Sorry for the long winded post... I'm helping friends with their new pool – June 2016.
21,000 gal, inground, vinyl pool equipped with a SWG. They also have a great water slide which comes down a hillside into their pool. I don’t know all the equipment and/or testing stats, but will work to get those to answer questions. They have had a problem with their SWG making chlorine and decreasing salt levels.
They have been sold the Bioguard Mineral Springs products since the pool was built day 1. I suspect that they put a few bags of Mineral Springs Beginnings upon pool opening, then they have been directed to put 1 small bag of the Renewal in a week throughout the summer.
They started asking me questions a few weeks ago when their pool was cloudy. I tested their water with my TF-100 test kit and at the time all levels were basically in range for a vinyl SWG pool, although TA was a bit high.
First reaction was to Slam the pool according to procedure, then cut back on the mineral springs products and monitor what happens. Since that time, the pool water cleared up and is currently crystal clear, but salt levels dropped from 2900 ppm to 2600 ppm and they have had problems maintaining a consistent F/T chlorine level with the SWG. They have been increasing the SWG % Output and are operating ~65% right now. They have normal summer kid use, some days 5-10 kids in throughout the day, some days none. They have been adding 10% liquid chlorine on occasion and TC is up/down/up/down, all over.
Recent reports indicate that when they add a 128 oz jug of 10% liquid chlorine, the TC goes from 1 ppm to 9 ppm, but then it continues to drop. TA has gone up to 250 ppm.
I looked into the Mineral Springs products and the Safety Data Sheets and here is what I think. Mineral springs just doesn’t work, unless you keep adding it to your pool. The SDS for Beginnings only sited Sodium Bisulfate and trade secrets, But the Renewal state the following chemicals:
What is the one ingredient that is missing here? Answer - Sodium Chloride - NaCl.
So, I’m guessing that some of the trade secrets that they are putting in these bags is simply small amounts of chlorine, but nothing that will enough to continually be generated through your salt water generator.
Upon my instruction, they put a 40# bag of pool salt in the pool this weekend and the salt level went up from 2600 to 2900 mg/l.
I want to suggest the following:
Thoughts? Thanks in advance
21,000 gal, inground, vinyl pool equipped with a SWG. They also have a great water slide which comes down a hillside into their pool. I don’t know all the equipment and/or testing stats, but will work to get those to answer questions. They have had a problem with their SWG making chlorine and decreasing salt levels.
They have been sold the Bioguard Mineral Springs products since the pool was built day 1. I suspect that they put a few bags of Mineral Springs Beginnings upon pool opening, then they have been directed to put 1 small bag of the Renewal in a week throughout the summer.
They started asking me questions a few weeks ago when their pool was cloudy. I tested their water with my TF-100 test kit and at the time all levels were basically in range for a vinyl SWG pool, although TA was a bit high.
First reaction was to Slam the pool according to procedure, then cut back on the mineral springs products and monitor what happens. Since that time, the pool water cleared up and is currently crystal clear, but salt levels dropped from 2900 ppm to 2600 ppm and they have had problems maintaining a consistent F/T chlorine level with the SWG. They have been increasing the SWG % Output and are operating ~65% right now. They have normal summer kid use, some days 5-10 kids in throughout the day, some days none. They have been adding 10% liquid chlorine on occasion and TC is up/down/up/down, all over.
Recent reports indicate that when they add a 128 oz jug of 10% liquid chlorine, the TC goes from 1 ppm to 9 ppm, but then it continues to drop. TA has gone up to 250 ppm.
I looked into the Mineral Springs products and the Safety Data Sheets and here is what I think. Mineral springs just doesn’t work, unless you keep adding it to your pool. The SDS for Beginnings only sited Sodium Bisulfate and trade secrets, But the Renewal state the following chemicals:
- 15-35% Sodium Hydrogensulphate (aka Sodium Bisulfate)
- 2-13% Boric acid
- <5% Sodium sulphate
- 1-7% Aluminum sulphate
- 0.1-3% Phosphonic acid…..sodium salts
- 0.1-3% Cyanuric acid (stabilizer)
What is the one ingredient that is missing here? Answer - Sodium Chloride - NaCl.
So, I’m guessing that some of the trade secrets that they are putting in these bags is simply small amounts of chlorine, but nothing that will enough to continually be generated through your salt water generator.
Upon my instruction, they put a 40# bag of pool salt in the pool this weekend and the salt level went up from 2600 to 2900 mg/l.
I want to suggest the following:
- Test FC/TC before bed and first thing in the morning with the SWG turned off overnight and see what happens.
- Zero loss eliminates biological growth.
[*]Chlorine Loss = slam the pool - If they experience Zero loss, then I think they should add pool salt, not renewal b/c I think there isn’t enough NaCl to let the SWG make sufficient chlorine to keep up with use.
- However, I don’t want the salt level to get too high since they have an automatic cover, maybe add another 40# bag to get them to 3100-3200, and monitor if it drops?
Thoughts? Thanks in advance
