Should I convert?

[proximo]

I've been following the BBB and other methods recommended on this forum. It's been awesome to know exactly what to do.

I've discontinued using tri-chlor for chlorination since at the end of last summer my CYA was over 100! I've switched to using generic liquid bleach from the grocery store. I'm buying 1 1/2 gallon jugs at $3.30 each. Now that it's getting hot I'm having to use 1-2 jugs every night! That's $3.30-$6.60 a day. Seems expensive and I'm having to check levels 2x a day with my Taylor kit. I'm paranoid about the levels dropping below 5 because of previous mustard algae disasters. Here's a typical reading in my 36k gallon vinyl pool:
FC: 8
PH: 7.3
CYA: 55

The appeal of a SWCG to me is lower cost and less maintenance. I know i'll still have to test a lot especially at first. I'm wondering if anyone has a cost for usage including the unit, salt purchased, etc. And do you recommend pursuing this over manual dosing every 12 hours? Is it worth it?

Also, my local pool store has quoted me $3k to install a Hayward Aquarite system. I'm very skeptical of any pool store after reading stories here and think this is a ripoff. I've done my own cost analysis and think I could buy the unit for around $1000 and the salt needed for around $170. If I installed it myself or had a plumber help could the cost be around 1200? Am I missing something?

Do you guys recommend this as a DIY project? I am familiar with basic wiring and electrical setup. I realize I would not have support if it did it myself and that may be an issue if these are prone to have problems. I'm looking for any advice you might have.

[Themadczar]

Based on your pool size, you are losing over 4ppm of FC daily at a very high CYA level... Something doesn't seem right. 2ppm per day is "normal" at half your CYA... Have you tested CYA recently?

[proximo]

OK I guess that was an incorrect reading (I thought it was since it was 35 a month ago!). I just tested the CYA and it's 30-35. I guess I should add some stabilizer now.

[Watermom]

Try bringing it up to around 50ppm. See how that does for you. You may end up wanting to take it even higher. One benefit of running a high CYA pool is that it actually allows you to test and add bleach less often. One of the other moderators who isn't active on the forum anymore lives in NW Louisiana. She deliberately runs her pool with a CYA of around 80ppm for that very reason. Otherwise she finds that she can't keep chlorine in the pool and is constantly adding it. As long as you maintain the proper chlorine levels to compensate for the higher CYA, you are fine. http://pool9.net/cl-cya/

[proximo]

Thank you, Watermom and Themadczar, for your help. I will raise the CYA to 50-60 and see how it goes. This forum is awesome for all the helpful advice you guys give. I see I would need CYA of 60 to use a SWCG anyway.

I am still looking at the possibility of installing a SWCG because of lower cost of generated chlorine, not having to lug bleach jugs, and less checking. I've gone back through several pages of topics here. The general consensus seems to be that a SWCG is worth is for the convenience factor. I know that regular testing, proper PH, CYA, etc levels are still essential.

Can anyone chime in on installing a unit yourself vs having you pool store install it?

[kelemvor]

Around here, and online the aquarite units with the 40k gal T-Cell go for about $1,000. $2k for installation seems seriously excessive. If you're comfortable wiring the unit into your pool's breaker panel, and plumbing it in then DIY. Call around for some different quotes if you're not.

Basically, if you have a section of exposed piping you are going to install the unit there. Or you may have to add some piping to plumb the generator into. The cell has a long cord that connects to a control panel that gets mounted on the wall. That panel gets wired into the circuit with your pump and timer. This way, when the pump is on the generator is on. That's about it.

Having said that, a SWCG can make pool sanitation very easy and hands off. It is unlikely to ever save you money. Add up how much you're going to spend in say 2-3 years on chlorine and see if that comes to the price of your swcg.

Also, the hayward swcg wants 3800ppm of salt. In your pool that's about 32 40# bags of salt. They go from $5-$10 each (at least around here, they do). So add another $160-$320 for salt. It sounds like you already have a fair amount of CYA in your pool. I can't remember exactly what the hayward unit recommends but I think it's like 80 or 90ppm CYA. You'll have to add acid regularly to keep pH down. I add a quart or less about once a week, and tend to buy acid by the case for convenience. Adding borates to the mix can help decrease the pH rate of change for less frequent acid doses. It means larger doses less often.


I have the 40k gallon hayward cell on an 11.5k gallon pool. I run the cell at 25% most of the time and mine is nearly 5 years old. You're going to end up running at a higher level with a 30k gallon pool so you'll get less life from the cell.

[Symon]

Thank you so much for this! I have been on the fence about converting (I spent all of last summer figuring out BBB for the pool that came with my house). I think you just moved me over to the do it side, as it was the Aqua Rite I was looking at. I run a 25K gallon IG pool with vinyl, btw.