Water Balancing with Questions

[Sunnymosmile]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of bringing my water in line with TFP recommendations but I have a couple of questions.

- The chart shows my CYA should be 70-80. Why is the recommendation so much higher for a SWG vs traditional? I think I confused myself when I reviewed an old chart, that was highly detailed, posted by Chem Geek (I think). Boy that guy is smart!

- my PB wants me to add a cupful of the item pictured

every month to help fight the trace metals I have in my well water. What negative impact will this create?


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[Texas Splash]

We recommend a higher CYA range for SWG pools because the FC produced by your SWG is much smaller (gradual) over a 24 hr period. Therefore we've learned that the free chlorine works best and lasts longer with more protection from the sun. It's just a better balance.

With well water, it is good to be proactive and prevent metal staining. Is it always necessary? Depends on the iron content in your well. One thing for sure .... keep your pH on the lower side of the range - about 7.4-7.5. Staining is more possible when pH gets high, so watch it faithfully. Iron also tends to precipitate out and stain when FC gets really high, so by using an SWG with higher CYA to balance, you can keep the FC in a lower recommended range which is great for you. It's all a delicate balancing act with well water.

Big keys: Don't let pH get high, keep FC in the recommended range (never too low to get algae and not too high to anger iron), and occasionally us a metal sequestrant to prevent metal from staining. More about iron on the TFP Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains page.

Hope that helps.

 

[Sunnymosmile]

This response was unbelievably helpful. Thank you so much!


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[Richard320]

That metal free is a sequestrant, not a remover.

The best way to picture it is an M&M. The hard shell is the sequestrant. As long as it's there, the chocolate won't make a mess in your hand. The chocolate's still there, though. Unless you want blotchy stains on the pool walls, use the sequestrant since you know you have metals.

 

[Sunnymosmile]

That metal free is a sequestrant, not a remover.

The best way to picture it is an M&M. The hard shell is the sequestrant. As long as it's there, the chocolate won't make a mess in your hand. The chocolate's still there, though. Unless you want blotchy stains on the pool walls, use the sequestrant since you know you have metals.

Thank you, Richard! That's a good explanation. I will use it. It just made me nervous at first. I'm glad it is phosphate free.


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[dclynds]

I have a question about the same Metal Free product. I am currently filling my 19000 gal pool with city water after replastering. I bought this product to use as the sequestrant that I would pour into the pool tomorrow after done filling. However, on the Metal Free manufacturer website it says to only use this product in balanced pool water, but in my case, it would be the first chemical I add. Is that going to be okay? What's the worst that could happen if I added this product but the water didn't actually have that much metal in it? Also, am I okay adding this product after pool is already full or should I add some when it is halfway full? I don't want my plaster ruined by metal in the water and I guess I'm concerned with the speed at which such a thing could happen. Thanks for any advice!

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