Filtering out calcium? Tell me why I am dumb…

[ps6000]

I have previously drained and refilled my pool to get my CYA levels which were off the charts(300+), under control. My area has hard water, and after refilling the pool my CH was very high (625).

I was wondering if I could take my sump pump and connect it to something like this and run it for a while, returning the filtered water back to the pool.

Hydro Life Camco XL Pool and Spa Calcium Block Filter - Specifically Designed to Reduce Calcium Levels and Heavy Metals in Source Water - Filters Up to 40,000 Gallons of Water (52812) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0839VJNZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_G51AMY739E5JGVAZ79Y3

I figure that this might filter chlorine and CYA so I would need to stay on top of that.

As the subject line suggests, tell me why this is a dumb idea.

Thanks!

 

[ajw22]

You need a slow flow rate for the water softener to be effective. Read the notes on the bottom of the label.

At 20 GPM, which may be too high of a flow rate, it would take a day to run all your pool water through it.

It is designed to run a faucet through it. At 3 GPM it will take a week to run your pool water through it.

You can't connect that to your filter/pump water loop. You would need to setup a secondary pump, water intake, and return to flow water through it.

In summary, if you get your pool water flowing through the device, it will take a while for it to be effective, if it works.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It won’t work for long either. Most ion exchange resins are destroyed by chlorine and chloramines. This is why many good residential softeners will have a chlorine neutralizer as an option for extending resin life. At typical pool FC levels, the resin won’t last long.

The only economical way to reduce calcium hardness is to drain and refill. And if your municipal water is hard, then spend the money to install a whole home water softener with a plumbing run out to your auto fill line or at least one outdoor spigot you can use for topping off the pool. There are also portable RV water softeners you can setup and use to remove calcium from fill water top offs.

 

[flynwill]

How are you measuring CH? I am also in the LA area and the first time I tested our new pool the test indicated a CH of over 1000. What I found is that you need to wipe the tip of the reagent bottle with a damp cloth. Without that step static electricity will cause the drop size to be far smaller than it should be, leading to a much higher reading.

If your CH is really that high there are companies in the Los Angeles area that will pull a portable RO system up and run your pool water through it for a day, which will also lower your CYA levels. I have no idea what the cost is, probably a lot more than the cost of refill water, but given how precious water is around here at the moment might be a good option.

 

[Craig22939]

I have previously drained and refilled my pool to get my CYA levels which were off the charts(300+), under control. My area has hard water, and after refilling the pool my CH was very high (625).

I was wondering if I could take my sump pump and connect it to something like this and run it for a while, returning the filtered water back to the pool.

Hydro Life Camco XL Pool and Spa Calcium Block Filter - Specifically Designed to Reduce Calcium Levels and Heavy Metals in Source Water - Filters Up to 40,000 Gallons of Water (52812) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0839VJNZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_G51AMY739E5JGVAZ79Y3

I figure that this might filter chlorine and CYA so I would need to stay on top of that.

As the subject line suggests, tell me why this is a dumb idea.

Thanks!

You really need to look at the exchange capacity of the cartridge (ie the meq of calcuim that it can remove). Its 40,000 gallon capacity is probably at a low calcium level