How do I increase Calcium??

[roll tide]

My hardness is 0 and pool store recommends some kind of calcium increaser at $18.99 per bucket. ( He says I need about $90 worth). Is there a generic brand or something I can get at a grocery store??

SWG with a 24k gal. pool.

[AndieP]

We just bought calcium hardness increaser (calcium chloride) at Lowes for $5.37 for 4 lbs. In one of the pool supplier magazines it was $15.99 for 4lbs.

[KurtV]

roll,
What kind of pool do you have, concrete or vinyl? Do you have a heater? If vinyl and you do not have a heater you may not need any calcium at all.

By the way, is your nickname some kind of reference to laundry detergent?

War Eagle:)

[waterbear]

If you can find it at a local hardware store DowFlack calcium chloride (sold as a de-icer) is what you need to raise calcium hardness. On the Dow website there is a page on pool and spa use of DowFlake for this purpose. It is exactly the same chemical that you pay more for at the pool store as calcium hardness increaser! (Dow is one of the larger manufacturers of calcium chloride and much of the stuff you buy at the pool store is probably repackaged DowFlake. BTW, it is used for much more than just de-icing but that is the most commen use for it when a hardware store stocks it.)

[roll tide]

I have a vinyl liner with a heater. However, the heater won't be hooked to natural gas until September (gas co. to charge $800).

Someone, Sean I think, indicated a few days ago that calcium is still important with the SWG.

My screenname refers to the greatest football dynasty in the history of college sports. Are you from Alabama? I am originally and graduated from Jacksonville State, but grew up watching the Bear.

[KurtV]

I have a vinyl liner with a heater. However, the heater won't be hooked to natural gas until September (gas co. to charge $800).

Then the calcium is much less important than if you had a concrete pool, but you still need some.

Someone, Sean I think, indicated a few days ago that calcium is still important with the SWG.

I would think that a lack of calcium would be an advantage with a SWG since you'll have less scaling, but I definitely defer to PoolSean and Mark from Watermaid on all things SWG.

My screenname refers to the greatest football dynasty in the history of college sports. Are you from Alabama? I am originally and graduated from Jacksonville State, but grew up watching the Bear.
My wife's an Auburn alumnae so I side with her in that minor rivalry (I'm a Buckeye myself). Does Alabama still have a team? I hadn't heard anything from them the last decade or so. I guess that's why I thought of the detergent. My mistake.:D

[Poolsean]

WOW>.what a shot at 'bama tides. Laundry Detergent? RMAO

OK..calcium does affect water balance, which can lead to a corrosive type condition if allowed to be maintained low in conjunction with low alkalinity and pH. This has no effect on a Salt Chlorine Generator other than allowing the cell to stay scale free for a longer period of time.
Calcium on the high side can lead to a scale forming/cloudy water condition. This is important with Salt Chlorine Generators.
So in my opinion, you can maintain low calcium without damage to the salt system.
Go GATORS! College Basketball Champs!
Go HEAT!! Pro NBA Champs!