Potassium Monopersulfate shock

[halds]

I know this probably has been debated ad nauseum, but I could not find anything in the archives.

Could someone review the relative advantages and disadvantages of chlorine vs Potassium Monopersulfate for shocking?

I can guess that cost is a big factor, but Im thinking in terms of effectiveness, effects on pH, etc.

The problem I run into with chlorine is
1. having to lug gallons and gallons of bleach.
2. getting cloudy water with Ca hypochlor
3. Adding too much CYA with dichlor

what are the negs of Monopersulfate?

Hal

[waterbear]

Disadvantages of MPS shock:
1 it is expen$ive
2 it is only an oxidizer and not a sanitizer
3 it will show up as CC on a DPD or FAS-DPD test unless you use a special test kit (additional expen$e)
4 it can convert chloramines to nitrates which are algae food
5 it is expen$ive
6 see number 4!
7 it seems to work better with bromine than chlorine (but chlorine is STILL a better shock for bromine)
8 see number 2
9 it is expen$ive
10 see number 3

Advantages of MPS Shock:
1 They have cute names like Oxy-Brite, Blitz, and Renew

[Rangeball]

I used PMPS last year. 2 bags each sunday for my 22,200 gallon pool.

It worked great. Bought it before I found this place.

Looking at the $ this year, it will cost me $9.50 to shock with 6% liquid bleach (cheapest I can buy locally) or $5 with PMPS.

As long as I keep the FC up with the bleach, PMPS seems to work well.

[halds]

Well lets see, two opposing views, but I might be more inclined to side with Rangeball on this one...

waterbear wrote......

Disadvantages of MPS shock?:
1 it is expen$ive ---------becoming a nonissue with the rising cost of bleach

2 it is only an oxidizer and not a sanitizer----- already a nonissue because I am talking about shocking not sanitizing, naturally one would use chlorine for day to day sanitizing

3 it will show up as CC on a DPD or FAS-DPD test unless you use a special test kit (additional expen$e) --- this is a valid issue, but once I convert over to the other test procedure, costs should be about the same?

4 it can convert chloramines to nitrates which are algae food---- this is somehting that I do not know much about, nor have heard any convincing discussion one way or the other. If there is good evidence that PMPS increases the likelihood of algae formation, I would like the opportunity to read about it.

5 it is expen$ive------ get over it already.....

6 see number 4!---------ditto

7 it seems to work better with bromine than chlorine (but chlorine is STILL a better shock for bromine)--- probably but again a nonissue here....who uses bromine in their pool?

8, 9, 10, ------did that add anything to your argument?


Hal

[waterbear]

Well lets see, two opposing views, but I might be more inclined to side with Rangeball on this one...

waterbear wrote......

Disadvantages of MPS shock?:
1 it is expen$ive ---------becoming a nonissue with the rising cost of bleach
MPS is more expensive than Cal Hypo for equivalent usage amounts

2 it is only an oxidizer and not a sanitizer----- already a nonissue because I am talking about shocking not sanitizing, naturally one would use chlorine for day to day sanitizing
Not really, shocking is part of the sanitizing process. MPS ideally should burn off organics before they become chloramines, in real life you shock after you have CC....see 4 for when they have become chloramines.
3 it will show up as CC on a DPD or FAS-DPD test unless you use a special test kit (additional expen$e) --- this is a valid issue, but once I convert over to the other test procedure, costs should be about the same?
you need an ADDITIONAL test plus what you are already using. Talor lists theirs on their website at $18.95 plus shipping
4 it can convert chloramines to nitrates which are algae food---- this is somehting that I do not know much about, nor have heard any convincing discussion one way or the other. If there is good evidence that PMPS increases the likelihood of algae formation, I would like the opportunity to read about it.
Is Ben (PoolDoc) a good enough source? Check out http://www.poolsolutions.com/tips/tip38.html
5 it is expen$ive------ get over it already.....

6 see number 4!---------ditto

7 it seems to work better with bromine than chlorine (but chlorine is STILL a better shock for bromine)--- probably but again a nonissue here....who uses bromine in their pool?
Bromine is often used for indoor pools where it can have some advantages.
8, 9, 10, ------did that add anything to your argument?


Hal

Hope this clears things up

[halds]

Thanks for clarifying your position waterbear.

However,


I would not let price difference between PMPS and Cal Hypo influence my decision..why? Becasue cal hypo has a really bad tendency to make my pool water cloudy. Something that then takes more money for me to remedy.

I do not want to mince words over the meaning of shocking and sanitizing, so I will give you credit for that.

The rather small additional cost of the kit should not be a determining factor if convenience is a major gain....

Please no offense to Ben, I worship the guy, BUT, that page states that PMPS APPARENTLY coverts some chloramine to nitrates. It does not state that the shock actually increases your chances of getting an algae bloom. As I stated, I would like to hear about tesimonials or tests where poeple have compared the two and actually found PMPS to be algae prone. If Ben has the proof, please share it with us. How much nitrate is formed? Is it an amount that has significant effects on algae? If this were a real problem, it would be major headlines by now? I am not trying to be argumentative, but on the other hand, I am not going to jump to a conclusion that PMPS is bad based upon a concern that has not been proven, if it has, that is what I am asking to see.

And please I am just trying to have an informed discussion here. Not to prove you wrong.

[DerekM]

Other advantages of MPS:
1-Doesn't elevate the Chlorine level, which means you can swim almost immediately afterward, without bleaching your suit.
2-Saves energy and cuts evaporation and Chlorine use, as you can put your solar cover on immediately afterward, without having its life shortened by high chlorine.
3-No effect on PH (at least that I can see) or calcium.
4-No bleached or faded liners or bathing suits, or white spots on clothing from splashed bleach.
5-No premixing needed (unlike cal-hypo)
6-Instant water sparkle when company is coming!