don’t want any more copper in my water, no more algaecides.
I maintain the pool myself with 3” chlorine pucks in the dispenser, bags of chlorine for shock treatments and trips to the local pool store for testing and other chemicals as needed (pH adjustments, stabilizer, calcium, algaecide, clarifier, etc.). I have done this all with very little knowledge of how a pool “works” and a lot of trust in the pool store. That is over.
Every year in late summer, the pool turns green and I never seem to be able to get it clear again. I have very recently learned this is the result of the CYA buildup over the summer, which is rendering my chlorine ineffective.
I finally have learned quite a bit about how a pool actually works (HUGE THANKS TO TFP AND THE CONTRIBUTORS HERE!!) and I have ordered a proper test kit (T-100 on its way). I have drained half the pool and refilled it to decrease my CYA levels and am in the middle of SLAMing the pool.
But …
I want to change my setup and am looking for advise. I want to move to a saltwater pool for numerous reasons, and I am thinking about the following elements with my requirements and notes below each.
SWG:
- Can functionally and effectively shock the pool when needed (powerful superchlorination mode)
- Can operate at the lowest possible salt PPM (to not taste the salt would be wonderful)
- Has a see-through cell, as I understand this can be helpful for assessing the cell’s condition
- Full and high-end digital monitoring and control (current Free Chlorine, current salt, specifically how much salt needs to be added, CYA, temp, pH, etc.)
- Monitor pH and ability to control a Muriatic Acid pump to dose as needed
- Lowest possible cell replacement cost / longest cell life possible
Muriatic Acid pump:
- If the SWG cannot monitor and control the pump, I’d like one that can do that itself (monitor pH and add acid on demand as needed automatically, which I understand will be more necessary with a SWG).
Boric Acid:
- I intend to dose the pool with Boric Acid (55 lbs arriving here in a few days) to help control pH and also due to other benefits I have read such as reduced algae troubles and an overall cleaner pool with good water feel and sparkle.
Zink Anode
- I think incorporating a zinc anode would be a good idea based on some reading on this site, I think mostly due to SWG pH issues. Seems like a cheap and easy insurance policy. But I’m unclear specifically how to incorporate this (can it just hang off the ladder in the pool or does it need to be in the plumbing with a ground wire connected to it?).
- Is this something I should include? Any downsides?
Ozonator?
- Do I need this or is this overkill?
UV Sanitizer?
- Again, do I need this or is it overkill?
I do have an in-ground vinyl pool as I noted, and I believe it has steel walls. How concerned should I be about salt destroying those walls? I have read this is a concern, but is this a big deal? Is this likely to be a problem? Do my steel walls mean I should not move to salt? My liner is not new, but it is in pretty good shape.
I know this would not be a fully self-sufficient pool, which is impossible, and it would still require maintenance. But I’m looking to have a setup that is as self-sufficient as possible, requiring the least attention and taking care of itself as much as is possible with the fewest chemicals. I don’t see a way I can continue with my current setup without having a green pool at the end of every July, and I don’t want to constantly buy gallons and gallons of bleach and dose the pool that way. I like the idea of a machine making on demand the exact right amount of chlorine I need — no more, no less.
I’m looking for advise on three fronts:
1) What do you think about the above plan and any advise on the execution?
2) Specifically what hardware do you recommend (SWG, Acid Pump, etc.)?
3) What else? What am I not considering? What else should I incorporate? What have I overlooked? Where am I wrong?
And lastly, I am not a millionaire. I need to do this all cost effectively. I realize this equipment is not cheap, but I don’t have money to burn. But I am quite handy and have no problems at all making things, rigging things and doing the complete install myself. So I can save money there. But still, I don’t have a trust fund.
Thank you so much in advance to any and all who can help me. It is very much appreciated.
I have an in-ground 16x32 vinyl pool in Northern New Jersey, roughly 22,000 gallons. It is a typical setup with chlorine tablet dispenser, a Sta-Rite cartridge filter, a Polaris 280 vacuum with booster pump, 1.5HP main pump, and an oversized automatic GoldLine solar heater on the roof that keeps the pool in the low to mid-90s. I also have a natural gas heater, but it has died and is connected but not in use. And I have a Nature2 copper and silver ion dispenser, but I have stopped using it because my wife’s blond hair is now green — I don’t want any more copper in my water, no more algaecides.
I maintain the pool myself with 3” chlorine pucks in the dispenser, bags of chlorine for shock treatments and trips to the local pool store for testing and other chemicals as needed (pH adjustments, stabilizer, calcium, algaecide, clarifier, etc.). I have done this all with very little knowledge of how a pool “works” and a lot of trust in the pool store. That is over.
Every year in late summer, the pool turns green and I never seem to be able to get it clear again. I have very recently learned this is the result of the CYA buildup over the summer, which is rendering my chlorine ineffective.
I finally have learned quite a bit about how a pool actually works (HUGE THANKS TO TFP AND THE CONTRIBUTORS HERE!!) and I have ordered a proper test kit (T-100 on its way). I have drained half the pool and refilled it to decrease my CYA levels and am in the middle of SLAMing the pool.
But …
I want to change my setup and am looking for advise. I want to move to a saltwater pool for numerous reasons, and I am thinking about the following elements with my requirements and notes below each.
SWG:
- Can functionally and effectively shock the pool when needed (powerful superchlorination mode)
- Can operate at the lowest possible salt PPM (to not taste the salt would be wonderful)
- Has a see-through cell, as I understand this can be helpful for assessing the cell’s condition
- Full and high-end digital monitoring and control (current Free Chlorine, current salt, specifically how much salt needs to be added, CYA, temp, pH, etc.)
- Monitor pH and ability to control a Muriatic Acid pump to dose as needed
- Lowest possible cell replacement cost / longest cell life possible
Muriatic Acid pump:
- If the SWG cannot monitor and control the pump, I’d like one that can do that itself (monitor pH and add acid on demand as needed automatically, which I understand will be more necessary with a SWG).
Boric Acid:
- I intend to dose the pool with Boric Acid (55 lbs arriving here in a few days) to help control pH and also due to other benefits I have read such as reduced algae troubles and an overall cleaner pool with good water feel and sparkle.
Zink Anode
- I think incorporating a zinc anode would be a good idea based on some reading on this site, I think mostly due to SWG pH issues. Seems like a cheap and easy insurance policy. But I’m unclear specifically how to incorporate this (can it just hang off the ladder in the pool or does it need to be in the plumbing with a ground wire connected to it?).
- Is this something I should include? Any downsides?
Ozonator?
- Do I need this or is this overkill?
UV Sanitizer?
- Again, do I need this or is it overkill?
I do have an in-ground vinyl pool as I noted, and I believe it has steel walls. How concerned should I be about salt destroying those walls? I have read this is a concern, but is this a big deal? Is this likely to be a problem? Do my steel walls mean I should not move to salt? My liner is not new, but it is in pretty good shape.
I know this would not be a fully self-sufficient pool, which is impossible, and it would still require maintenance. But I’m looking to have a setup that is as self-sufficient as possible, requiring the least attention and taking care of itself as much as is possible with the fewest chemicals. I don’t see a way I can continue with my current setup without having a green pool at the end of every July, and I don’t want to constantly buy gallons and gallons of bleach and dose the pool that way. I like the idea of a machine making on demand the exact right amount of chlorine I need — no more, no less.
I’m looking for advise on three fronts:
1) What do you think about the above plan and any advise on the execution?
2) Specifically what hardware do you recommend (SWG, Acid Pump, etc.)?
3) What else? What am I not considering? What else should I incorporate? What have I overlooked? Where am I wrong?
And lastly, I am not a millionaire. I need to do this all cost effectively. I realize this equipment is not cheap, but I don’t have money to burn. But I am quite handy and have no problems at all making things, rigging things and doing the complete install myself. So I can save money there. But still, I don’t have a trust fund.
Thank you so much in advance to any and all who can help me. It is very much appreciated.