Inline chlorine feeder vs. BBB

[DLSDO]

Bigtime newbie. Please help. I am confused. My pool is under construction. The pool equipment package includes all the typical stuff. My pb likes an inline chlorine feeder with nature2. BBB looks very interesting. I having been doing some reading about BBB and have questions. Please be kind....I mean no offense by my questions.

1) Those that use BBB report crystal clear water, less problems with algae and less frequent need for shocking. How is this any different than an inline chlorine feeder? Seems to me that Chlorine is chlorine. Whether manually placed or automatically placed or liquid or solid. Seems like more work since the liquid chlorine has to be placed daily.

2) With BBB what do you do when your out of town?

3) Why Nature2? If it adds metals and this stains pools then why did they create this in the 1st place?

4) Can I ask the pb to leave off the Nature2 and just use the inline chlorine feeder?

5) Can I use BBB and an inline chlorine feeder?

Thanks for the help!

 

[JohnT]

1) Those that use BBB report crystal clear water, less problems with algae and less frequent need for shocking. How is this any different than an inline chlorine feeder? Seems to me that Chlorine is chlorine. Whether manually placed or automatically placed or liquid or solid. Seems like more work since the liquid chlorine has to be placed daily.

The feeder also adds CYA to your water. As CYA gets higher, the chlorine level needed for a safe pool increases. Eventually, the CYA level can get so high that it becomes difficult to control algae. The only solution is to drain the pool and refill.

2) With BBB what do you do when your out of town?

We use our feeders.

3) Why Nature2? If it adds metals and this stains pools then why did they create this in the 1st place?

To make money. It adds little value, while creating problems.

4) Can I ask the pb to leave off the Nature2 and just use the inline chlorine feeder?

Good plan. Also make sure they don't add a dose of copper algaecide when they start the pool.

5) Can I use BBB and an inline chlorine feeder?

Yes, that's how many of us operate. You have to watch your CYA, and only use the feeder when it's low. You'll be adding bleach most of the time though because the CYA increases so rapidly.

 

[Guest]

i still use my inline clorinator, i find it easier to just fill it every 2 weeks or so, may cost more but my pool is so big bleach would too, i cn spend 40$ and get 80 pounds of tabs and hae 2 months supply of clorine, preety good deal if you ask me and i i travel alot. all i have to tell my house watcher is make sure the pool is clear, if it is not call me.

but i would get the inline clorinator and just use bbb enless you are traveling

 

[DLSDO]

JohnT and Rollin Thunder thanks for the replies.

Why does the CYA levels increase with the addition of solid chlorine as opposed to liquid chlorine?

Thanks

 

[JohnT]

JohnT and Rollin Thunder thanks for the replies.

Why does the CYA levels increase with the addition of solid chlorine as opposed to liquid chlorine?

Thanks

Because the pucks are Trichlor or Dichlor, which are compounds of CYA and chlorine. Bleach doesn't contain CYA.

 

[ivyleager]

I used to use my Hayward inline chlorinator, which PB installed during construction. I think it had design problems initially, as even when dial was set at 1 (very, very, low) my chlorine level would be >5 at times. Because of using the chlorine feeder and pucks, my CYA was >100 by the middle of my second year!!!!

Now that I have been using the BBB method for >2 years, my CYA level at opening this year was 30-35. This year, I've alternated between pucks and bleach. However, I no longer use the inline feeder. I add the pucks directly to the skimmer.It takes 2 full days for one puck to dissolve. I usually add 2 at time for extended use. Doesn't work well when there is a party and the kids toys get into the skimmer. So in those circumstances, I leave the pucks out.

I have found that this year using both methods (BBB & pucks) has worked very well for my pool.

Hope this helps.

CaryB
Gotta go now---Canes game tonite. Sidney's in town.

 

[DLSDO]

JohnT and Rollin Thunder thanks for the replies.

Why does the CYA levels increase with the addition of solid chlorine as opposed to liquid chlorine?

Thanks

Because the pucks are Trichlor or Dichlor, which are compounds of CYA and chlorine. Bleach doesn't contain CYA.

Makes sense. Thanks

I emailed my pb today and asked him to leave off the Nature2 also.

For those of you with salt systems is there a place for BBB? Does a salt system also increase CYA? If not then what is the advantage to BBB with a salt system?

 

[JohnT]

For those of you with salt systems is there a place for BBB? Does a salt system also increase CYA? If not then what is the advantage to BBB with a salt system?

With a salt system, you use the same products and philosophy, you just use bleach for shocking and not for regular chlorination. Salt pools operate well at much higher CYA levels, typically 50-80ppm due to the superchlorination that occurs in the cell. CYA is not created by the process.

Bleach or Liquid Shock is Sodium Hypochlorite = No CYA
Some powdered shock and sticks is Calcium Hypochlorite =No CYA but adds calcium
Dichlor and Trichlor Add CYA

 

[DLSDO]

So now I am thinking that a SWG with BBB is the way to go.

Thanks for the input!

 

[SeanB]

So now I am thinking that a SWG with BBB is the way to go.

Thanks for the input!

That's the way I do it. To me, it's the best of both worlds. I only deal with chlorine bleach when I want to shock, otherwise, it's all handled by thw swg. If I were building new and did not want a SWG, I would consider the "liquidator." You can find more info here. Maybe you could get your builder to put one in instead of the Nature 2.

 

[DLSDO]

So now I am thinking that a SWG with BBB is the way to go.

Thanks for the input!

That's the way I do it. To me, it's the best of both worlds. I only deal with chlorine bleach when I want to shock, otherwise, it's all handled by thw swg. If I were building new and did not want a SWG, I would consider the "liquidator." You can find more info here. Maybe you could get your builder to put one in instead of the Nature 2.

I have decided to go with BBB and intermittent use of the chlorinator w/pucks for now. Both the liquidator and SWG interest me but I am gonna do a little bit of wait and see for now.

Thanks for the reply

 

[JCJR]

If you read the label on the pucks you will see the word stabilized, which means they added something (Cyunaric acid) to keep it protected from the sun.

I do not have an inline feeder so I use a floater when no one is home. One advantage of using trichlor pucks is that since it is acidic and adds cya it is ideal to use in a new plaster pool. There are some good deals out there and there are a couple of threads that state that trichlor is a cheaper source of chlorine. You just got to keep an eye on your CYA levels.

I used only bleach on my new plaster pool and It would of made sense to me to use trichlor because I use a lot of acid to fight high PH. Also I had to drain my pool due to high Calcium Hardness. Since I had to drain, I had to add more CYA to my water and CYA is pretty expensive.

I am debating wether to go with a SWG or liquidator. I am leaning towards the Liquidator but since my pool is pretty large, the convenience of a SWG is probably worth the extra money.