It's been a while since my last visit to my local pool store due to using BBB. I needed some acid and I decided to pick up a pack of scum balls. Upon check out, the cute gal suggested that I look at Pool Perfect. Upon reviewing the container, I decided to give it a try. I am a strong BBB user (from the very beginning) and I have not used any other items in my pool outside of the BBB routine. My concern in using this product, am I doing more harm then good? or am I doing any good? I am looking forward toward your advise!
Pool Perfect <Good or worthless?>
- Thread starter Sabot
- Start date
Pool Perfect is an enzyme product designed to break down some organic and non-organic contaminates that chlorine does not break down very rapidly. It is fairly specialized, not that many people have the conditions where it can help. If you have significant amounts of oily buildup/scum, more than a scum ball can handle, then it can be useful. Pool Perfect isn't particularly harmful, it simply isn't worth using unless you have the problem it is designed to cope with.
did the fact that a cute gal suggested it influence your buying decision? 
they seem to get me everytime. I guess that's how I ended up with 12 subscriptions to Cosmo magazine..
they seem to get me everytime. I guess that's how I ended up with 12 subscriptions to Cosmo magazine..We have people over who wear their makeup & sunscreen in the spa/pool. Since we built the pool late in the season last year, I didn't have a scum issue. In the spa, I have scum issue which the scum ball can not handle. (Sunscreen was not an issue over the winter for no one used it) So I figured I try to get ahead of the issue before the build up happens in the pool. I have a very large rock wall which in contact with the water. If I get scum on these, I fear it will be very difficult to get it off. I am wondering if I am just getting to excited? Should I wait to see a scum line then act?
From a cost analysis point, using two scum balls a month is slightly less expensive then a 2L bottle of the Pool Perfect. (Based on the 2L bottle will last about two months) My wife thought we should look at something that is a bit more active. If this product won’t effect my chemistry in a negative way, then I will proceed with using it on a weekly basis.
As always, thank you for your response!
From a cost analysis point, using two scum balls a month is slightly less expensive then a 2L bottle of the Pool Perfect. (Based on the 2L bottle will last about two months) My wife thought we should look at something that is a bit more active. If this product won’t effect my chemistry in a negative way, then I will proceed with using it on a weekly basis.
As always, thank you for your response!
Using an enzyme in conjunction with scumballs or scumbugs (better than the balls, IMHO, because of greater surface area) is the most effective way to deal with scumline problems. Remember that high chlorine levels will destroy the enzyme so don't use it when shocking. Wait for your chlorine levels to return to normal before adding it. I would wait before you try it and see if you have a scum problem. Often, just shocking or even just increasing the FC a bit is all that is needed. Enzymes are good for oily scum but won't do much on other types of deposits.
I am using this year The Chlorinator to put my chlorine into the pool. The chlorinator has been working great at keeping the amount of chlorine the pool constant. What is the ideal PPM for FC when the pool is not in use vs. PPM when the pool is in use? I have been testing the chlorinator to see how high I can get the FC, so far with the solar cover on I can get close to 5ppm on a good day. I am hoping the use of the chlorinator, I will greatly reduce the need to shock.
After heavy use on Friday & Saturday, my CC was perfect. After seeing all the kids wearing sun screen, I saw in my minds eye a nice ring of scum.
At least no one is yet saying that I should not use it thus it was a waste of money.
After heavy use on Friday & Saturday, my CC was perfect. After seeing all the kids wearing sun screen, I saw in my minds eye a nice ring of scum.
At least no one is yet saying that I should not use it thus it was a waste of money.
For most pools it is a waste of money (and I sell the stuff!) but for those pools that actually need it it's worth it's weight in gold! I would wait and see if you actually need it but in any case using it won't hurt anything, except your wallet! 
I use the stuff in my hot tub and it seems to help. I've used it in my pool to breakdown some of the scum rings in the skimmers. I'm also assuming a portion of that sun tan lotion is heading into my sand filter and figured it would help break that down. Maybe I'm a sucker. I'm also under the impression that it will introduce phospates into the water with repeated use. I suppose their combination product pool perfect with phosfree could be used.
I'm going to try Orenda CV-700 this year. It's appears to be an enzyme treatment and phosphate remover. I haven't had any algae problems, but if I'm going to use an enzyme I might as well minimize the phosphates.
I'm going to try Orenda CV-700 this year. It's appears to be an enzyme treatment and phosphate remover. I haven't had any algae problems, but if I'm going to use an enzyme I might as well minimize the phosphates.
Is Orenda Technologies still in business? Last time I conversed with Richard Kersey I got the impression he was moving on to other endevors. Guess he's pushing phosphate removers now instead of sodium percarbonate as a non chlorine shock. (That one didn't work because it messes up ORP!)jay_k said:
Phosphate removers are one of the biggest scams going. On a different forum Richard Kerey (tried to use the shortened form of Richard that starts with a D and it ended up being censored!) from Orenda Tech was claiming that high phosphates will interfere with chlorine production in a SWG but when asked what the actual chemistry was he never answered nor did he answer my emails! (But in the past on other subjects he would answer them. ) He makes a big deal about how his phosphate remover is lanthanum chloride and not lanthanum carbonate but just about EVERY phosphate remover on the market is lanthanum chloride (Even Natural Chemistry's, which he has stated repeatedly isn't!) Anyway lanthanum chloride gets converted to lanthanum carbonate in the water and that is what actually scavanges the phosphates.
BTW, he is one of the people that develped the CYA reducer that is sold by a few companies. He flatly denied it was melamine when I asked him but I spoke to the president of WaterTechnologies (WaterTeq), who also sells it and who said he developed it with Richard Kersey and he told me it was basically melamine with about 6 other proprietary ingredients and hinted that a clarifier (chitosan?) was a big part of it also.
Another option for oxidizing organics such as oil films that build up because they are getting introduced into the water faster than chlorine can break them down is to use non-chlorine shock, potassium monopersulfate (MPS). I started to get an oil film on the pool surface last summer when my wife was using the pool more frequently (and not rubbing in her sunscreen into her skin as thoroughly -- gotta blame the wife for something) and I didn't want to superchlorinate (since she was using the pool almost every day) which would have likely solved the problem. I tried a scum ball, but it didn't work well for me (maybe I should have tried a scum bug as waterbear mentioned above), but the MPS I used worked great. It's not cheap, but it's another option. I only had to use it once the entire season so it's not that big a deal.
Richard
Richard
Wow... as always... great responses! Thank's gents!!!
Is it fair to say... if the pool usage is less then twice a week... I don't need to add this stuff?
Is it fair to say... if the pool usage is less then twice a week... I don't need to add this stuff?
We have occasional periods of heavy regular pool use and have never had any issues with scum or oily residue. I think it has more to do with how much sunscreen, body oil, oily plant debris, etc you get than with usage as such. In a public pool you are sure to get those things, but with a private pool it depends on what products the people who are swimming use.