FROG System alternative??

[sunburntdude]

I have a aqua smarte frog system with mineral reservoir and bac pac. I would like to continue using for this season due to the expense I've already put in ($90 for mineral reservoir, $25 for bac pac). I have also been doing bbb in conjunction with this. Is this ok using both? Water has been holding chlorine great and has gone from green to almost clear after a week. Currently am getting a white soapy like substance that develops overnight and seems to clear up during day but comes back that night. What's that? Also dumped an entire $30 bottle of terminator algaecide into pool about a week ago before I came across bbb. Should I be worried about this. I don't yet have a good test kit.

25,000 gal above ground.
sand filter

 

[duraleigh]

You will not find many fans of aqua smarte on this forum. It continually adds metals to your water which you CANNOT REMOVE. Despite the cost, I suggest you remove it.

The foam is probably from the algaecide you put in the pool. It'll go away in time and cause no harm....especially if you use adequate chlorine.

Read Pool School. You will find you can maintain your pool crystal clear by using chlorine only. You don't need froggie and you don't need algaecide. Both those are costing you money that you could spend on a good test kit and begin to manage your pool using just some basic stuff and saving yourself a lot of money.

Post back any questions and everyone here will help however we can.

 

[257WbyMag]

The best alternative to the mineral systems like the Frog and the Nature 2 is to have no such system at all. Instead, make sure your pool is properly chlorinated and you will not develop the problems that these systems are purported to help with. Cheaper too.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I switched from the frog to BBB 3 years ago and never looked back. The foam is likely from the algaecide.
I use a little bleach each evening. Alternatively you can use trichlor tablets in a chlorinator or floater, and start the season with a CYA of 30 and then switch to bleach when your CYA hits about 50, although this might cost slightly more than just bleach and CYA. The bacpacs only last about 2 weeks each, just an FYI if you only have 2 or so you can switch to bleach or regular trichlor after that is used up. If this is the first mineral cartridge installed (new pool/system?) the minerals level shouldn't be too bad yet - is up to you if you want to leave it in (there have been reports of failed cartridges with the minerals released into the water so if you don't mind that small risk). At any rate, don't follow their recommended levels... make sure you keep the FC above the "min" for your CYA according to the CYA chart.

 

[TNBandmom]

Fighting with metals in the water is really hard, disappointing, discouraging, costly. I've been fighting with them for several months now. If you are going to go the BBB method, you will waste less money by cutting your loses now on that system. Between the iron in my fill water and all the stuff used last year and this year before finding this site, I've spent way more than that on metal sequentrant over the past 2 months. It blows your mind when the pool turns clear green. The only way you know not to go down that path of fighting algae is a really good test kit.