AquaSmarte Delivery System?

[circlenranch]

Thanks Grace! The Aqua Smarte is a mineral/chlorine system. You buy a mineral reservoir that stays in the cycler for the season and you add "Bac Pacs" which is chlorine tabs inside a cylinder thingie that sits inside of the mineral reservoir (expensive little boogers!). I am going through about 1 a week and have already spent well over $300.00 for my chemicals (and I am almost out!!)

[sevver]

I doubt that I have spent over $30 so far this season for chemicals. You should quit using that, get your water tested and post the results.

[circlenranch]

Wow sevver!! I am so jealous!!! So do you think I can just take the mineral thingie out of the cycler and start the BBB right away? I tested the water yesterday evening and if I remember correctly the chlorine was at 0.5, the ph was at 7.2 and the CYA was at 0. I added some ph increaser last night and some pool shock also since the numbers were low.

[sevver]

You will need to increase the The CYA, You should shoot for 30 to 40. The Ph was a tad low, as was the chlorine, but you are dealing with that. How about the Total Hardness and the Total Alk? You can get a 5 way kit from Walmart or else a better Talor or Ben's Kit. I have the 5 way, and if I want anything more I take in a sample. But I plan on getting Bens kit when I can swing it.

Is it possible to just take the unit out of the loop? Is this a Baquacil type system? If so, I am thinking you should also change the filter media. I have no experience with the system you have at all.

If you want to learn how to mantain your pool this way, go to PoolSolutions.com and read everything you can there.

Good luck

[circlenranch]

Grace, JMHO Ah, I Gotcha!!!
Sevver, I believe I can unhook the whole thing from the filter. When you say filter media, do you mean the cartridge? Sorry, I'm not too good with the lingo just yet!! I am going to Walmart today to get the 5-way kit. I only have the strips right now.

[sevver]

If it is a cartridge then yes, replace the cartridge, but wait for someone to say that who is familiar with what you have before you jump the gun. I am not sure what this system looks like or what it does or anything, I will look into it now though. There are smarter people than me on this board that is for sure, but do get the kit. It is money well spent.

[sc-pierce]

my neighbor has the aquasmarte thing..he swears by it. your chlorine SHOULD be low with it, that's the whole point of having that particular system anyway. it uses copper ions to sanitize the water instead of chlorine. my neighbor didn't mention anything about the bac pacs or whatever, he says they only replace the copper things once every other year or so. they add a little bleach every week, because even with that you need SOME chlorine. you might want to contact another aquasmart dealer and play dumb to see if you get the same answers that your guy is telling you.

[sevver]

I think that running your chlorine low only makes for unsanitary water. The copper based solutions are not really a good idea, basically it is an expensive algaecide, and completely unnecessary with proper pool maintenance.

[GraceByDesign]

my neighbor has the aquasmarte thing..he swears by it. your chlorine SHOULD be low with it, that's the whole point of having that particular system anyway. it uses copper ions to sanitize the water instead of chlorine. my neighbor didn't mention anything about the bac pacs or whatever, he says they only replace the copper things once every other year or so. they add a little bleach every week, because even with that you need SOME chlorine. you might want to contact another aquasmart dealer and play dumb to see if you get the same answers that your guy is telling you.

OOO, I did not see that copper part anywhere. That may change the whole ball game on switching to BBB. Man, nothing's ever easy, is it?

[GraceByDesign]

............. Is this a Baquacil type system? If so, I am thinking you should also change the filter media. I have no experience with the system you have at all...........

The Aqua Smarte is a mineral/chlorine system. You buy a mineral reservoir that stays in the cycler for the season and you add "Bac Pacs" which is chlorine tabs inside a cylinder thingie

Chlorine, therefore not Baqua.

Filter media in your case is cartridge, but as you are already using a chlorine-based system, there may not be a need to change it. (If you change from Baqua to chlorine, your sand or cartridge wil get all gummed up with Baqua-goo! )