Calcium level for a AG Pool (Vinyl liner)

[BIC]

Hi everyone,

The pool season is about to start over here (Canada, Québec) and I just opened the pool few weeks ago. Water is now 60F

I have a simple question about Calcium level. I have a 24 feet above ground pool and I'm using a SWG (AquaTrol). I was wondering if I have to respect the Calcium level specified by the AquaTrol manual even if I have a vinyl liner. It says to keep it between 200 - 400 ppm.

I'm asking the question because I sometimes read on the TFP Forum that Calcium level is not that important for Vinyl liner (AG pool), it is more for other type of pool (plaster pool, ...). Am I wrong?

The thing is that the aquatrol SWG is used only on above ground pool, so why would they specify 200 - 400 (for Calcium) if it's not that important? My Calcium level is presently 210, but I'm wondering if I should keep it religioously between 200 - 400 for the whole summer?
BIC

 

[JasonLion]

The only reason to keep your CH level between 200 and 400 on a vinyl pool without a spa is if your warranty requires it. Lower CH levels won't hurt anything and they help to reduce the chances of calcium scaling on the SWG cell.

The reason everyone recommends CH be between 200 and 400 is because everyone recommends it. That is circular reasoning, I know, but that is the main cause. There are risks associated with being different and no one wants to take those risks. I think the reason it got started in the first place was because they wanted a single recommendation that would work for everyone. Listing special cases, like do this if vinyl and that if plaster, can be confusing and takes up more space. So someone made up a set of recommendations that fits every pool.

 

[BIC]

Thanks Jason for the info. I will keep an eye on it and re-adjust once in a while.

BIC

 

[lulupalooza]

Geeeezzz I tested mine and it was like 60 should I leave it be or increase it a little?

 

[JasonLion]

If you have a vinyl pool and don't have a spa and don't have tile and don't have warranty issues and CH is below 300 then just leave it alone.