Hello,
Last year was our second year with our 16'x48" Intex pool. I struggled way more in 2016 than in 2015 maintaining water clarity. There were two significant changes to the equipment I used and I'm wondering what impact they may have had on water clarity. First I purchased a used Laars 250kBtu/hr heater and used it from the end of March through September. Its old, but works quite well and gave us very nice swimming temps all summer. However, I think the heat exchanger is slowly rusting. Second, in July I added an Intex Salt Water Chlorine Generator. All was perfect after this addition for about 4 days--it was crystal clear. Then it became green/brown murky (not horrible, but compared to what I was used to it was bad) with brown stuff settling in patches on the floor of the pool. It seemed that no amount of running the filter/SWG/adding bleach could help me. At the time I thought it was an algae issue, but now I'm beginning to think much of it could have simply been rust from the heater's exchanger and that adding salt to the system only made the rust rate increase--thus clouding my pool.
Can this be right or am I way off in my theory?
So, what is the solution?
I'm considering swapping out to a larger pool this spring. If my heater is rusting this bad (and causing this problem) I'm thinking I should just pony up and buy a new heater (absolutely needed here in Western Washington with a shady back yard) with the Cupro-Nickle heat exchanger so as to not have to deal with the rust. We are on city water and it does not have iron in it.
Curious what others have experience with aging heaters, rust and SWG's.
Thanks!
Last year was our second year with our 16'x48" Intex pool. I struggled way more in 2016 than in 2015 maintaining water clarity. There were two significant changes to the equipment I used and I'm wondering what impact they may have had on water clarity. First I purchased a used Laars 250kBtu/hr heater and used it from the end of March through September. Its old, but works quite well and gave us very nice swimming temps all summer. However, I think the heat exchanger is slowly rusting. Second, in July I added an Intex Salt Water Chlorine Generator. All was perfect after this addition for about 4 days--it was crystal clear. Then it became green/brown murky (not horrible, but compared to what I was used to it was bad) with brown stuff settling in patches on the floor of the pool. It seemed that no amount of running the filter/SWG/adding bleach could help me. At the time I thought it was an algae issue, but now I'm beginning to think much of it could have simply been rust from the heater's exchanger and that adding salt to the system only made the rust rate increase--thus clouding my pool.
Can this be right or am I way off in my theory?
So, what is the solution?
I'm considering swapping out to a larger pool this spring. If my heater is rusting this bad (and causing this problem) I'm thinking I should just pony up and buy a new heater (absolutely needed here in Western Washington with a shady back yard) with the Cupro-Nickle heat exchanger so as to not have to deal with the rust. We are on city water and it does not have iron in it.
Curious what others have experience with aging heaters, rust and SWG's.
Thanks!