New Pool Owner

[terryc]

I read most of pool school and BBB. In spite of the BBB method being a big player, I don't see a lot about borate. There is the one article about it being good and how to add it but not a lot about the benefits.

It seems like not a lot of people here have done it since the post seem to assume no borates. I'm conflicted because I read a lot in here and feel like Iay be neglecting the pool a bit. Our pool company added tetraborate in the start so it has pretty much always been in the pool.

I've never gotten a test kit bit do test the water every week to two weeks at Leslie's. I used test strips in between. I travel a bit and am lucky if I get the skimmers checked while I'm gone. I've had several times where the FC gets to zero and have had long periods of 1 or 2. Occasionally when I've gotten back and the skimmers are clogged with the pump not running and no chlorine the water has gotten less clear than normal. I usually just run the pump and add a little cal hypo. I've never actually "shocked or slammed". The pool is crystal clear though. My only complaint is that CYA is already pushing 50 with only using 3 picks a week since May. I'm in Texas but fully shaded so probably don't need a lot of CYA. Kind of ticks me off that the pucks have that much junk in them and they don't make anything free of CYA. I'm using the Leslie's trichlor pucks. Anyone have recommendations for low CYA pucks if those exist.

Have I just been lucky or is the borates really that good as far as keeping the pool clear and reducing the chlorine need?

 

[woodyp]

The pucks you seek do not exist, I'll be the first to sell them when they do! Borates also provide benefits as to PH stability and a low level algae preventative. Some claim sparklyitis is a nice byproduct as well. Your main paragraph scared me to death!

 

[jblizzle]

Borates are completely optional ... the BBB name is kind of misleading. The BBB method is really just about understanding your pool’s chemistry and through accurate testing, adding only what the pool NEEDS and not what someone wants to sell you.

Sorry, there are no pucks that do not contain stabilizer (CYA). If you CYA is already at 50ppm, then you should certainly switch to using liquid chlorine (bleach) as that does not add anything you do not need ... and typically is the cheapest method of chlorinating your pool.

As you probably are aware, we do not trust pool store testing and think even less of test strips. If you truly want to be in control and not at the pool store's mercy, get one of the recommended test kits.

 

[Isaac-1]

Like they said, the key to what we teach is understanding your pool and what it needs, the first part of that is to have a high quality test kit so you know what is going on, the second part is understanding what the various pool chemicals do and what adjustment would be ideal for your pool

 

[terryc]

I figure the middle paragraph would scare some folks but it is what I'm doing and I also see the PH benefits so I'm torn on buying the test kit when my chemistry doesn't really change a lot. I do have to deal with Leslie's trying to sell me junk all the time but they take a no thank you pretty well. The cal-hypo is actually a little cheaper than liquid bleach so I may go with that until my CH gets beyond the recommended rate.

I guess maybe I'm doing ok but just a little bit of a laid back triple b'er. It's funny cause I think the pool store people realize when you can't be sold on junk and they just stop. I will admit that I bought some phos free early on since I have a lot of trees. Figured out I probably don't need it though. I do recommend the borates for those that haven't done it. It is good stuff.

 

[jblizzle]

You have calculated the $/(ppm of FC) of the cal-hypo and the bleach/liquid chlorine?

Well, you know where we are if/when you have problems without accurate testing.

 

[terryc]

My main problem is that I'm home mostly on the weekends so I can't add stuff daily. I guess the chlorine is to unstable to make a solid puck. Not sure why they couldn't do cal-hypo pucks or some other benign chemical to stabilize the chlorine.

What is the bad part of cal-hypo other that the extra calcium? Doesn't the borate help prevent the calcium build up anyway?

 

[terryc]

You have calculated the $/(ppm of FC) of the cal-hypo and the bleach/liquid chlorine?

Well, you know where we are if/when you have problems without accurate testing.

Definitely and I have started to notice some inconsistencies with Leslie's for sure. You kind of get to know whose test to ignore and who does a pretty good job.

 

[jblizzle]

There are cal-hypo pucks, but they dissolve too fast into a clumpy mess.

The CH is the bad part ... if you do not need it. If CH gets too high, you have to replace water or risk calcium scaling. The borates really do not change that.

Sounds like you would be a good candidate for a liquidator or dosing pump to automatically add the bleach for you ... or get a SWG.

 

[terryc]

There are cal-hypo pucks, but they dissolve too fast into a clumpy mess.

The CH is the bad part ... if you do not need it. If CH gets too high, you have to replace water or risk calcium scaling. The borates really do not change that.

Sounds like you would be a good candidate for a liquidator or dosing pump to automatically add the bleach for you ... or get a SWG.

Maybe a SWG is a good idea. I'm a little worried about the wear and tear that the SW does especially if I'm not around to spray things off. Plus I'm to cheap to buy a test kit and a SWG is like a grand.

 

[harleysilo]

There are cal-hypo pucks, but they dissolve too fast into a clumpy mess.

The CH is the bad part ... if you do not need it. If CH gets too high, you have to replace water or risk calcium scaling. The borates really do not change that.

Sounds like you would be a good candidate for a liquidator or dosing pump to automatically add the bleach for you ... or get a SWG.

Maybe a SWG is a good idea. I'm a little worried about the wear and tear that the SW does especially if I'm not around to spray things off. Plus I'm to cheap to buy a test kit and a SWG is like a grand.

Well the concern with salt water is natural stone (and i guess concrete in really hot arid areas). But if you aren't there, is there anyone swimming? The salt get's on stuff via the salt water getting on it and evaporating and leaving the salt. If no one is swimming, then there is no splash out, so no need to rinse.

But if you are too cheap to to automate chlorination, then you are pretty much stuck doing things the way you've been doing them. As long as you are happy with your pool (sanitation, clarity, comfort, expense) than good for you.

Seems like you've been reading a lot here, keep reading, at the very least you will know what you need to do if your pool turns green. That's a step ahead of the majority of pool owners.

 

[terryc]

There is a lot of swimming while I'm gone. It'll have to look into the automatic chlorinator with liquid chlorine. Anybody got links to an auto injection system.

 

[Isaac-1]

Most are do it yourself set ups, search the board for stenner pumps, there are lots of threads on the subject.

Ike

p.s. here is one of many need-feedback-on-my-proposed-stenner-solution-completed-t34003.html

 

[laprjns]

There is a lot of swimming while I'm gone. It'll have to look into the automatic chlorinator with liquid chlorine. Anybody got links to an auto injection system.

Take a look a The Liquidator, it may be all that you need. I've got one and love it.

 

[terryc]

There is a lot of swimming while I'm gone. It'll have to look into the automatic chlorinator with liquid chlorine. Anybody got links to an auto injection system.

Take a look a The Liquidator, it may be all that you need. I've got one and love it.

Where do I get the liquidator.

 

[chem geek]

From PST Pool Supplies or from poolsupply360 or 1 Stop Pool Supply or Lathrop Pool. Be sure wherever you buy that it uses 3/8" fittings -- older units used 1/4" that would tend to get plugged up too quickly.

You should read The Liquidator threads on this forum to learn about the pros and cons of this system.

 

[terryc]

From PST Pool Supplies or from poolsupply360 or 1 Stop Pool Supply or Lathrop Pool. Be sure wherever you buy that it uses 3/8" fittings -- older units used 1/4" that would tend to get plugged up too quickly.

You should read The Liquidator threads on this forum to learn about the pros and cons of this system.

I did start reading them. I've been reading all afternoon while floating around in my pool.