I
recently hosted a pool cleaning equipment webinar on Skype for the group
members. Here is the edited webinar with slides and video clips for you. Glen,
the creator of the Bottom Feeder dropped in and spent some time talking about
the Bottom Feeder and future updates! I cover everything from your leaf rake to
vacuum systems in this talk.
I
am in a unique position where I started doing weekly pool service back in 1988
and from this point have used various pool nets, poles, and cleaning equipment
so I have become a default expert in what I consider to be the best equipment.
Here
is a summary of the cleaning equipment I like. You can find most of these at
your local pool store or wholesale supplier but here are some links to them and
manufacturer websites for quick reference.
Everyday use gloves for chemical handling:
G&
F 6 PAIRS Men's Working Gloves with Micro-Foam Coating - Garden Gloves Texture
Grip: https://amzn.to/3r57bez
About a year ago I tested and filmed two Aiper cleaners, one very similar to this one but with a traditional cord. The other Aiper cleaner was a compact battery-operated unit which I think lacked cleaning time and didn’t have great programming. The Aiper Seagull 3000 is like a combination of these two cleaners and I think this time around Aiper got it right. The Seagull 3000 is a cordless type cleaner since it has a floating battery and an 8ft cord attached to that so technically it is not entirely cordless.
The floating battery gives this cleaner plenty of power and a 2 hour cleaning time so it is a good compromise in my opinion. Note that the battery cord is only 8 feet 2” in length to the maximum depth of a pool you can use this in is 8 ft. So it is designed for a small to the medium pool and with the 2 hour run time you couldn’t effectively use it in a large pool anyway.
The Seagull 3000 utilizes a built-in, rechargeable, 7800mAh Battery so the 2-hour run time is accurate in my testing. So far I have run the cleaner in two different pools several times and it is performing very well. The cleaning time is good enough for a 14,000-gallon pool or less.
There is an app that you can download and connect the cleaner with and I must say although the app is simple it connects via Bluetooth quite quickly and holds the signal surprisingly well. I suspect because the controller floats in the pool allowing for an easy connection. In the app, you can see the remaining battery life, a very nice feature and you can fine-tune the cleaning cycle. You can set it to do a combination of floor and wall cleaning modes giving you more cleaning flexibility.
I think the coolest and a useful feature in the app is the ability to take manual control of the cleaner and in manual mode, you can make the cleaner go forward, backward, left, and right allowing you to spot clean your pool if needed. Having a way to control the cleaner is a very nice feature and one that can come in handy for sure. All in all the app works well and it is simple enough.
The cleaner is a top-loading type which is convenient and the debris chambers are quite large. I don’t know the micron rating of the canisters but I will assume ut is around 100 microns as very fine dust will not be trapped by the cleaner. I wonder if Aiper will have a finer debris canister soon, but so far I don’t see one listed on their site.
If you read the reviews most of the one-star reviews on their previous models were about the drive belt breaking issue. So you may want to purchase a few extra from the link above if you decide to go with the Aiper cleaner. That seems to be the one part the wears out on these cleaners. For the price point of the cleaner that is to be expected. I believe it is a warranty part but I am not sure of what the 24-month warranty will cover.
For the entry price point, the Aiper Seagull 3000 has a lot to offer and it is worth looking at if you are in the market for a mid-range priced cleaner.
The pHin started in 2014 as a concept when these smart pool monitors were first coming online. They were a $7 million start-up and the pHin began to dominate the market. This caused ripples in the industry and many pool pros were worried that these smart pool monitors would replace them one day. Fast forward to Dec 20th, 2021, and the pHin is now discontinued and in all intents and purposes a paperweight now.
Here is the email from Hayward about the shutdown of pHin:
Dear David,
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to end the pHin service on December 20, 2021, and close the pHin business. We are grateful to the customers who were so supportive of pHin. We understand this news is abrupt and would like to help provide answers to your questions.
Please note that your subscription to pHin has expired and is completed and you will not be charged for a renewal or any further charges from pHin.
Will I still be able to use my pHin?
No, the service will no longer be available once it is shut down on December 20, 2021. Your pHin monitor will no longer be actively measuring your pool chemistry. The pHin app will no longer be active but will have information on the end of monitoring services.
What about my subscription?
Your annual subscription was fulfilled and not renewed, so no further action is necessary.
What should I do with my pHin?
We recommend recycling your floating pHin monitor. Best Buy stores accept most electronic devices or you can search for a local drop off location at Recycle Nation www.recyclenation.com/find
Again, thank you for your support. Please contact customer care with any questions.
Missing from this email is any real explanation of why the pHin devices will be turned off and why Hayward couldn’t at least continue to allow users to monitor their device readings. Hayward must have been bleeding money with the pHin to abandon the users so abruptly.
Some things that went wrong here are obvious. Hayward is an equipment company and the pHin although it was kind of a piece of equipment the whole concept of the device was to sell chemicals to the user. After taking the pH and ORP reading the pHin would recommend chemicals for you to purchase linked to a local pool store. In the beginning, it was set up as a mail-order device and you would get your chemicals delivered. The pHin was truly out there in left field for Hayward and not part of their core business which was manufacturing pool equipment.
Hayward also tried to sell the pHin as a replacement for your pool service company. A bad move in many ways as a big part of their equipment sales was to pool pros. So Hayward was talking out of both sides of their mouth here. Trying to get the homeowner to fire their pool guy and at the same time wanting their pool guy to buy their products. Bad marketing for sure.
Last, the pHin was limited for the price of $299 and the $100 annual subscription fee. It only read pH, ORP, and the water temperature. There are other important water test factors like Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid levels. And let's not forget the most important, Free Chlorine. Yes, they tried to incorporate a test strip that could be scanned for these other readings but this required user interface of a level of actual physical weekly water testing. Which the pHin was designed to eliminate. It would be like creating a word processing software with a spell checker that only looked for errors in capitalization and punctuation and for checking the spelling you had to use a dictionary yourself.
The final nail in the coffin was that the pHin relied on ORP to determine if the pool water was safe or not. So many, many users got the “Unsafe” red warning on their home screens when the ORP dipped below a certain level. But to keep the ORP in the safe zone the homeowner would need to keep the pH below 7.4 and the Chlorine level at 5 ppm. Unrealistic in both regards.
My advice to Hayward if I was invited into the board room meeting about the pHin in 2018, stay in your lane. Keep making great pool equipment and stop dabbling in things that are not your core business.
Sutro recently came out with their Pro app and a program for builders and pool service professionals to link multiple Sutro devices into the app so you can monitor your customer’s accounts with the Sutro Smart Monitor. This app allows you to install a Sutro at a customer’s pool and monitor Free Chlorine, pH and Alkalinity, and water temperature via Wifi or LTE over the internet and allows you to see these readings anywhere where you have an internet connection.
The applications of this are that if you do startups the Sutro will take 3 readings per day for you and this will help with any warranty requirements from the builder. Since the Sutro will take the FC, pH, and ALK (and Temperature) – four test factors of the Saturation Index, if you are computing the LSI at this pool all you will need is the Calcium Hardness reading and CYA at the initial fill and the Sutro will monitor the rest for you as long as it remains in the pool.
If you are a builder you can offer the Sutro to your customers for some time. Three months, 6 months, or 1 year, and the Sutro will monitor the water chemistry for the client making the transition from non-pool owner to a pool owner that much smoother.
As a pool pro, you can also install the Sutro at your premium accounts and monitor these test factors 3 times a day all month long. For the pool store, you can hand a customer the Sutro and Hub and then monitor their pool for them to help troubleshoot their chemistry issues. There are of course other applications with the Sutro Pro app for your service business.
The device is also backward compatible for test factors that will be added later like Cyanuric Acid (CYA). They are also working on an LSI Calculator for the app for a future release. Here is the cost breakdown for you.
The pricing of the Sutro Pro is still being worked out and you can email Sutro directly to learn more about the price point for multiple devices.
I thought since I had the 3 Sutro units I would do an accuracy test. I also have one of the most accurate reagent photometers by LaMotte the ColorQ 2X Pro 9 which has NSF-approved reagents (they have been independently verified to be accurate).
So I put all 3 Sutro units in my pool and then linked them into the Sutro Pro app. The results were what I expected as all the devices read similar test factors within the margin of error. I don’t think it is possible by the laws of physics to get 4 different tests to line up exactly but they were pretty darn close to each other. You can see the results in the video and I also made sure to do all the testing within 30 minutes of each other to ensure at least time was a limiting factor.
Rest assured that when you install a Sutro at your client's home it will give you accurate readings. If you are a consumer and are interested in a Sutro you can order one here:
I have been using the Taylor Test kits almost from day one when I started pool service back in the late 1980s and early '90s. One thing that sets Taylor apart from many other kits is the number of test factors their K-2000 kits can perform. You can do Free Chlorine & Combined Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, pH with acid demand and base demand, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid.
As in the podcast, I suggest one of these three test kits for professional and homeowner use (you can also purchase the version in Spanish and one that does salt or salinity level testing):
ppm; pH 7.0–8.0; acid & base demand; total alkalinity;
calcium hardness; cyanuric acid; .75 oz. bottles
K-2005-SALT*
Same tests as K-2005, plus a test for sodium chloride.
Available in a case pack of six (K-2005-SALT-6)
K-2006* (Spanish : K-2006S*)
Complete-high (uses FAS-DPD): chlorine 1 drop = 0.2 or 0.5
ppm; pH 7.0–8.0; acid & base demand; total alkalinity;
calcium hardness; cyanuric acid; .75 oz. bottles
Available in a case pack of six (K-2006-6)
K-2006-SALT*
Same tests as K-2006, plus a test for sodium chloride.
Available in a case pack of six (K-2006-SALT-6)
K-1005
9-WAY (DPD)
Free & Total Chlorine .5–5 ppm
Total Bromine 1–10 ppm
pH 6.8–8.2 (with acid & base demand)
Total Alkalinity 1 drop = 10 ppm
Calcium Hardness 1 drop = 10 ppm
Cyanuric Acid 30–100 ppm
(includes I Never Liked Chemistry
booklet)
Recently, Taylor went through the NSF certification process. This involved an extensive plant inspection as well as thorough laboratory testing of test kit procedures.
19 Taylor test kits were granted NSF certification and are listed under NSF/ANSI 50 Equipment for Swimming Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, and Other Recreational Water Facilities.
NSF International has been monitoring the safety of pool and spa industry products since the 1960s. They evaluate everything from test kits to pool alarms to ensure they meet strict safety standards. They also review product labeling and literature for truth and accuracy. Every product labeled with the NSF certification has met the American National Standards for design, construction, and/or performance.
This certification is not a one-time check, NSF International conducts “annual audits at each authorized production facility and regular re-testing of certified products to confirm that they continue to comply with all requirements of certification.”[1]
This means that 19 of their test kits can be used in Commercial applications like HOA complexes, motels, hotels, apartment complexes, and other public pools inspected by your local health department. NSF certification is a big deal and you can rest assured the test results by an NSF certified Taylor test kit will hold up against the health department testing.
The main difference is that the K-2006 kit features FASDPD drop tests, which measure free and combined chlorine directly as low as 0.2 ppm and as high as 20 ppm. The reading is made by noting a distinct change in the water sample from vibrant pink to colorless. The K-2005 will only read chlorine p to 10 ppm but is much easier to use in many cases over the FASDPD which uses a powder instead of a dye-based reagent.
Here are some basic tips:
Makes sure your reagents are not expired. They do not last forever and you should replace them every season if you don't use them all up during the year. The refills are affordable and will ensure accurate test results.
Try to take the water sample from the middle of the pool about elbow deep. Make sure you fill the tubes to the exact mark and do the reagent drop test right away.
Make sure the tubes are clean especially if you service pools for a living, you don't want the last test results to interfere with your current one.
With the swirl, tests try to get a good wrist movement to mix the reagent up properly. If you struggle with this check out this helpful product that does the swirling for you:
Taylor SpeedStir 9265 Magnetic Stirrer: https://youtu.be/IRofeofrlCs
Keep the tubes at eye level and look directly at the color and not down into it. I prefer doing the reading outside in natural light. Remove your sunglasses for a more accurate color match.
If you follow these steps you will get a very accurate reading when you do your water testing. To learn more about the lineup of Taylor Technologies testing products you can visit their website here:
Emaux is a leader in the industry in equipment manufacturing in Europe and Asia and they are making strides into the USA. Raypak recently teamed up with them and if you order the Raypak Above ground cartridge filter it is manufactured by Emaux. The design of their filters is simple and practical which makes them very user-friendly.
A cartridge filter has many advantages over D.E and Sand and the CF filter series come in a range of sizes from 25 sq ft to 200 sq ft. You will find the compact design perfect for any equipment pad. I would say that these filters are perfect for above-ground pools and a small inground pool, 10,000 gallons or less.
The CF Series filters come with a UV-resistant tank and a heavy-duty ring-lock lid which allows easy cleaning and replacement of the cartridge element. Also, there is a screw-type air bleeder for easy removal of trapped air inside the filter tank. The high-quality oil-filled pressure gauge is provided for easy inspection of the operating pressure.
1 Compact and lightweight
2 UV resistant tank
3 Heavy duty ring-lock lid allows easy cleaning and replacement of the cartridge element
4 Screw type air bleeder for easy removal of trapped air inside the filter tank
5 High-quality oil-filled pressure gauge for easy inspection of the operation pressure
6 Application to domestic swimming pool & spa
7 Maximum Working Pressure 250kPa /36psi /2.5bar
8 Maximum Water Temperature 40°C (100°F)
Emaux is a recognized global manufacturer that meets and surpasses the expectations of customers with best-in-class products and services. With quality at the heart of everything we do, we offer specialized products to swimming pools, spas, aquatic centers, water parks, aquaculture, public aquariums, water features, and water treatment projects. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Emaux enjoys a truly global network with offices in Europe and China.
For over 35 years, we have been actively engaged in key water projects worldwide and worked closely with industrial consultants, developers, and engineers alike.
Adding salt to your pool seems like an easy task but there are some things you need to know before you dump in a few 40 lbs bags. The first thing of course is does the pool needs salt added. It sounds simple enough but it needs answering first.
Chapter Marks:
00:00 What to Expect In this Video
00:57 Intro in Saltwater pools
2:00 Systems that read Salt Level
2:58 False Salt Reading
4:14 Digital Salinity Meter Test
8:12 Non-functioning unit
9:30 New builds
14:20 Non-salt pool
Here are some reasons why you should add salt:
Digital meter shows salt level under 3000 ppm
Water temperature is over 60 degrees F
The pool surface is over 60 days old (new build or remodel)
The saltwater cell is clean and functioning
You have a saltwater generator on your equipment
Here are some reasons when you should not add salt:
You do not have a saltwater generator attached to your pool equipment
The salt cell is dirty
The system is showing low salt – built-in salinity monitor
The pool plaster is fresh, under 2 months old
The water temperature is below 60 degrees
If you follow this basic rule you will have little issues with adding salt to a pool when it is not needed.
I have gotten a few emails over the years from folks who added salt to their pool to make it a saltwater pool, without having a saltwater generator installed. All this will do is just raise the pool’s TDS to 5000 ppm. This will make the pool hard to maintain so adding salt to a pool to make it a saltwater pool requires a saltwater generator. Pretty cut and dry and you can’t make a pool a saltwater pool by just adding salt.
If the salt cell is dirty the system can give you a false low salt indication. It is because the calcium on the plates reduces the electrical current and the system may think the salinity (salt level) is low, when in fact it is not. Cleaning the salt cell will reset the system in most cases and the proper salinity reading will appear on the display after a few hours or the next day.
Using a digital salinity meter is a must. Get a good one and the more you pay the better quality the meter will be. I have several videos on them and the LaMotte, Hach, and Oakton models are the top 3 in my book. I trust the digital meter readings over the system reading and will never add salt without first getting my separate independent reading.
I understand that the pool builder has a two-week close-out when the pool is finished. They are not really in a rush to add salt but since they are handing the pool off they want everything to be done. So many will add salt in the first 2 weeks of the fill. In my experience waiting 30-60 days is a better idea and will eliminate issues with plaster staining and very high uncontrollable pH. As the plaster cures, there is already a high acid demand and with the saltwater generator also raising the pH it will be hard to prevent scale from forming as the plaster cures. Not as bad as a problem in a PebbleTec, Vinyl, or Fiberglass pool but for plaster, I would wait at least 60 days before adding salt.
Some reasons why the salt cell may not be producing chlorine are that it is too small or not rated for that pool size or the CYA level is too low. It may not be a low salt level causing the issue. Also, low water temperature under 60 degrees F in most cases will cause the salt system to stop producing.
Each SWG has different salt cell sizes. For example, the Intellichor 40 and Hayward T-Cell 15 are rated for a pool of up to 40,000 gallons. The Ichlor 30 and Jandy TruClear are rated for pools up to 30,000. The Intellichlor IC20 for a pool up to 20,000-gallons. Your salt cell should be rated for your pool size to be effective. If you put an IC20 in a 25,000-gallon pool it will need to run 24/7 just to be partially effective. An IC40 in a 15,000-gallon pool would be ideal with plenty of margins.
Like any other form of chlorine, the SWG is producing chlorine that needs to be protected from the harsh UV rays of the sun. Ideally, your CYA level should be 30-50 ppm but if you notice the chlorine level is still not holding you can increase the CYA to 80 ppm. If the CYA is below 30 ppm chances are your SWG will be producing chlorine at a rate that is less than the burn off from the UV rays. Check to make sure the CYA is at alt least 30 ppm.
The
Jacuzzi J-D300 and the Splash Seahawk are essentially the same cleaners, just
branded for different outlets. The J-D300 is sold exclusively at Leslie’s pool
supply and you can find the Seahawk on
other sites. The cleaner works surprisingly well and you can keep it running in
your pool for several years with part changes here and there.
There
is a one-year warranty on the cleaner and I doubt if any of the parts will wear
out or break in that first year of use. The diaphragm is not a warranty part and
that will likely wear out in 1 year to 18 months. When that happens you would
use the Zodiac Diaphragm listed here.
In
my opinion, this is a good cleaner for $200 and it tends to go on sale during
the season. As far as changing parts I think they made it over complicated.
When I first opened it up the weight fell out and it took me a few minutes to
figure out the right placement. The design would have been better it the weight
was snapped into the body and not free-floating. The video will show you where
the weight goes if it falls out on you as well.
Again,
I think the disassembly could be a bit easier but the parts are very modular which
means you can rebuild this cleaner and keep it running in your pool for many
years. The parts are also very reasonably priced so for your initial $200 investment
and future repairs this cleaner is a very good investment.
The Mat or as others refer to it, the Finned Disk is a part that is easily replaced. Same with the footpad.
How will the 2022 season look? In a word ugly. When making a prediction, any prediction we look at obvious indicators like past performance. How will the Yankees do in 2022? Probably just as good or better than in 2021. If we make a similar prediction about the 2022 season based on 2021 I think some of the same problems will persist.
Chapter marks:
00:00 What to expect in this video
00:58 Trichlor Tablets
04:20 Higher wages equal higher prices
07:44 More shortages
11:40 strategies for 2022
14:24 Salt water generator
16:33 Add enhancers
19:48 Keep your Free Chlorine Level higher
If you think the shortages will magically go away I have some swampland, I mean marshland in Florida I would like to sell you. The BioLab factory is still being rebuilt and it looks like any Trichlor produced out of there won’t be available until the 2023 season. In case you didn’t know that factory burned down in 2020 and it is the largest producer of Trichlor, some 2 million pounds each year. So don’t expect tablets to reappear in any quantity for 2022. This may lead to other chlorine shortages as everyone moves from 3” tablets to liquid chlorine and Cal-Hypo. Stay tuned on that.
A shortage no one is really covering yet but is on the radar of pool builders is the shortage of PVC plumbing. Namely, the resin used to make the plastic. This shortage has allowed for suppliers to cancel all orders of PVC pipes and I have heard this may also affect the availability of the plastic buckets that most chemicals come in for the pool industry. Stay tuned on that one as well.
There was a serious equipment shortage in 2021 in part because of the Deep Freeze in Texas. It appears that this winter will be equally cold and more Deep Freezes may take place. With that in mind, you would think the equipment manufacturers would be churning out pumps and filters and heaters like crazy. But all of them are having component problems as well. Try to find a Polaris booster pump housing or a Wisperflo lid and you get the idea. So you can’t make more equipment with circuit boards and parts and you certainly can’t get things from China quickly now. So the equipment shortage may continue into 2022.
Inflation is something we are just not used to. We pay the same price for everything year in and year out. So seeing prices double for 3” tablets was a bit of a shock. And seeing all of the other chemical prices rise by 10% or more was also a bit unexpected. With the higher fuel prices and higher labor prices expect inflation to continue to be a factor in 2022.
The only good thing about the upcoming 2022 season is that we know what to expect and we should not be taken off guard like in 2021. This will help us better prepare for the shortages and to get things in place ahead of time. So maybe less scrambling around looking for chlorine and equipment and also less sticker shock as we are now familiar with the higher prices in the industry.
Who knows, I could be wrong and there may be a ton of chlorine, 20 heaters sitting in your local supplier's warehouse and the prices for everything may be back to 2020 levels. More than likely not.
Bob Lowry passed away on November 17th, 2021 and a
true legend has left the pool and spa industry. He was the author of over 23
books but this has to be one of his most relevant and shortest books coming in
at just 19 pages thick. But it is packed with so many essentials on residential
pool chemistry that you will want a copy to carry in your service truck. Bob
Lowry has been in the industry for over
47 years and is the Lead Consultant at Lowry Consulting Group, leads the Pool
Chemistry Training Institute, and has created the Certified Residential Pool
& Spa Certification Program. Learn more at
https://pcti.online/
Here are all of the podcasts that I recorded with Bob Lowry:
Bob Lowry teaches Target Chemistry and here are his recommended target numbers. Not a range but a specific number to shoot for.
Sanitizer 3.0 ppm
After the alkalinity & pH are brought into range, the next adjustment is the sanitizer. Liquid Chlorine or Bleach is the most common and least expensive of the available sanitizers. The acceptable range is 1.5 - 3 ppm, though 4 - 5 ppm is absolutely fine. A commercial spa should be maintained at much higher levels - 5 - 6 ppm. Bob Lowry has the Target at 3.0 ppm so you should always aim for that for your residential pool.
A residential pool should be maintained at 3.0 ppm. The higher levels ( 4 - 5 ppm) should be established, prior to a large party or heat spell. Try not to allow the levels to drop below 3 ppm, as this will prevent the need to shock or take other corrective action after the party.
ALKALINITY 90 ppm
There are a number of factors that contribute to the "balance of the water." The most important is the pH and the alkalinity. The alkalinity is the ability of the water to buffer the pH (or buffer chemicals that may affect the pH). The alkalinity is like an auto-pilot or cruise-control for the pH.
If the alkalinity is out of the acceptable range, then any small factor will cause a wild swing in the pH. This is called "pH bounce." Because of this, alkalinity is the first thing that should be brought into line when balancing the water.
An ideal range for the alkalinity is 100-120 ppm (though 80 - 140 ppm is acceptable).
pH 7.5
The pH of the water determines if it is acidic or basic. Either extreme can have disastrous effects on the pool finish, equipment, or plumbing. When the pH is out of range, bathers may complain of eye discomfort or other ailments.
An acidic pH will cause the water to become aggressive. It will etch the plaster and cement finishes around the pool. Worse yet, it will dissolve the metallic components of the pool. The most expensive metallic component is the copper heat exchanger within the pool heater.
Monument Valley, a red-sand desert region on the Arizona-Utah border, is known for the towering sandstone buttes of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The park, frequently a filming location for Western movies, is accessed by the looping, 17-mile Valley Drive. The famous, steeply sloped Mittens buttes can be viewed from the road or from overlooks such as John Ford’s Point. ― Google
Address: Indn Route 42, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ 84536
Here is a list of hotels, tours, and other points of interest for you.
The cabins are small but very private and a great way to experience Monument Valley. I highly recommend a cabin if available.
17 Mile Scenic Loop:
To get into the park drive to the View Hotel. There will be a booth and depending on party size and vehicle you will need to pay for entry – for us, it was $20.00. With that entry pass, you can pull to the far end of the parking lot where the cabins are and a security guard will let your vehicle into the 17-mile loop. There are a few Outhouses about 2 miles in. I suggest using the View Hotel Gift shop bathrooms before entering. At this time there is a 2-hour time limit for the scenic drive. The road ranges from smooth dirt to rocky type dirt roads and our rented Ford Bronco did just fine on all of the roads. A compact car may have some trouble in certain areas so an SUV does better in my opinion. No drones are allowed in Monument Valley.
Monument Valley Tours in order from the video:
Monument Valley Safari (ask for Tony as your guide)
Between November 1st and the last day of February of each year, drone use is permitted by permit only. Permits cost $10 per day and forms may be obtained online or at the visitor center.
The caution and warning here is that 3” Tri-Chlor tablets can give off toxic gas if it is in a bucket and water gets in with the lid on or the tablets are in a chlorinator that has no water in it and partially dissolved tablets. When you take the lid off the bucket of tablets or off of the chlorinator the fumes can be overwhelming and can cause lung damage. So always make sure the tablet bucket remains completely dry and that your chlorinator is working properly.
Chapter Marks:
00:00 What to Expect in this video
00:48 Raises CYA in your pool
03:37 Low pH causes stains & damage
07:32 Off-Line Chlorinator cautions
09:05 Toxic gas
11:34 Mixing other chemicals with Tri-Chlor
13:04 Granular Tri-Chlor
14:52 Toxic Dust & Tri-Chlor handling tips
19:50 Wrap-Up overview
Tri-Chlor or Trichloroisocyanuric Acid comes in three forms. The familiar 3” tablets that slowly dissolve in your pool, a very fine powder shock and a granular form. About 50% of the Tri-Chlor by weight is Conditioner (Cyanuric Acid). So, a 50 lbs. bucket of tablets is about 25 lbs. of Conditioner. If you overuse tablets your pool’s CYA level can go up rapidly. Trichlor tablets are usually 90% to 99% active chlorine. Tri-Chlor tablets have a very low pH of 2-3 so they will lower the pH in your pool. The tablets contain acid in the form of Cyanuric Acid so if one falls into the pool it is likely to stain the surface by burning it.
Tri-Chlor granular is very powerful stuff. It is basically the Tri-Chlor Tablet grounded up in granular form and is 99% active chlorine. Use with extreme caution as the Conditioner in the granular can stain the plaster. The CYA in the tablet is basically acid and if you let it pile up on the pool surface it will stain the plaster as if you dropped a 3” Tablet into the pool. Never add this to the skimmer and if you do use it for Black or Mustard algae make sure it is evenly dispersed on the pool surface. Not for use in Vinyl, Fiberglass, or color plaster pools.
The 3” Tri-Chlor tablets must be used and handled in a safe manner to avoid chemical burns and possible breathing issues. If a bucket of tablets were to get water in it, the vapors or gas from these tablets can be extremely overpowering. Make sure to only use a watertight bucket of tablets like these from In The Swim (the brand that appears in the video). Make sure you store the tablets in a safe and dry place and since it is an Oxidizer I don’t recommend storing it in your garage or inside your house.
When you go to put the tablet in an in-line or off-line chlorinator, be aware that any undissolved tablets in the chlorinator can also give off a strong smell as there is water in the chlorinator chamber. I always open the chlorinator with my head off to the side and not directly over it, you can also wear a mask as protection. The floater in your pool is relatively safe from fumes as it is in the open air and not a closed chamber like a chlorinator. Just use caution with the 3” Tri-Chlor tablets when you use them in a chlorinator attached to your pool equipment.
You also do not want to put a 3” Tri-Chlor tablet directly into your pool skimmer. Since the tablets contain acid in the form of Cyanuric Acid when the pool turns off all of that acid will be sitting in the skimmer and building up. When you turn the pool back on, a large amount of acid will travel into the pool equipment and then out the return lines. This acid can ruin the metal parts in your heater and also stain the pool plaster at the return lines. Use the tablets in only a chlorine floater in your pool or in a chlorinator attached to your equipment.
Pros:
A very strong form of chlorine
Slow dissolving in tablet form so it releases chlorine all week long
Easy to use and affordable
Keeps a good residual chlorine level in your pool all week
Each of the three filter types is vastly different in how they work but they all essentially do the same job. D.E. is always going to give you the best filtration with cartridge a close 2nd and sand a distant 3rd. But a sand filter makes up for that is how easy it is to maintain and operate whereas a D.E. filter can be a real pain.
Chapter Marks:
00:00 What to Expect in this video
01:04 Identifying the Filter Type
08:05 Size Comparison Between the 3 Types
10:35 Microns & Filtration
14:00 What is Important in Choosing a Filter
18:33 Advantages of D.E & Sand Filters
20:44 Advantage of a Cartridge Filter
22:04 My Favorite Filter Type
I break it down like this to make it easy.
D.E. Filters
Best filtration down to 3-5 microns
Uses Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) or Perlite to coat the grids
Quad cartridge type filter and Perflex (Bump Filters) are available
Backwashing in between cleanings is a plus
Cleaning them can be a real pain
Cities may fine you up to $10,000 for D.E. in the street
Cartridge Filters
Filter down to 10-20 microns
Easy to clean – simply take the lid off and hose them off
Bigger is better and the 4-cartridge types are my preferred version
Can’t backwash in between cleaning
Offer the largest filtration area in square feet.
Easy to maintain
Sand Filters:
Filter down to 30-40 microns
Easy to use
Backwash when PSI goes up by 10 PSI from clean PSI
No need to take apart and clean
Sand can last for years and sometimes over a decade
Can have water quality issues due to inability to filter down to a finer micron
Preferred filter for Commercial application and dirt prone areas
Overall I think the filter size is a bigger factor in water quality than the filtration type. Here is a good example of this from my pool route. A customer had a 25,000-gallon pool with a 36 sq ft D.E. filter on it. We upgraded his D.E. filter with a 420 sq. ft. cartridge filter. The flow had increased so dramatically that we had to divert half of the return flow to the attached spa so that the pool wasn’t like swimming in the ocean! The flow increased dramatically and all the issues I had with the pool disappeared overnight. So upgrading to a larger filter can really move the needle if your pool is experiencing water quality issues.
So how would you get a good size comparison between the three filter types? I think you have to work off of a ballpark figure since all of them filter the water in a different way. Here is the best guess chart for you:
36 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a200 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 150-200 lbs. Sand Filter
48 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to 320 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 250-300 lbs. Sand filter
60 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to 420 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 350-400 lbs. Sand Filter
100 sq. ft. Quad D.E. Filter is equal to a 520 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 450-500 lbs. Sand Filter
Since a D.E. Filter uses Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) the filtration area is very small but highly effective. In fact, D.E. Filters can filter down to 3-5 microns making it the best filtration as far as microns go. A Cartridge Filter can filter down to just 15-20 microns and a Sand Filter down to 30-40 microns. So if you are just comparing filters by how good they filter down to D.E. is the winner. If you are looking at the sheer filtration area then the Cartridge Filter is the clear winner. With filtration areas of over 500 sq. ft. nothing compares to it. But since it uses a cloth basically to filter, even though the surface area is greater it doesn’t filter as efficiently as a D.E. Filter.
For ease of use, a Sand Filter can’t be beaten. All you need to do when it gets dirty is backwash it and of course, change the sand every few years. But you don’t need to take it apart and clean it every few months, nor do you need to recharge it every time you backwash it. The sand that is in there stays in there and you couldn’t ask for an easier filter to maintain. If you are looking mainly for ease of use then a Sand Filter should be your first choice.
Each filter type has its good points and its drawbacks. There probably is no perfect choice but if you go with the largest filter for your pool based on the gallons of water, the better off you will be. The larger filter allows for a better flow rate, better overall filtration, and better water quality. Although the upfront cost may be more it will pay for itself over the years in time and fewer chemicals used to maintain your pool. Think about the time you will save with a larger filter in cleaning the filter and also the energy cost as you can run the pool less with a larger filter. And finally, with a larger filter, you will not struggle to keep the chemistry balanced and therefore will use less shock and algaecide over the years. So a larger filter is a win-win across the board.
A sand filter is a great choice for ease of use and it is one filter type that is often overlooked when shopping for a new filter. When I ease of use I mean that a sand filter is very easy to maintain and service. No need to ever take the lid off and clean it and all you need to do is backwash it when the filter pressure starts to get high.
I should mention here that the Jacuzzi JSF26 is made by Waterway which is a local equipment manufacturer here in Southern California. This assures that you are getting a quality filter and because it is made here there is no shortage of inventory. If you are having trouble locating another manufacturer’s sand filter, the Jacuzzi JSF26 would be a great choice as a replacement.
This is also a 300 lbs sand filter so it is great for a small or medium pool and is comparable to a 48 sq ft DE filter or a 300 sq ft cartridge filter. It is hard to compare one type of filter to another because they are very different but for filtration and size of the pool, I would say that the comparison I noted is as accurate as you can get. The flow rates are all different but if you are looking to replace a filter of this size you will have similar water quality.
Here is more about the JSF26:
The Jacuzzi Top Mount 26" Sand Filter withstands high flow rates without reducing filtration for keeping you the best and healthiest pool water quality!
Manufactured in the USA
Stainless Steel Oil Filled Gauge
Heavy Duty Commercial Grade Tank
7 position top mount multi-port w/collar clamp for easy installation
360-degree self-cleaning slotted laterals threaded for easy maintenance
1 1/2 " extra-large water & sand drain port complete with tools
3 Year EPP Warranty
Details
The advanced technology developed for the JSF26 Professional-Grade Sand Filter with Top Mount Valve offers extraordinary reliability with low maintenance and longevity. This sand filter is designed to withstand high flow rates without reducing filtration to keep your water clean, clear and healthy.
The JSF26 26" filters particles as small as 30 microns, ensures performance in all weather conditions, and uses a high-strength fully injected molded take to provide you with durability and longevity. It also features an easy-to-open, non-corrosive multi-port clamp, large drain point that allows for fast sand changes and saves hours on labor, a self-sealing barrel union for quicker installation and easy service, and a lock ring that secures the multi-port valve and allows for easy alignment with pipework to save on installation time.
I sat down with Bob Lowry and we went over some of the things you will run into when dealing with a pool in the winter months when the water is cold.
You will notice that in really cold water the pool chemicals will stay very constant and you will not be adding much chlorine, acid, or base to the pool. Generally, in water temperature, less than 65 degrees the pool's salt system will also stop operating. At this point simply switch to liquid chlorine and use that as your primary sanitizer. Typically in colder water, one gallon of liquid chlorine will hold a good chlorine level for 2 to 3 weeks or more.
Chapter Marks:
00:00 Update on Bob’s Health
07:30 Atlas Gloves
08:22 Chemical Usage
09:50 Closing Your Pool Or Not Closing
13:55 Salt Water Pools
15:38 Run Time
16:12 Freezing Water
17:55 CYA Level can Drop
20:35 Grey Area in Closing a Pool
If you service your pool in the winter the water can be bone-chilling cold so wearing the proper gloves is essential. I like the Atlas 772 Nitrile Coated Gloves which as 25-inch-long and will protect your hands from the cold water while emptying the skimmer basket and cleaning the pool.
If you have an automated system or a stand-alone VS pump you may notice the pool turning on at odd hours in the night and at unscheduled times. These systems have a Freeze Mode or Freeze Protect Mode so when the air temperature gets below 37 degrees the pump will turn on. This is to prevent the pipes from freezing but in most areas where we do not get freezing temperatures this feature is more of an annoyance. You can’t disable the feature so to prevent the pool from running all the time I suggest switching the pool’s start schedule to the coldest point of the night, usually, Midnight to 8 am. That way the pump is set to run anyway at that time and won’t be running all night and then the regularly scheduled runtime
One thing that we must deal with in the Winter is the weather and the wind and rain can be an issue. The Santa Ana Winds will blow in my area from October through February and these winds can reach gusts up to 60 mph making a real mess of the pools. You need to be very proactive when it comes to leaves and dirt in your pool. The leaves from the wind can easily clog your skimmer and pump basket causing your pump to work very poorly. If left unchecked your pump can even burn out due to a lack of water flow. So be ready to scoop out the leaves and empty the skimmer and pump baskets.
Any dirt that gets in the pool from the wind or rain should be vacuumed out quickly to avoid any staining. If you leave dirt in the pool for long periods of time, metal in the soil could cause stains on the pool surface. I recommend getting a good automatic cleaner or being ready to manually vacuum your pool when needed. The bottom line is that even though it is the middle of Winter and no one is using the pool, you still need to clean it regularly. In fact, your pool may be dirtier in the Winter than in the Summer in most cases.
If your area gets excessive rain you may notice that the pool may overflow with water. In most cases, the pool water is safe and won’t do any damage if you have sufficient drains around the pool deck. If the water overflows and it looks like it will enter your house or do other types of property damage you will need to get a Sump Pump and have it ready to drain some of the water from the pool.
Getting through the winter can be tough with the winds and the rains and the freezing cold water. But Spring is around the corner and then Summer when owning a pool really pays off.
