" Unattended Puck feeders " & the uninformed

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Originally Posted by waste

As I read this forum, and see what problems 'unattended' puck feeders can cause, I am developing a very strong dislike for them (just a little rant & my $.02)
- Waste

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Waste, I think that your absolutely right on this one. I think people with automated chlorine dispensers get a bit lazy with pool maintanence
( I too am a bit guilty of this :rolleyes: although I do try to kep on top of things with regular testing).


I can't help but be reminded of a story about an older couple who bought a large R.V. which had cruise control. They didn't know about how cruise control works & the salesman gave a rushed explanation, telling them that it could "practically drive itself"...
well ,their first road trip out, the man put the cruise on & went in back to get a drink....
of course the RV, "drove itself", right into a large ditch.
btw, the couple did sue the dealership & won....

I think people with automated feeders, forget that "cruise control" still needs to have a "driver" to make it all work safely

Feeders are like anything else. If you have the knowledge to know how to use them effectively, they can be very useful. if you don't, you get a mess.

While we normally recommend bleach solely as your chlorinator, there are clearly times when Tri-chlor tabs, Di-chlor powder, or Calcium Hypochlorite are appropriate, or easier. When I want to raise my CYA, I start chlorinating with Di-chlor, until I'm close to my target.

I agree totally with Carl. They are just another tool in pool maintenance. I have the infamous Hayward CL-200 and it sits idle for probably 99% of the time but it's there when I need it. I use pucks to raise CYA when necessary and just recently I timed things so I needed to do that and let the pool take care of itself for 5 days. Came back from a mini-vacation to a very nicely balanced pool and all a friend had to do was vacuum when his family wanted to use it. As with any equipment, not just pool equipment, you have to understand it and use appropriately and carefully.
Al

I would add that it's not just the automated puck feeders that can be a problem (if not used properly), but also the standard "floating dispensers". Long before joining this forum, I stupidly used Tri-Chlor tablets as my sole chlorine source and had them in a floating dispenser. Since I had an automatic opaque pool cover and did not want the floater to always end up at the shallow end of the pool, I tied it to a length of string attached to one of two bars we have in the pool along the side just below the water line. I usually closed the cover and then manually pushed (from the top of the cover where I could "see" the dispenser's outline) the dispenser more into the middle of the pool, but sometimes I forgot or just got lazy and let the cover sort of push the dispenser to the side of the pool next to the bars.

Well, needless to say, I ended up with rust in the two anchor posts closest to where the dispenser parked itself. My pool pump ran 8-10 hours/day so I'm sure that the bulk of the time when the water was "idle" and not circulating, acid built up from the Tri-Chlor tablets and corroded the metal that was nearby.

So even a seemingly innocent floating dispenser can be a menace in the pool due to the very acidic nature of Tri-Chlor tablets.

Richard

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Originally Posted by chem geek

I would add that it's not just the automated puck feeders that can be a problem (if not used properly), but also the standard "floating dispensers".

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I use one of these and never have a problem. My numbers are perfect, my pool is incredibly clear, and I have even had people comment on how clear and sparkling it looks. AND I also have mine tied to one end of the pool b/c otherwise it gets sucked up to the skimmer and blocks it.

I eliminated mine, the only time it was ever used was when I went away on vacation.
Then I discovered the problem with my algae breeding drop in steps, htey now double as my puck feeder for when i go on vacation, and I keep one or two in there at all times to avoid the breeding that has a tendency to develop in there.

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Originally Posted by howbout

I use one of these and never have a problem. My numbers are perfect, my pool is incredibly clear, and I have even had people comment on how clear and sparkling it looks. AND I also have mine tied to one end of the pool b/c otherwise it gets sucked up to the skimmer and blocks it.

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Just curious. Was there any metal in the pool near the area where your floater was tethered? We have two stainless steel bars that are under the water in the shallow end (my wife had polio as a child so uses the pool for exercise so we have a ramp in the pool and these just-under-the-water bars on the side). The rust seemed to come from the metal anchoring in the plaster (the two closest to where the floating dispenser with Tri-Chlor was tethered) which does not appear to be stainless, unlike the bars themselves.

Also, are you using Tri-Chlor in your feeder? If so, do you frequently have to add base to your pool (Borax, Soda Ash)? I found that I did, but since switching to liquid chlorine my pH is rock solid stable. The main problem with the use of Tri-Chlor was that my CYA went over 100 (probably around 120) in one and a half seasons.

Richard

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Originally Posted by chem geek

Just curious. Was there any metal in the pool near the area where your floater was tethered? We have two stainless steel bars that are under the water in the shallow end (my wife had polio as a child so uses the pool for exercise so we have a ramp in the pool and these just-under-the-water bars on the side). The rust seemed to come from the metal anchoring in the plaster (the two closest to where the floating dispenser with Tri-Chlor was tethered) which does not appear to be stainless, unlike the bars themselves.

Also, are you using Tri-Chlor in your feeder? If so, do you frequently have to add base to your pool (Borax, Soda Ash)? I found that I did, but since switching to liquid chlorine my pH is rock solid stable. The main problem with the use of Tri-Chlor was that my CYA went over 100 (probably around 120) in one and a half seasons.

Richard

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Yes the tabs are tri-chlor and every now and again I have to adjust the pH a little bit but not much. I do not have any metal in the pool though. I have found that this works very well for me, regardless of others experiences, I feel "if it aint broke don't fix it" LOL...early in the summer I had a serious problem with black algae and had to acid wash my pool b/c of it. As a result, I self educated on pool care and VIOLA, a sparkling clean pool!:)

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Originally Posted by howbout

Yes the tabs are tri-chlor and every now and again I have to adjust the pH a little bit but not much. I do not have any metal in the pool though. I have found that this works very well for me, regardless of others experiences, I feel "if it aint broke don't fix it" LOL...early in the summer I had a serious problem with black algae and had to acid wash my pool b/c of it. As a result, I self educated on pool care and VIOLA, a sparkling clean pool!:)

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Two more questions. Do you happen to have aeration features such as a waterfall, spa spillover, lots of splashing kids, fountain, etc.? Also, what is your typical TA and pH level? I'm thinking that with aeration, high TA (which you would normally have when using Tri-Chlor anyway) and not too high pH, your pool probably outgasses carbon dioxide which would cause the pH to rise thus compensating (mostly) for the pH lowering from the Tri-Chlor (so the net effect is not much of a pH change, which is what you see). Eventually over time, your TA will get lowered, but if you are using Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate, which is usually in pH Up), then you will both raise the pH and increase TA simultaneously.

In my pool, I didn't have much aeration and I used an electric pool cover that was closed except for our using the pool. So that's why I saw more of a pH drop than you probably see. Just trying to figure these things out...

Richard

Richard, I don't have anything to aerate the pool except my kids ;) But we haven't been in the pool for over a week now and I just tested - pH is 7.6 and TA is 90. Right where they should be...I usually run the pump only but once a week or so put the barracuda in. If we have a bad storm (I live in South FL) on its way I will shock prior to it coming, but really, other than testing and adding tabs as needed that is about all I do. If I need to adjust the pH I use Borax I buy in the grocery store.

Thanks for the info. You've got yourself a miracle pool! If it were fairly new or newly replastered, then the curing of the plaster would have a rise in pH, but... OK I'll stop trying to figure out why you aren't seeing as much of a drop in ph when using Tri-Chlor tabs nor having your CYA go through the roof like it did in my pool. Must be that Florida sun and rains (I lived in Boca Raton for a year, so I'm jealous that you've still got swimmable weather).

You're very welcome, and sorry I can't help you more! This pool came with the house which was built in 1987! It's in really good shape (the previous owners took very good care of it) and other than the acid wash we haven't had to do anything...but in a couple of years we're going to have to have it resurfaced for sure...meanwhile, I enjoy using it and looking at my sparkling clear water...and I understand the jealousy - we got a pool heater a couple of years ago so we could swim ALL year instead of just 9 months...LOL!:D