Nature2

Jump to latest Follow Reply
T

tyler

0
Mar 9, 2008
12
Just getting a new pool installed and loving it. It comes with the Nature2 and in-line chlorinator. I've noticed on the boards about the concerns of the metals in Nature2 and its need vs the BBB method. For sake of being new, I'd like to use exactly what I have at least for the 1st year while I get used to being a Pool Owner.

the Nature2: how concerned due i need to be worried about metal (such as copper) staining?

what would you recommend to counteract it? :shock:
 
Hey, Tyler,

Welcome. You may not need to worry too much for a season. The problem with copper (nature2) in your water is more of a cumulative effect. Counteracting it is simple.....remove the cartridge and continue to march.

As you read more on the forum you'll find no fans of the use of copper as an algaecide. Chlorine will do the same thing for you and you need the chlorine anyway.

Keep reading and asking questions. You'll get a good idea of the best path for you in no time. Nice pool and nice photography! :lol:
 
thanks dave,

i'm just reading up on the BBB methods. will i be reading the test kit i have any differently by using the strict BBB method?

right now our pools been operating since Christmas and its been pretty maintinance free with chemical additions other then the 1st month. will that change with the BBB method? would i still use the in-line clorinator?
 
Teh only caution I would give you about the N2 is NOT to let your free chlorine drop below 2 ppm! (I know that they say .5 ppm is fine but it really isn't if you want trouble free water!)
 
Hey, Tyler,

I doubt you'll need to change much. As you read more, you'll find the BBB is no real "method" or "secret" but rather a thorough understanding of what's going on in your water and testing appropriately to make sure you stay within some guidelines.

Are you currently performing a CYA test? If not, you'll want to get one before too far into the summer. The inline chlorinator is adding CYA to your pool (permanently) as well as the chlorine that gets consumed. That's ok up to a point but sooner or later, you will need to start controlling that CYA by using alternate means of chlorination....liquid bleach being just about the best.

The in-line chlorinators are a little insidious. They do a nice job and sort of lull you to sleep but over a long period of time, you'll build up too much CYA and won't realize it's happening unless you test for it.

A good next step would be to post the test results you have and you'll get lot's of good advice on your current pool water conditions.

Almost forgot....peruse the "stickies" section above for a ton of good information.
 
Ok now take it easy on me as I'm just a novice :oops: . So my pool company comes out with the various sundry chemicals and a Smart Test 6-Way Combo strip tester.

No where does it say CYA. I've read about it on here but I guess it may not be completely sinking in.

My tester kit covers:

CI -Free Clorine
CI -Total Clorine
Alk -Alkalinity
PH -
Hard -hardness

all with ppm in the range color charts....

so please help this neophyte :shock: as I'm wide eyed and concerned out being lulled to sleep. Can I not humbly go along testing with what I have remaining in the color ranges without any issues or is there an underlying issue that will strike?
 
Dave,

Now I have found the cheat sheet given me and it mentions that I only need to add Choline Stabilizer once per year -other than no mention of alot of testing.

Somehow I think I've got alot to learn.
 
Here's the deal as far as I can figure. You need to know how much CYA is in your water because it affects how well your Chlorine will work. If you get too much CYA your chlorine doesn't work as well as it should and you will start getting algae and stuff and wondering why because your chlorine looks like it's at a high enough level but it's still not working. Now I don't know how long it takes for you to build up too much CYA with the pucks, but I do know if you get too much of it in your pool the only way to get it out is to drain water and dilute it. It's like a time bomb. So you definitely need a CYA test. I got the one they always talk about on this site and it has all the tests you need including the CYA. Someone else will come along and correct me if I'm wrong and probably add to this.
 
You need to know your CYA level. When CYA is too low you will lose all of your chlorine to sunlight each day. As the CYA level rises you need to increase the free chlorine level you maintain or you will get algae. CYA is sometimes also called stabilizer. Trichlor and dichlor both contain CYA. The common chlorine pucks/tablets are made of trichlor.

I know that there is a lot to take in all at once. Take your time with it. If you maintain the numbers you have already figured out how to maintain you can take a few days to figure out the rest of them. The only ones that need constant attention are chlorine and PH. In the mean time read some of the Stickies, see the link in the sub-heading of each page of this site, and take your time getting more comfortable with things.
 
Guess I shouldn't be shocked :shock: ; however, I find it odd that the pool company would give me all this testing stuff, chemicals and directions -but not mention monitoring CYA with only a mention that stabilizer needs to be added once per year.

I know you all will tell my to trust you :twisted: . BUT, are you not sure that with the chlorinator & nature2 that there isn't some standard of knowing that the cya stays within an safe range that may not have that same stability if you follow your BBB method of maintaining a pool?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
I know you all will tell my to trust you . BUT, are you not sure that with the chlorinator & nature2 that there isn't some standard of knowing that the cya stays within an safe range that may not have that same stability if you follow your BBB method of maintaining a pool?
Click to expand...
Trust me, I'm sure.
 
CYA builds up over the course of the season as you use more trichlor. In some pools, but not others (no one really knows why), the CYA goes away over the winter. If your pool has the CYA vanish over the winter and your season isn't too long (so it doesn't get too high over the course of a single season) you might be fine.

If you want to know why you should believe us and not your pool builder you will need to spend some time reading this site and listening to the stories of people who have been "pool stored" and spent hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars based on pool industry advice and still not solved their problems. But that will take some time.

I find that thinking about who gets money when helps clarify things for me. The builder has gotten paid. He doesn't make any money by teaching you how to take care of your pool. Your builder has actually done far better than most. Quite a few will leave the chemistry wildly out of balance and vanish without teaching anything about actually caring for the pool. The pool stores make money when you come in and spend lots of money. When you are having problems is when they make money, so they are not motivated to help you solve your problems in any permanent way. There are some great builders and some great pool stores out there, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

On the other hand we are not here to make any money from you. We are here to help people out because were are passionate about pools and because we want to help save you from the mistakes that we have already made.

As I said, you don't really have to worry about anything but chlorine and PH for right now. Give it some time, read some more, and decide later.
 
Pool builders build pools. They don't maintain them. Pool maintenance is not cost productive so they want to turn the pool over to the owner as soon as possible. One way to do this is go give them a system that seems easy and that will not show any problems (such as ovestabilization) until they are out of the picture and the owner is on their own. One way is with an inline chlorinator and a Nature2. Like I said, run the N2 at a minimum of 2 ppm FC. I sell the N2 line and am very familiar with it. It will allow you to run a lower FC level but not anywhere near as low as they claim.
 
tyler,

Technically, if the Nature2 system used copper ions as part of its system, then the copper is an algaecide so would inhibit algae growth even if the CYA level were to climb. This is analogous to pool stores that sell chlorine "systems" composed of Trichlor (and pH Up) plus PolyQuat 60 algaecide. There are many different ways one can keep away algae, but if one wants to do so by using chlorinating liquid or bleach alone (since that's the least expensive) then one does need to pay attention to the CYA level since too low an FC/CYA ratio is what determines whether you're likely to get algae.

There is no one "right" way to maintain your pool. Only more expensive ways and less expensive ways. BBB is a less expensive way, but the tradeoff is of convenience, though even that can be somewhat mitigated through use of automatic chlorine dosing systems such as The Liquidator described here.

Richard
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply