Chemistry
For water to perform as we want it to we must treat the water. We ourselves are a complex water vessel with a specific chemistry & mechanical matrix. The water in the pool is engineered to synergize with our very own body. Free of bacteria, clean, & free flowing. Water has needs too. We at Weston Pools are driven to make the pool as beautiful as we ourselves strive to be.
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"Why can’t they just sell regular chlorine?"
Remember the old states of matter lesson in Chemistry 101? Matter exists in (4) states.
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Solid
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Gas
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Liquid
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Plasma
In order for chlorine to exist beyond a "gas" or "liquid" state it must have a "solid" attached to the molecule. “Cal hypo” has Calcium added. (Calcium-hypochlorite) “Trichlor Tabs” have CYA (Cyanuric Acid) added. Sodium Dichlor has CYA added. The only way chlorine can exist as a solid is with something attached to it. It is quite literally "Impure" beyond it's natural gas state.
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"Mineral Purifiers"
Remember walking around the mall and seeing the crystal clear water in the fountains? These fountains operated with only a pump. There were no chemicals added to the water or filter set under those fountain. How in the world did it stay so clear? Pennies! Copper is a natural algaecide. So is silver. Nature2, Frog, & Pool RX all use these minerals to help purify the water lasting six months. We only press to invest in these once a year, in April, in preparation for the spring and summer. We dont see a need to invest in them for the fall and winter months. They zap bacteria and contaminants to reduce your chlorine needs by 50%, while improving water clarity and sparkle. They allow less chlorine, and achieve a more natural pool. Most importantly they keep algae at bay and allow Weston Pools to offer a no algae guarantee.
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"Bather Load & Chloramines"
Pool literature will often times use the phrase "Bather Load". This is simply the amount of people in the pool. The more people the more the PH will raise and the Chlorine will lower. When there are any folks in the pool, especially children and the ladies, the water chemistry is most subject to change. Suntan lotion, hair products, sweat, & urine will collide with the chlorine in the pool and create a molecule known as a "Chloramine". This is basically a busted contaminant in the pool and it creates a fume. A gas that we smell. It smells like chlorine and is actually a bi-product of it. The pool needs MORE chlorine. Weston Pools maintains (.5PPM - 2PPm) of chlorine in our pools. The chlorine is on the low side for the comfort, health, & savings as a benefit of the mineral purifiers we require. Keep in mind chlorine is a carcinogen as well so it's not something we want a lot of. When you notice the pool is murky and smelly please let us know. We gladly supply our customers with a gallon of liquid chlorine and acid to have on hand to treat the water immediately after parties at no charge.
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"Dogs"
Many pool experts say that one dog in a swimming pool will have the same effect on the pool water as three humans. This means that the amount of debris your dog brings into the pool is a lot more than what humans bring. Filters will require more frequent cleanings and backwashing.
Dogs, of course, have a lot more hair than people. Any loose or dead hairs on your dog's coat will end up in the pool water, affecting the filtration system and the chemical balance. A dog's coat also tends to have a lot of debris like dirt, pollen, and even fecal matter that goes into the pool water when they swim. Parasites and germs can also contaminate the pool water and affect humans and other animals that enter the pool.
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"Salt"
Chlorine generators use sodium chloride (salt) and electrolysis to create a new molecule called sodium dichloride (chlorine). This process creates a gas (sodium hydroxide). This gas raises the PH. This rise in PH is what damages pool equipment and materials in and around the pool. A salt pool needs weekly attention with specific regard to PH in order to safeguard your investment. The cells themselves often fail within months of installation. They cost app $1,000.00 before labor. Is it worth it? Thats a question ultimately for each of us to opine individually. The salt certainly makes the water soft and more enjoyable but the cell cost and PH management are variables to consider.
"Calcium"
There’s usually very little in our tap so it’s usually a must on a new pool. This is typical for our water from North, South, to East Texas. If you travel to West Texas, Arizona, or New Mexico they rarely add calcium. Their water is very hard and it makes sense if you only imagine the desert environment they are in. They rarely use Cal-Hypo in the West because of their hard water. Our water is usually a bit on the low side. Water has a demand for calcium (200 - 400 PPM) that will quench its thirst one way or another. It will draw it right out of your plaster if its too low. Soft water causes plaster to get soft. Then it's easily chipped and damaged. Exact same thing as the bones in our body. Calcium is also drawn straight through the grout in your tile, through your gunite, and from the earth around the pool. This is called "efflorescence". In the event of a warranty claim to your builder their 1st question to you will be "Do you have your chemistry logs?". White build up will naturally occur on all exposed veneer but high or low calcium will accelerate it. I am finding pools with perfect chemistry laden with calcium on the tile. It is going to happen. Especially on raised spas with 1" x 1" tiles and beneath water features on raised beam. It also seems to grow very thickly between the beam (at 0.00" grade elevation with the dirt behind the pool) and tile line. This is the base level of the pool equal in elevation to the ground and most plausible theory to "efflorescence". The water is pulling calcium right through the grout, then through the porous gunite, and into the tile of the pool. Copy and paste that word into a google search for a fun rabbit hole dive. "Efflorescence". The following links are the most informative and trusted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkFZ8-eOZgw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2VBeZdDniY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWJN5Qy-6zg
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"Fiberglass Pools"
Water demands by its very nature that it be between 200-400ppm's calcium. In my mind I thought "Why would calcium matter if the pools fiberglass?" Turns out it may be even more important. Water is a fascinating thing. It is going to find balance by corroding your fiberglass, light niche or fixture, anywhere it can to reach the soil beyond the shell. The dirt has the calcium to quench the waters demand and over time your pool will be damaged as a result. Also note the following issues.
1) Filters are usually undersized on equipment sets with these pools. I am not seeing them any bigger then 150SF in the field. You will need to clean them monthly to keep up with the dirt. A great addition to your filter is a pre-filter (Weston Pool Install & One year warranty $975.00) showcased in this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F896AYbr3uU
2) I am only seeing these pools with one skimmer regardless of size. Contrast this to traditional gunite pools medium to large in size having at least two. A pool with one skimmer gets less skimming action making your pool dirtier than a traditional pool.
3) I'm seeing some pools with no main drains on fiberglass installs. If there are main drains then they are not plumbed from the floor of the pool like a traditional gunite install. They are on the side wall near the bottom. This is because after the pool hole is dug the shell is dropped in making the pool floor inaccessible. No ones digging a hole under the shell to plumb in the drain. They come in from the side. This practice is suboptimal as the water at the bottom is stagnant and the floor becomes inordinately dirty.
4) Dirt is highly visible on a fiberglass surface.
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CV-700
Weston Pools always has this on hand for pools that need a little extra love. We recommend its regular use for optimal water performance. The product is expensive otherwise would be routinely used on our service routes. It sure does make the water bling in a way nothing else does. As soon as it hits the water your eyes will see a pop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9h6al_C0M0
https://www.orendatech.com/orenda-products/cv-700
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"PH"
PH will be high just about every visit. I lower almost each visit. Nature wants it higher. Our rain is usually high PH raising it with every drop. Algae loves high PH. Our urine and sweat have a high PH. This is why your uncle or grandparents always said not to pee in the pool. It does throw everything out of balance. All engineering on chemicals revolve around our very own Human body. Our skin is at PH 7.4. That’s perfect for the pool and perfect for you.
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"Phosphates"
The fancy science word for algae food is phosphates. Phosphates are in plant matter and super concentrated in fertilizers. Removing them makes algae impossible to grow. In high concentration they can also make the pool cloudy. Phosphates are measure in Parts Per Billion as opposed to the more common Parts per million. They are expensive to remove. Starving algae is not Weston Pools Best Practice to mitigate algae. We advocate minerals (Silver, copper) to deter algae growth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPa4GSL9FXQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sVMMxbIppU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMkIRE1SJco
"CYA"
Over 100 PPM CYA and a public pool in Texas is shut down. CYA protects chorine from UV rays but when too much is in the pool it renders the chlorine impotent. Imagine an Emergency Room and the staff told you that nothing was sterile because their disinfectant wasn't working. Thats what happens to your pool when the CYA is too high. The chlorine becomes useless. The pool can appear clear and inviting but be laden with bacteria. Think about how water much you swallow in an hour of swimming. Germs are carried rom the pool water to the inside of our bodies. Then it causes ear infections and sickness. High CYA also renders other chemistry tests accuracy false. Throws it all off. Weston Pools does not warrant water with high CYA.
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"How to Remove"
DRAIN the Pool. I have drained a public pool 3/4 of the way and refilled only to still have a reading of still over 100 PPM's. I suggest draining the whole pool to avoid wasting time, money, and aggravation. Starting fresh with your pool allows the water to start at a low saturation index, "New Water", is a good thing. Always contact your builder prior to draining and follow their instructions.
Other reasons to drain:
A) Total Dissolved Solids are also high (TDS). These are minerals too small for your filter to capture.
B) Hard water, high calcium, (Ca)
C) In the event of a fecal event in a public pool.
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"Further CYA Reading"
Cyanuric Acid, is both chlorines kryptonite & protector. CYA acts as a sunscreen to chlorine. When the CYA levels become too high the chlorine molecules resonate but are no longer active. A great metaphor is having an army of perfectly good soldiers frozen in time. The Chlorine is “Locked” in suspension. This weakens the chlorine and jeopardizes health. Products on the market like the Pool RX, Frog, & Nature Two use metals like silver and copper to combat algae and only MARGINALLY kill bacteria viruses. Chlorine & bleach kill all organic matter – both wanted and unwanted. Imagine a hospital telling you. “We are a bleach & Lysol free hospital”. There is no such thing as a non-chlorine pool just as there is no such thing as a no bleach hospital. It is a necessary evil, deliberately added to sanitize the water. Bureaucratic bodies recognize that it’s a carcinogen but the tradeoff is worth it in the short term. None of us want it in the pool but we have to have it. Mineral products like the Nature Two & Pool RX leave pool owners feeling the pool is fresh and clean. Appearances can be fatal. If one goes to Leslie's for a water test their employees will implore their customers to drain CYA because the company knows it's a health issue. CYA can cause the free chlorine level to test non-existent or exorbitantly high. Both of which are bad. Government is not in our backyards making it my responsibility to provide this information. Keep in mind that politically you will not consume advertising that showcase these facts because it’s not conducive with the message of sparkling clean water they want you to have. You don't need chlorine for a beautiful pool but you do need it for a healthy one. It makes manufactures of mineral based products no money to educate the public on the importance of chlorination for this very reason.
How does CYA get in my pool? Through the 3” tabs used in the floater or chlorinator, sodium dichlor, & granular sodium trichlor. All common sanitizers used on pools. Even salt pools need CYA but can get too much. Over the seasons your pool will have to be drained.
​Bakari Williams, a three year old baby boy from Arlington Texas, died because of mismanaged water at a Splash Pad. The city admitted that they had not been properly maintaining the splash pad and that the staff did not always conduct the required water quality testing. The logs did not show how much chlorine or CYA was in the splash pad's water. The child was killed in 2021 by a brain eating amoeba in the water. Keep in mind when your kid is at a splash pad this water is recycled over and over again. None of it is fresh. Ever see a three year old ask to go potty when having fun in the water?
​Nationally, from 2000 to 2014, almost 500 outbreaks of waterborne illnesses were reported in recreational venues in the U.S. with 27,219 cases of sickness & eight deaths according to the CDC. Notice all of this data is captured on the commercial and or public level. Backyard (residential) pools are not even a part of the statistics on the City, State, or National level. THAT IS WHY THIS IS A BLIND ISSUE. IT IS NOT EVEN OFFICIALLY DOCUMENTED.