Nature 2 questions

[mathey]

My sis-in-law just had a new IG pool installed and they got a Nature 2 system with it...yesterday was our first swim in it and when I got out, I thought my eyes were going to burn out of my head!

I don't know anything about these systems, but I'm assuming that it supposed to take care of all your chem levels with out needing to add anything else? What would cause the eye burn? The water was also a bit cloudy. The only thing the pool company gave her was test strips, and of course they are stored in the hot pool house. Basically, I told her "call the pool company"

I was reluctant to offer her advice since I am not familiar with Nature 2 type systems...and NO I will not preach the BBB method to them...I am so tired of having people ask me why my pool works so well, then spend 15 minutes explaining it to them, and then they just keep on doing what they have always been doing and throwing money away.

this is a typical response (this is from a Yahoo Pool Owners group)
I know people on here recommend "natural and cheaper" pool chemicals such as
baking soda and bleach..For me and my family..and if anyones ever gotten an
infection from a poorly kept pool..I only use pool recommended chemicals. Yes,
they're a bit more expensive, however not by THAT much. If you keep your pool
clean, its not hard nor expensive to maintain.

my reply:
"poorly kept pool" has nothing to do with the chemicals or how much
you paid for them...sodium hypochlorite is sodium hypochlorite, no
matter if the label says "pool use" or "bleach" its all the same
product...they same for borax and baking soda. If you want to pay
more, then go for it, but don't blame poor maintenence on someone who
uses bleach, borax and baking soda.

In fact, I've had several people ask me how I keep my water so clean
and sparkley and why my pool doesn't burn your eyes like other pools
they've used.

We rented a house one in NC that was "professionally" maintained by a
real pool company and their real chemicals...turned everyones
blond/light colored hair green, ruined swimsuits and towels, etc...
it was properly maintained using "pool recommended" chemicals.

sheesh...

 

[sevver]

I see no reason for a Nature2 system. From what I understand, they introduce silver and copper into the water, which sort of inhibits the necessity to keep a higher level of Chlorine in the water. This does not mean that the water is necessarily balanced correctly. I would have to guess that the reason your eyes burned was due to the Ph being out of whack. She should axe the Nature2, but even if she doesn't she should at least maintain the chemistry. The addition of a Nature2 system is not a magic fix for keeping the water balanced without user intervention.
Just for the record, I got rid of mine, and the ability to keep water clear and well balanced is just as much work. The problem is now I have metals in the water, how much I don't know, and I may do a couple of half drains this year. I am still very interested in replacing the water using the tarp method, I just gotta try that and see if it works. My brother has a couple of Hurricane Katrina tarps I could use.

I also try to no avail to get people to switch to natural pool methods, and I have heard it all too. People just don't want to hear it. So now all I try to do is set an example, people know what I do, they see my pool, swim in it, see me testing the water, adding natural chemicals, and so long as it never goes green, I am the man! lol

 

[duraleigh]

Great posts above. The "unwashed" masses will never want to do what we all do to care for our pools....it requires logic and a little time to learn and understand.

It's so much easier to purchase the "magic bullets" from the pool professionals (most of whom know less about pool water chemistry than the majority on this forum) and just go swimming. Like Mathey, I gave up long ago being evangelical about understanding pool water....it's not worth the effort.

(Hmmmm, wait a minute, I just saw an ad for a new plastic fish, froggy thingy that clears your pool water forever and makes you darn good-looking, with smart children, in the process.....and it's on sale this week only!.....I'm off to Leslies....my kids need all the help they can get! :lol: :lol: )

 

[matt4x4]

Nature2 does NOT adjust any chemical levels in your pool, as stated above, it adds silver and copper in minute amounts to help prevent algae blooms, you can therefore run 1ppm less chlorine in your pool - definitely NOT a value add considering the cost of a replacement ccartrige lies somewhere in the 70-100 dollar range (yearly).
You still have to control your CYA, pH and Alkalinity (and hardness for some pools as well).

The burning eye experience is because the pH is completely out of whack in the pool, the closer you get the ph to the pH of your eyes, the less irritating it will be to your eyes.