Newbie here - Yes I need some help

[patriot_tech]

Hi everyone,
Hopefully someone can help me figure out my best course of action. While I don't have major issues, I am interested in the BBB and further info on what I should do.

I'm in Akron, Ohio and this is the first year we have had our pool. It is used almost daily by 3-4 people. I have the Nature2 system on the pool right now. I had a feeling it was a marketing gimick and based on what I have read am now sure it is.

I am shocking about once a week with 2 bags 73% shock. Water is clear for 5-6 days. Then gets a very slight haze to it. So I shock again. I plan to begin using 12.5% bleach once I use up the shock bags I bought.

I did not trust the test strips and got a Taylor test kit. I found my pH was very low, so I added 2 boxes of borax and my pH is now 7.4.

Here are the rest of my results:
pH = 7.4
FC = 1.5 (added shock last night)
CYA = 0
TA = 60
CH = 260

Is the BBB compatible with Nature2 or should I discontinue using the Nature2? What should I be doing to properly maintain this pool? Any help that can be provided is greatly appreciated. I have searched and read much of the pertinent topics and have an idea of what I need, but want to be sure.

Thanks in advance for any help! I hope I have provided all the needed info.

 

[dmanb2b]

Welcome...ditch it. It's just not needed epecially if you can do your own testing on a regular basis. There is absolutley no need to add metal to your water to assist in sanitation. Chlorine, in any form is more, than capable of doing that for you.

 

[duraleigh]

Patriot,

Welcome to the forum. :lol: Yeah, ditch the Nature2. We'll teach you a simpler, cheaper, more effective way to keep your pool crystal clear.

1. Read Pool School....at least the first few articles like ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry...particularly about CYA.

2. Get some CYA in your pool.....around 40ppm. You are allowing your FC to get too low. It should be 3-5ppm constantly.

3. Sorry, we're sticklers on this but it's important to what we teach.....shock is a process you do to your pool....it is not a product despite what the labels at the pool store say.

 

[geekgranny]

It is very difficult to maintian the pool water perfecty enough using ionizers without eventually having copper stains deposited on pool surfaces. Virtually all of the TFP members on the board, who used ionizers, such as Nature 2, for any length of time, eventually had pools that developed copper stains. Copper can become so embedded in plaster that it is virtually impossible to remove without taking drastic, expensive measures. In my case the best I can hope for with my copper stains is to lighten them enough, over time, and much money spent, so that they are not too visible when there is rippling on the water surface.

And I shudder to think how unsanitary my pool probably was for many years as I did not keep adequate amounts of chlorine in between throwing in chlorine granules once or twice a week.

Besides that my pool is open year round with pump going most hours of the day so I went through at least three or four $100 cartridges a year. That cost and what I spent on granular chlorine and shock, and all the acid for 6 acid washes (3 old plaster - 3 new plaster) would have payed for an SWG, in a little over a year not using the Nature 2.

BTW.... I had to replace two or three of the Nature 2 vessels due to freezing. I used Nature 2 since they came out in the 80's and switched to Floatron in 2007-2009 when I found TFP and yanked that evil monster out of the pool. The Floatron was, can't really remember, but probably $300. Count up how much money I spent keeping my pool unsanitary and severely copper stained all those years. My unit was large enough that I didn't ever have algae, but that is easily accomplished using cheap bleach.

gg=alice

 

[patriot_tech]

In April when the pool was installed I added 4 bags of 'stabilizer' which iirc is CYA. I don't understand why I have no reading. I will get more and get it in there. I also plan to remove the Nature2 this weekend and begin with liquid bleach as well.

I have done some calculating and it looks like 1.5 gal of 12.5% will get me to about 12 ppm FC. This is good as a 'shock' dose. What should I be adding as a maint. dose and how often?

Thanks for the welcome and responses!

 

[dmanb2b]

typical pools consume about 2-4ppm FC per day, some more, some less. 1/2 gallon of 12% bleach/chlor liquid would raise your FC by about 4ppm. Try starting with one quart of 12% as your daily dose and adjust from there

 

[257WbyMag]

You don't necessarily need to deplumb the N2 unit unless you just want to do it. I stopped using my N2 by simply removing the cartridge from it. I eventually removed the entire unit once it developed a little leak.

If your CYA is zero, you do need to raise it to somewhere between 30 and 50. 68 oz. (by weight) of CYA would get your 17000 gallon pool to 30 ppm. I would add that, retest in a week, and see where you are.

 

[patriot_tech]

I just bought a 4lb container of CYA and added half of it. I will add the other half tomorrow. Looks like it dissolves slowly.

Here is another question: Is there any problem with running a metering pump to add the bleach and inject it into the housing for the filter? I'd either tap and thread and put in an injection quill or build out the drain to a drain/injection point so as to not damage the housing. The pump would be on a timer and run enough to add the qt/day roughly that has been recommended. This seems like it would be the most hassle free way to do it....I think.

Let me know your thoughts. Should I pull the cartridge out of the N2 or just finish the season with it in there?

Thanks for the insight! :-D

 

[dmanb2b]

If you are handy it could work, but your best option is to either use a liquidator or a SWG. You could try out the intex SWG on your pool as well, or a more expensive unit, if you'd like. There are folks on here such as poolsean and Jason to ask for advice if you want to go the SWG route.

 

[anonapersona]

I plan to begin using 12.5% bleach once I use up the shock bags I bought.
CH = 260

Don't think that you need to use up those bags of "shock" product. They will keep.

I find it handy to have some of the cal-hypo in storage in case I run out of bleach. I do not buy the bags, I get the 100 lb bucket as it is only at that size that it becomes economical.

You ought to use the Pool Calculator to see what each lb of Cal-hypo shock adds to the pool in FC and CH.

 

[zea3]

I just bought a 4lb container of CYA and added half of it. I will add the other half tomorrow. Looks like it dissolves slowly.

Here is another question: Is there any problem with running a metering pump to add the bleach and inject it into the housing for the filter? I'd either tap and thread and put in an injection quill or build out the drain to a drain/injection point so as to not damage the housing. The pump would be on a timer and run enough to add the qt/day roughly that has been recommended. This seems like it would be the most hassle free way to do it....I think.

Let me know your thoughts. Should I pull the cartridge out of the N2 or just finish the season with it in there?

Thanks for the insight! :-D

Here is a thread that discusses Liquidator information.

Go ahead and remove the Nature 2 cartridge. No need to continue putting copper in your pool!

 

[patriot_tech]

So as of today I have added 4 lbs of CYA and removed the N2 cartridge. IIRC it will be a few days until I see the full residual on the CYA test right?

The Liquidator looks interesting. I think I am going to try the pump / timer since I have access to them.

I will wait a couple days and repost the new test results...maybe I'll have a rough mockup of the pump system too.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[patriot_tech]

Ok so the N2 is gone and I have been adding 12.5% bleach to the pool via a pulsafeeder pump on a timer. My pH has leveled out at 7.4.

The pool has never been this clear. It looks great right now. The timer runs at 9pm and adds about 1.25 qts per day. My FC is 3.

Thanks for all of the help with this. Hopefully used N2 sells well on eBay.