Fred Schweer: The Science Behind PoolRx+ and Cleaner Water

Pool service pros know the quiet enemy isn’t always the green bloom you can see; it’s the microalgae you can’t. That’s where PoolRX Plus steps in with a mineral system built around chelated copper, silver, and zinc that keeps pools algae-free while reducing chlorine demand for up to six months. The chelation is the differentiator, protecting minerals at a molecular level so they stay effective despite pH swings, oxidation, and typical chemical interactions. With algae out of the picture, chlorine becomes more active, clarifiers and extra shocks drop from the routine, and phosphate levels fade as a concern because the food source no longer feeds living algae. The result is clearer, safer water, often at just 0.5 to 1 ppm free chlorine, which changes how you stock trucks and plan routes.

Understanding chelation is key to trusting lower-chlorine operation. Many products claim to chelate metals, but their bonds break down under oxidation or over time, raising risks of staining and inaccurate tests. PoolRX’s unique method protects minerals for their full life, keeping them dissolved, effective, and non-staining. That same protection can confuse typical copper tests, which won’t read chelated copper accurately. Counterintuitive as that sounds, it signals stability and safety in real-world water. Minerals dissolve into solution, form a residual, and are reionized as water flows through the unit in the skimmer or pump basket, extending effectiveness across a full season without the “surge and fade” problems service pros dread.

Many techs ask about phosphates because they see them everywhere—from source water to sequestering agents. Phosphates don’t consume chlorine directly; they feed microalgae, which does. By eliminating algae growth, PoolRX severs that chain, freeing chlorine to do what it does best: oxidize contaminants and safeguard bathers. That’s why pros who deploy the system often find their chlorine levels run higher than expected at first, prompting a controlled cutback in tabs or liquid. Once you dial in your lower target ppm, the ongoing savings are real: fewer tabs, fewer shocks, fewer clarifiers, and fewer emergency visits. It also creates a wider margin for bather load spikes, windblown debris, and hot spells that challenge even well-managed pools.

Correct sizing is the make-or-break step. The blue unit handles 7,500 to 20,000 gallons; black covers 20,000 to 30,000; spa sizes cover 100 to 1,000; and new red and orange units fill the 2,500 to 7,500 gallon gap for above-grounds, big spas, fountains, and compact water features. Sizing is about the right mineral mass in solution, not just a label. Overdosing works like oversugaring iced tea—the excess won’t dissolve, leading to murky blue water or mineral settling. Mild overdoses can be corrected by dilution and a slightly lower pH; extreme overdoses, like dropping a blue unit in a spa, demand a drain and reset. Follow the labels, start with a clean filter, and run the pump long enough for full dissolution to avoid headaches.

Problem pools demand strategy. When you walk into a 15,000-gallon pool with heavy mustard algae, understand that minerals will be “spent” on the clean-up. In those cases just above 15,000 gallons, stepping up to the black unit gives you the needed headroom to clear and protect without falling short. In clean, balanced pools, match the unit to actual volume and keep chemistry in standard ranges, including cyanuric acid. In the Sun Belt, high CYA often creates slow-killing chlorine even though it lasts longer. PoolRX breaks the stalemate by removing algae from the equation, letting low free chlorine maintain sanitary conditions consistently. For service pros, it’s an insurance policy against callbacks: the minerals keep working when you can’t be there, which is priceless in peak season.