new salt water system - which one?

[mike_311]

the gold line aqua trol has gotten nothing but good reviews, i think i may go with that one. i am just fed up with the traditional method of chlorinating a pool. every year i have algae problems, and i keep up with maintaining my pool on a weekly basis, which is why its is so frustrating. not to mention i think one of my kids is having some sort of allergic reaction chlorine tabs.

i haven't opened the pool yet, here in the northeast its still a bit cool. i am going to get one of these systems and install it when i open the pool. what is the procedure for setting up the pool for the first time?

the water is clear right now, i looked under the cover over the weekend.

[PoolDoc]

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...stem-which-one

i am just fed up with the traditional method of chlorinating a pool. every year i have algae problems, and i keep up with maintaining my pool on a weekly basis, which is why its is so frustrating. not to mention i think one of my kids is having some sort of allergic reaction chlorine tabs.

I'm concerned that you may be expecting more from an SWCG than it will deliver.

Here are some cautionary notes . . .

1. A SWCG doesn't do anything for you that you can't do without it. If you're having trouble without an SWCG, you need to identify the reasons, and resolve them. Getting an SWCG can reduce the amount of time you spend on a pool, and provide a more consistent method of chlorination. But, it doesn't solve pool care problems.


2. Only experienced pool owners, using a HiC2 (high chlorine, high CYA) method of treatment (though they may not know it, or call it that) can check their pool just 1x per week without having problems eventually. If you are having problems, and only check the pool weekly, that's where you need to start. You need to get the testkits you need, and check your pool every other day. Once you've worked out your pool's 'pattern', you can cut back to maybe 2x per week. Read this page: How to Get the Right Testkits for your Pool http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?14994

By the way, while SWCG manufacturer guides tend toward a HiC2 approach (CYA > 60 ppm), they do not go far enough to allow for checking the pool only 1x per week.


3. We've looked at the issue of allergic reactions to chlorine very extensively this year, and while allergy-like reactions are often associated with pools and spas, we can find no evidence that chlorine allergies exist. Just for starters, if there were such allergies, people couldn't shower in chlorinated water. There are no known allergies to chlorine; there are no known allergies to cyanuric acid.

There are a variety of issues that ARE connected to allergy-like reactions:
+ use of foamy algaecides
+ use of non-chlorine 'shocks' -- some forms can triggere SEVERE allergies!
+ inconsistent chlorination that alternates between high and low levels of chlorine, resulting in intermediate chlorination by products, some of which are very irritating
+ covers on outdoor pools with significant 'goop' (lotion, sweat, and especially, pee) loads. When chlorine breaks these contaminants down, small amounts noxious gases result. If these cannot escape, due to an air-tight pool covers, and cannot break down further, due to a light-tight (no UV from the sun) cover, severe irritation can result.

You can read these posts for further information:

Best Method for Pool and Spa Sanitation for Chlorine Allergy
New endless pool user water treatment