Ready to learn!

[ba8089]

So we put in a pool last year. And since then I have gone down every rabbit hole reading the endless opinions of chemistry and equipment. I have learned a lot, but at the same time also feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. My wife’s uncle pointed me in the direction of TFP so here I am. I live in central wa which is basically a dessert. Average rain fall is about 5-9” annually. Temp extremes from 0-110 degrees. But summer months let’s just say average 90’s.
We put in a 20x40 vinyl, 3.5’ shallow end 8’ deep end pretty sure, stadium steps across the shallow end, 28,800 gallons, APC automatic pool cover, 2 skimmers, 3 returns, two main drains, 4 color changing LEDS, 1.5” plumping, 1.5 hp Hayward super pump, 27” Hayward sand filter, Del uv-c 50 uv sanitation, Hayward easy temp heat pump, and a Hayward chlorine feeder for tabs. So here are some questions I have.

1. Does anyone have any set ups with UV, Ionizers, ozone, or all of them assist with chlorine or salt?
2. Lamotte ColorQ testing kits good to use?
3. Variable speed pumps? Worth it?
4. Monitoring and maintaining balance with automation and liquid feeder? Ex. Intellechecm
5. When buying bleach at 6, 10, or 12.5%, what makes up the rest of the content in the bleach?
6. Is lithium hypo better than bleach if the cost for convenience doesn’t bother me?

Thank you in advance for any help and info you all are will to share! TFP seems like a great community from what I gather.

 

[Donldson]

Welcome to TFP! I'm not familiar with the location of "Home" but since we base our advice on a person's location it would be nice if you actually filled that in to at least what you included in this post.

So the quick answers:
1 - Ozone and UV offer zero help in outdoor residential pools. The units installed in residential pools are extremely low powered anyway so even the limited benefits they would offer are non-existent. Ionizers add metals to the pool, strongly discouraged.
2 - Not really, TF-100 or Taylor K-2006c are much better options.
3 - Yes, especially if you can get a discount from your local power company.
4 - Don't bother with sensors, the chlorine ones are inaccurate and break often. A liquid chlorine injector or Salt Water Chlorine Generator are worthwhile, but dialing them in is easy enough that automation is unnecessary.
5 - Plain bleach is just chlorine, salt, and water (and a tiny bit of sodium hydroxide to keep the pH down for stability). If you can get higher % at a decent price then it reduces the amount of water to carry.
6 - Sure, if you can find it. Ever since we started carrying around lithium batteries in our pockets the market for lithium has shifted away from using it for chlorine. Really that would be money better spent on an SWG.

 

[Richard320]

1. Does anyone have any set ups with UV, Ionizers, ozone, or all of them assist with chlorine or salt?

I do not.

UV is okay if it's an indoor pool. Otherwise, you get it free from the sun. UV also destroys chlorine. Ionizers use metals, which will eventually build up and stain the walls and turn blonde hair green. Ozone might be handy in a commercial pool with a huge bather load, to oxidize waste -- sweat, snot, dead skin, whatever -- but bleach is already a good oxidizer, and you have to have bleach since ozone doesn't linger, so why bother? See also Alternative sanitizers and "chemical free" pools--The Truth!

2. Lamotte ColorQ testing kits good to use?

If you are colorblind, they're probably the best option. A drop-type test is probably better.

3. Variable speed pumps? Worth it?

If you're going all automated, or you just have to replace the pump, yes. Chucking a functioning pump to go multispeed probably won't save you any money unless you get handsome rebates from the power company.

4. Monitoring and maintaining balance with automation and liquid feeder? Ex. Intellechecm

No experience.

5. When buying bleach at 6, 10, or 12.5%, what makes up the rest of the content in the bleach?

Salt water with some lye in it.

6. Is lithium hypo better than bleach if the cost for convenience doesn’t bother me?

Once it's in the water, hypochlorite is hypochlorite.

If you want convenience, install a saltwater chlorine generator. Spend a month getting familiar with it and fine-tuning it and you won't have to deal with chlorination again.

 

[ba8089]

Welcome to TFP! I'm not familiar with the location of "Home" but since we base our advice on a person's location it would be nice if you actually filled that in to at least what you included in this post.

So the quick answers:
1 - Ozone and UV offer zero help in outdoor residential pools. The units installed in residential pools are extremely low powered anyway so even the limited benefits they would offer are non-existent. Ionizers add metals to the pool, strongly discouraged.
2 - Not really, TF-100 or Taylor K-2006c are much better options.
3 - Yes, especially if you can get a discount from your local power company.
4 - Don't bother with sensors, the chlorine ones are inaccurate and break often. A liquid chlorine injector or Salt Water Chlorine Generator are worthwhile, but dialing them in is easy enough that automation is unnecessary.
5 - Plain bleach is just chlorine, salt, and water (and a tiny bit of sodium hydroxide to keep the pH down for stability). If you can get higher % at a decent price then it reduces the amount of water to carry.
6 - Sure, if you can find it. Ever since we started carrying around lithium batteries in our pockets the market for lithium has shifted away from using it for chlorine. Really that would be money better spent on an SWG.

I did have a lot in that post but my Location is up toward the beginning. But I’m from central WA which is basically a dessert.