- Jul 21, 2013
- 55,439
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
No chemicals should be added into a skimmer. It is never good for the equipment.
New pool, new owner, always having issues...
- Thread starter gregjobs
- Start date
Liquid in front of a running return. Brush well after.
Calcium, baking soda and Borax get broadcast in the pool and brushed well
CYA hangs in a sock in front of a return until it's mushy and squished out. Then brushed well.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Already answered, but you may be confusing HVAC terminology with pools. With pools, the term "return(s)" refers to water water going back to the pool (ie return jet/fitting). Suction/intake/drain refer to flow from the pool to the equipment pad. Pools have a suction side before the pump and a pressure side after the pump.
This was our suspicion as well when we bought the whole package because of exactly what you're saying that even though it can do a 25,000 gallon pool it would have to be running at 100% all the time to maintain it and at no point would you ever be able to crank it up higher to overcome issues. I'll look into upgrading that and see if I can maybe get something back from my installer.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Ok. I sometimes think the 'firehose of help' can be a little confusing here...so to that end...breaking it down a bit (and if this is too basic, apologies in advance!!)
You're on step 1... Adding a known amount of Liquid Chlorine (Bleach) will stop any algae getting a foothold (or anything existing getting worse) until you can accurately test your pool using a good test kit. You want plain bleach - no additives. Hardware stores or Pool Stores usually carry it as Pool Shock - it should ONLY have Sodium Hypochlorite as a listed ingredient. no Dichloro-, Trichloro- or Calcium Hypo- whatevers. This stops you adding stuff you don't want until we know where we are.
Your pool is basically the same size as mine - you will probably need about 1 gallon of 10 or 12% Liquid Chlorine per day. Pour it slowly into the pool where the water is coming back in from the pump. This avoids any potential for concentrated chemicals damaging any of your other equipment. Don't do anything else for now !
Update your signature with all the stuff you can identify - it makes the brain-trust happy when they can figure out what they are working with
Step 2 - Once the kit comes, post a full set of tests :
FC - Free Chlorine
CC - Combine Chlorine
CYA - Cynauric Acid (Stabilizer)
PH - Acidity
TA - Total Alkalinity
CH - Calcium Hardness
As you have a SWG, you should get a Salt test kit too - knowing what your salt level is will be useful when we get to using the SWG to maintain your chlorine levels longer term. The Taylor K-1766 kit will work. In the future, you may wish to consider kits from TFTestkits.net - They are generally better value, and are curated to be more in-line with the testing methodology practiced on this forum.
Step 3 - Well, we'll get there, but if you want to see the success of the process, check out How clear is clear ?
Welcome to the forum !!
- Step 1 - Make sure nothing gets any worse
- Step 2 - Figure out where we are
- Step 3 - Come up with a plan to move forward
You're on step 1... Adding a known amount of Liquid Chlorine (Bleach) will stop any algae getting a foothold (or anything existing getting worse) until you can accurately test your pool using a good test kit. You want plain bleach - no additives. Hardware stores or Pool Stores usually carry it as Pool Shock - it should ONLY have Sodium Hypochlorite as a listed ingredient. no Dichloro-, Trichloro- or Calcium Hypo- whatevers. This stops you adding stuff you don't want until we know where we are.
Your pool is basically the same size as mine - you will probably need about 1 gallon of 10 or 12% Liquid Chlorine per day. Pour it slowly into the pool where the water is coming back in from the pump. This avoids any potential for concentrated chemicals damaging any of your other equipment. Don't do anything else for now !
Update your signature with all the stuff you can identify - it makes the brain-trust happy when they can figure out what they are working with
Step 2 - Once the kit comes, post a full set of tests :
FC - Free Chlorine
CC - Combine Chlorine
CYA - Cynauric Acid (Stabilizer)
PH - Acidity
TA - Total Alkalinity
CH - Calcium Hardness
As you have a SWG, you should get a Salt test kit too - knowing what your salt level is will be useful when we get to using the SWG to maintain your chlorine levels longer term. The Taylor K-1766 kit will work. In the future, you may wish to consider kits from TFTestkits.net - They are generally better value, and are curated to be more in-line with the testing methodology practiced on this forum.
Step 3 - Well, we'll get there, but if you want to see the success of the process, check out How clear is clear ?
Welcome to the forum !!
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
In Pool Math, the Effects of Adding tab will calculate the amount of FC your SWG should generate given runtime and power percentage. Yours is capable of 2.5 ppm of FC in a 24-hour period. That is likely not enough to make up for daily loss during swim season.
All this information is great I really appreciate it. Also I was going over our paperwork from the installer it's actually a 16x36 pool not 18x36 and it looks like he quoted me for a larger salt system initially the AQR 100 yet we have the T9.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
My previous screenshot was for the T3. This is for the T9. It should give you 4.7 ppm of FC in a 24-hour period.
There's a pool volume calculator at on the Old PoolMath page...link below if you're unsure.
16 x 36 - figure 21,000-22,000 gallons to start - you can always adjust your volume based on measured levels after adding chemicals. Every inch of water at the top is roughly 350 gallons, so getting much more accurate isn't really that practical
But can I assume safely that even at 21,000 gallons the T9 is still insufficient unless I'm running it constantly? My plan is to reach out to the installer because the paperwork was vague it just said the S3 salt system it never said which one so I'm kind of hoping he will see my point because he told me I only need to run the filter 12 hours a day.
Based on 12 hours a day maintaining a 16x36 it sounds like I would absolutely need a different salt cell.
Based on 12 hours a day maintaining a 16x36 it sounds like I would absolutely need a different salt cell.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Most pools consume about 2 to 4 ppm of FC daily during swim season. @Newdude can give you an idea what to expect up north.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
At 21,000 gallons, the T9 is advertised to produce 5.6 ppm daily. That's running 24/7.
Right and he had me set it at 90% 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. I mean at this point I think we found the smoking gun I'm undersized for what I was told to do in terms of running.
We are also full sun all day and I know that has an impact as well.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
So that comes out right at 2.5 ppm daily. That's probably about right at this time of season.
I'm seeing 3 ppm FC loss per day with full sun right now. It was less at the old place mostly shaded.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,655
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
It's technically not undersized for your pool per industry standards. It's right on the mark. Tfp recommends double sizing the capacity for efficiency and life of the cell.
So if I'm also losing three a day and only producing 2.5 clearly I'll always be in a deficit and it'll only get worse until eventually I'm stuck with another algae bloom.
I'm also thinking about electrical costs running 24/7 100% for the entire summer to try and keep up is going to destroy my electrical bill and wear out the cell faster.
If I buy a bigger cell I can run it 12 hours @ 90% but also produce enough to make up for the loss.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 55,439
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Oh? That an ANSI Standard?
Where are those "Industry Standards" published?
It has just become accepted practice as pushed by manufacturers to naive consumers to accept inflated performance claims. It is like pool pumps that claim a 150 GPM capacity. No residential pool setup will let a pump run at 150 GPM.