Switching from Baq, recommendations for a SWG for AG 9000gal pool?

[Gizmobyte]

Hi, I've run baquacil for 5 years now and due to bad taste / burning eyes am looking at installing a SWG. My pool is an 18' round with a deep-end that has a dome over it. We get swimming weather from June - Sep. With Baquacil I didn't spend much time monitoring it and am looking at a SWG for it's convinence.

There is the Aqua Rite Pro Salt Chlorinator Complete w/ Cell 15,000 Gallons which costs $690 + shipping. It has the following features:

Simple homeowner operation
— Adjust chlorine output from 1–100%
Microprocessor automates all functions
Digital salt display and 8 diagnostic indicators
Patented Turbo Cell for maximum efficiency and flow rates
Super chlorinate function
Automatically cleans the cell by periodically reversing polarity
Quick, weatherproof connections inside control door
Single unit for 120VAC/240VAC 50/60 Hz power input
Locking weatherproof enclosure

There's also a Pool Pilot AG that lists for $700 but doesn't seem to have many features for the price.

I've seen some pretty inexpensive SWG for above ground pools for $150 - $300 range but not sure if they'll hold up for a number of years. Here's a few of them...

Simple Chlor NC3050 approx. $280
INTEX Pool Saltwater Chlorine Generator Chlorinator - $120
Chlorease Above Ground Swimming Pool Saltwater Chlorinator - $150

Anyone have any experience with these that would rather have just paid more up front for better quality / features?

Thanks, Patrick

[CarlD]

Patrick,

In all this you didn't mention the actual conversion and if you've gone through it. You'll probably need to do the conversion first before you install the SWG because of all the Baqua-goo you're going to produce. If you have a sand filter, you'll need to replace the sand after the process is done. If you have a DE filter, you'll have to clean it thoroughly, probably dis-assemble it to do it. If you have a cart, you'll need to clean or replace the cartridge.

Your pool is small enough that you can probably use one of the inexpensive SWGs. The Intex, is, for example, rated up to 12,000 gallons.

You COULD replace all your water, but you'd need the plastic sheet method to do it (that's where you put a giant plastic sheet on top of the pool and add water on it, while draining the old out of the bottom--this prevents pool collapse.) but you'd STILL need to go through a "conversion" to get all the residual baq out.

Just my thoughts. Read the stickied thread on Baq conversion.

[Gizmobyte]

Thanks for the reply. No, I hadn't began the conversion yet. We've had some heavy rains of late but probably will start in a few weeks. From the looks of it in the Baquacil section there's a lot of help and instructions for doing conversions so am thinking that should go through ok.

I'm concerned about the daily / weekly upkeep of the Intek and those cheaper SWG's. As we do not use the pool extensively I'd like to only baby-sit it weekly at most so am considering a more expensive unit that self-cleans (reverses polarity). Anyone here using a sub-$200 unit with good success and minimal mainenance they'd recommend?