Aeration and Water Temperature

[Sun_Devil]

Right now, our pool water is hovering around 95 degrees, and to me, it is unpleasant to swim in.

So, is aeration effective at lowering the temperature of the pool? And, even if it does, am I just increasing my pool costs by further raising the pH (by adding to the aeration already caused by my SWG) and increasing the evaporation rate?

Another tangentially related question: Does the pool temperature affect chlorine loss? I know that chlorine loss is usually either due to sunlight and/or being used when combating organic material. But, I didn't know if temperature played a role too.

 

[Texas Splash]

While we often hear of aeration being used to cool the water, you can find a more mild solution like using a water wand (fan spray) that lightly mists the surface of the water without generating the hard aeration normally used to increase pH. Do it in the late evening or early morning for best impact.

As for the water temp, it in itself does not effect chlorine loss as noted by one of our experts on this thread: Temperature and Chlorine consumption.. While water temp does impact other chemical reactions, and of course algae can reproduce quicker in warmer water, the effect of the sun's UV to the chlorine in the water is not impacted. Interesting read in that other thread.

 

[woodyp]

Due to be a hard 106 here today. Aeration effects would last about 10 minutes. Seriously thinking about dropping 4 inches of water to bottom of skimmer and refilling. That equates to about 1,100 gallons in my pool.

 

[zea3]

Aeration is churning the water to raise pH. Using a pool cooler won't raise pH as quickly as aeration. To cool the water you want a fine spray of dropplets shooting high in the air. Running it over night is very helpful, and running it during the day and parking yourself under the arc of the spray feels a lot cooler!

Finding a way to shade part of the pool from intense afternoon sun will help too. Shade Sails are fairly easy to install and will provide shade for the pool.

 

[mknauss]

Realize that in Arizona, using accelerated evaporation to cool your pool water, also accelerates your calcium build up in your water.

So test CH monthly.

 

[duraleigh]

Aeration is the least expensive and VERY effective....but it takes a while to do it.....like continually for a day or so. When water evaporates, it releases heat. So, the longer your water is in the air and the tinier the droplets are (more surface area), the more evaporation occurs.

Evaporation occurs when the air is NOT saturated with water vapor so the most effective cooling does not take place necessarily at night or early morning......evaporation is the fastest and most effective when the temperature and dew point of the air are farthest apart.......frequently in midafternoon. The temp/dewpoint spread (relative humidity) is often the closest together in early morning and evening making evaporation less.

In short, evaporative cooling is almost free and very effective. It takes some time for it to happen and it is only effective if you throw the water as high in the air as possible and in the tinies drops as possible.

Yes, your pH is likely to rise but not as much as you might think.....muriatic is cheap anyway.

 

[scdaren]

Ran my heat pump in chiller mode this week... It was so nice

Probably will regret it once I get my power bill though

 

[Serious1]

I haven't found aeration to make any difference to my pool temp in our summer sultry air but maybe in Arizona it would since it's a dry heat. I found that leaving my cover on during the day with the pump off during the heat of the day makes it cooler when we go swimming in the evening. Right now my pump runs from 6pm-10pm and again at 6am-10am. I would think that sun sails that shade the pool would also help.

 

[Dirk]

Got any money to throw at this? A solar heating system can be used to extend your swim season in spring and fall, and to cool your pool during the summer (by running it at night). No impact to CH-rise. No impact to pH-rise.

 

[Sun_Devil]

Unfortunately, with the monsoons, Arizona is not so much of a dry heat during this time of year. The humidity hovers around 30% (maybe not much by other's standards, but it's even worse after the monsoon storms) with highs between 105-115.

We have something similar this built into our pool and it can serve as a pool return when we open the valve. Is this the type of water wand you are talking about?

 

[zea3]

No, something more like the ones in this thread: A Cheap Pool Cooler for the end of Summer

You need the fine spray for evaporative cooling.

 

[Sun_Devil]

Now, I just need to figure out how to remove one of the returns. I do not have typical eyeballs returns. The ones in our pool are flush with the side. I went to the pool store, and they were no help.

 

[zea3]

Does it look like one of these? https://www.poolsupplyunlimited.com/AquaStarASD104DFlushMountExtenderReturnFitting/167064p1?gclid=CjwKCAjws8vaBRBFEiwAQfhs-KWZvzqDIIUi7Ex0C3GHGIMcOFj9AmgSbIk5h2cOKCHBqz6VUIeyqRoCGgsQAvD_BwE

 

[sumi]

Yes aerator with proper designed precise drilled orifice without any debris in it, preferably done on automatic machine will definitely work to lower your pool water temperature to 10 degree for sure once its spraying angle creat a flower type cooling spray from certain fixed hight.
Try to purchase pool coolers from the professional manufacturers. Made with ordinary pvc pipe drilled will perhaps works to lower pool water temperature only by 3 to 4 degree, but proper engineered design can give the desired result.

 

[HiddenRiver]

Aeration is the least expensive and VERY effective....but it takes a while to do it.....like continually for a day or so. When water evaporates, it releases heat. So, the longer your water is in the air and the tinier the droplets are (more surface area), the more evaporation occurs.

Evaporation occurs when the air is NOT saturated with water vapor so the most effective cooling does not take place necessarily at night or early morning......evaporation is the fastest and most effective when the temperature and dew point of the air are farthest apart.......frequently in midafternoon. The temp/dewpoint spread (relative humidity) is often the closest together in early morning and evening making evaporation less.

In short, evaporative cooling is almost free and very effective. It takes some time for it to happen and it is only effective if you throw the water as high in the air as possible and in the tinies drops as possible.

Yes, your pH is likely to rise but not as much as you might think.....muriatic is cheap anyway.

Wow this is great information. Reminds me of thermodynamics classes! Thanks! Useful!

 

[Sun_Devil]

Does it look like one of these? https://www.poolsupplyunlimited.com...McOFj9AmgSbIk5h2cOKCHBqz6VUIeyqRoCGgsQAvD_BwE

Yes. Those are the ones.

 

[Lilypad]

https://www.amazon.com/Pool-Central-Adjustable-Waterfall-Fountain/dp/B01FV7J9RQ

These work well in my pool. Connects to the return and are inexpensive.

 

[JamesW]

The little bumps at the outer edge go to a retaining ring. You need a tool that can engage the bumps and rotate the ring counterclockwise.

 

[Sun_Devil]

The little bumps at the outer edge go to a retaining ring. You need a tool that can engage the bumps and rotate the ring counterclockwise.

Is there a recommended tool? I don't want to tear them up.

 

[Bvacchiano]

I spent about $2500 for a Glacier Chiller with installation and having everything set up to my EasyTouch/ScreenLogic for automation. This morning my pool was at 81deg....in Houston!! It’s been 110 for last three days. I track my electricity every day and It’s pretty much identical now as was BEFORE the Chiller. Basically cost me pennies to run it. One other note: I run my Chiller during the early morning (6:00 am) to 4:00 as I want to run it at same time my pool pump runs during the day and imy water temp is still 84 deg at 4:00 pm! I could get it colder if I ran at night but why? 84 deg is perfect to me.