Borax Floater in Closing Kit

[Jakebear]

I have resolved not to buy a kit to close this year.

With all these posts about Borates and Borax, I am wondering why the pool thieves include it in their kit. What would the function be to add a pound or 2 slowly from a floating half gallon jug with an ice pick hole or two in it.

I'm guessing it is more for pH than algaecide since the kits come with Quat.

[chem geek]

I have resolved not to buy a kit to close this year.

With all these posts about Borates and Borax, I am wondering why the pool thieves include it in their kit. What would the function be to add a pound or 2 slowly from a floating half gallon jug with an ice pick hole or two in it.

I'm guessing it is more for pH than algaecide since the kits come with Quat.

I believe you are correct since the algaecidal properties of the Borates don't work until the amount is high enough, at least 30 ppm. In fact, some algae actually like a small amount of borates so the low concentrations certainly aren't helpful (that brings up controversial issues with using Borax for pH control, but I don't think it's a problem so long as chlorine levels are maintained). So yes, I suspect that the Borax is just used for pH control in these kits assuming that something else they have is acidic, probably Tri-Chlor.

Richard

[Jakebear]

OK, Thanks for the confirmation. I just spent the last hour reading and trying to digest "The Great Tetraborate Experiment" in the China Shop. I never paid much attention to it since I don't have SWG. It appears the benefits are the same with non-SWG pools too.

[CarlD]

There are all these GREAT winterizing kits out there. They really work wonders at magically transporting money from your account to the pool store's.

So, for the pool store, they are GREAT!

I only use polyquat and bleach to treat my water for the winter. I don't need a kit for that.

[Jakebear]

CarlD,

I know that now!!! ----- Where were you 4 years ago when I was a real newby?

Yeah, I know, right here!!! Some of us just take a while to smarten up.

Maybe this thread belongs in the closing section now.