Hello,
We are about to purchase a brand new above ground pool from SunEnterprises. It is a round 15' pool (small yard) with about a 6000 gallon capacity.
I have been surfing the net looking for any info I can on maintaining the newness of my pool. I am a little leary of being able to keep the chemical balance right. I found your site and you seem very knowledgable and helpful. Maybe you can answer my questions?
1. Is the pool wizard a good idea even for a smaller above ground pool like mine(6000 gallons)or is it more for larger pools? Also, will it last longer than the 9 months due to the smaller amount of water it needs to filter daily?
2. Instead of sand in my filter I was thinking of using Zeobest Ultra , it is coated with a special antimicrobial coating that will kill algae, bacteria, mold, and parasites and will reduce the amount of chlorine my pool uses (like the pool wizard).
Will this be compatable with the pool wizard?
(as you can see I am trying to cut my maintenance down to as little as possible);)
3. If all you say on the website is true, then the only chemicals I will need for my pool is chlorine tablets, and the Ph balancers (and a testing kit), is this correct?
4. Since I will be starting with a brand new pool and new water, how do I start the initial set-up? What chemicals do I use and when do I add the wizard?
Sorry for the long post but I am desperate for info. It seems everytime I think I know what to do, I read new info. I just want to have a great looking, healthy pool, without killing myself and my wallet.
Thanks in advance!
-Mike
Ist time pool owner
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New pool help
Hi Mike and welcome to the forums.
1. The Pool Wizard can be used with any pool above 5,000 gallons. The unit itself is relatively small, and in large pools multiple units are required. In an olympic pool we use a total of 60 units and rechargers. The Pool Wizard does NOT filter the water. The minerals dissolve into the pool within the first day and are active in the pool water.
The effective life of the minerals depends on the amount of direct water loss (backwashing, splashout and leaks), the quality of the fill water and the nature of the local environment. We have found that most pools used actively for only 4-5 months of the year will need a recharger every 11-14 months.
2. Zeolites are compatible with the Pool Wizard. My personal preference is for a zeolite rather than quartz or silica due to the better filtration. The Pool Wizard effectively kills the algae and bacteria so any pretreated product becomes superfluous and is unnecessary.
3. The information on the website is accurate. You will need a pH balancer and chlorine. I would never claim that one only needed chlorine tablets as this would be inaccurate.
Chlorine tablets contain conditioner (cyanuric acid/ stabilizer). The chlorine portion (less than 50% by weight) gets used up, while the conditioner is persistent and only leaves the pool with water loss through backwashing, splashout and leaks. The maximum recommended level for cyanuric acid is 80ppm. Above this level the chlorine rapidly loses its sanitizing ability. Overuse of tablet or stick chlorine products may result in the conditioner level exceeding this limit, so pools generally also need some form of "conditioner-free" chlorine, typically "shock chlorine" (cal hypo) or liquid chlorine (sodium hypo).
4. To get your pool started with the Pool Wizard is extremely simple. Fill the pool and shock treat with chlorine. Measure and adjust the pH. Put the Pool Wizard in the skimmer or pump basket. Enjoy the pool.
The Pool Wizard can be put in directly after the shock treatment if the pool water is clear. If the water is murky, green or extremely dirty (because the fill water is well water or stream water), allow the water to clear before adding the Pool Wizard.
I hope these answers are clear enough.
1. The Pool Wizard can be used with any pool above 5,000 gallons. The unit itself is relatively small, and in large pools multiple units are required. In an olympic pool we use a total of 60 units and rechargers. The Pool Wizard does NOT filter the water. The minerals dissolve into the pool within the first day and are active in the pool water.
The effective life of the minerals depends on the amount of direct water loss (backwashing, splashout and leaks), the quality of the fill water and the nature of the local environment. We have found that most pools used actively for only 4-5 months of the year will need a recharger every 11-14 months.
2. Zeolites are compatible with the Pool Wizard. My personal preference is for a zeolite rather than quartz or silica due to the better filtration. The Pool Wizard effectively kills the algae and bacteria so any pretreated product becomes superfluous and is unnecessary.
3. The information on the website is accurate. You will need a pH balancer and chlorine. I would never claim that one only needed chlorine tablets as this would be inaccurate.
Chlorine tablets contain conditioner (cyanuric acid/ stabilizer). The chlorine portion (less than 50% by weight) gets used up, while the conditioner is persistent and only leaves the pool with water loss through backwashing, splashout and leaks. The maximum recommended level for cyanuric acid is 80ppm. Above this level the chlorine rapidly loses its sanitizing ability. Overuse of tablet or stick chlorine products may result in the conditioner level exceeding this limit, so pools generally also need some form of "conditioner-free" chlorine, typically "shock chlorine" (cal hypo) or liquid chlorine (sodium hypo).
4. To get your pool started with the Pool Wizard is extremely simple. Fill the pool and shock treat with chlorine. Measure and adjust the pH. Put the Pool Wizard in the skimmer or pump basket. Enjoy the pool.
The Pool Wizard can be put in directly after the shock treatment if the pool water is clear. If the water is murky, green or extremely dirty (because the fill water is well water or stream water), allow the water to clear before adding the Pool Wizard.
I hope these answers are clear enough.
Larry,
So you are saying that paying extra for Zeolite Ultra (instead of just plain zeolite) is a waste of money because it and the pool wizard pretty much do the same thing?
If I used the "ultra" would I still need the pool wizard? I guess I am asking if they do the exact same thing. The pool wizard would need to be recharged about once a year, while the Zeolite Ultra should last a few years before being replaced. Which is more cost effective?
Also, is there any particular chlorine product that is better than the others? There are so many brands. Are they all about the same?
I want to thank you for your help. I am just trying to get my questions answered before I invest money in chemicals. I wish I could afford a salt chlorinator, but that may have to wait for next year.
-Mike
So you are saying that paying extra for Zeolite Ultra (instead of just plain zeolite) is a waste of money because it and the pool wizard pretty much do the same thing?
If I used the "ultra" would I still need the pool wizard? I guess I am asking if they do the exact same thing. The pool wizard would need to be recharged about once a year, while the Zeolite Ultra should last a few years before being replaced. Which is more cost effective?
Also, is there any particular chlorine product that is better than the others? There are so many brands. Are they all about the same?
I want to thank you for your help. I am just trying to get my questions answered before I invest money in chemicals. I wish I could afford a salt chlorinator, but that may have to wait for next year.
-Mike
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Zeolite filter media
Zeobest Ultra is coated with a product called Zoonocide. This formulation can filter and kill almost all of the common bacteria found in pool water (e.coli, crypto, ...). Although zeolites are able to trap almost all of the algae passing through the filter, the Ultra is only able to kill about 15% of it.
When making a decision whether to use this product, which is no doubt superior, consider that the "killing power" of the Zoonocide coating depends on contact with the organisms in question. It provides no constant protection for the pool, it can only treat water flowing through the filter.
So a pool using Zeobest Ultra will still require regular chlorine levels of 1-3ppm as well as an algaecide or algaestat to prevent the growth of algae. The amount of chlorine you would need to add to maintain this level should be reduced, but I have no idea by how much.
The Pool Wizard provides constant protection against algae and bacteria in the water, so that is the reason it requires Recharging. The Pool Wizard, when used with low levels of chlorine, makes algaecides and algaestats redundant. The amount of chlorine required to maintain the free chlorine level is typically less than half of that required without a Wizard.
If you buy your chlorine from a reputable dealer or a well-known brand, you shouldn't have a problem. The chlorine products have to pass stringent manufacturing and/or import standards, so they are generally quite uniform.
When making a decision whether to use this product, which is no doubt superior, consider that the "killing power" of the Zoonocide coating depends on contact with the organisms in question. It provides no constant protection for the pool, it can only treat water flowing through the filter.
So a pool using Zeobest Ultra will still require regular chlorine levels of 1-3ppm as well as an algaecide or algaestat to prevent the growth of algae. The amount of chlorine you would need to add to maintain this level should be reduced, but I have no idea by how much.
The Pool Wizard provides constant protection against algae and bacteria in the water, so that is the reason it requires Recharging. The Pool Wizard, when used with low levels of chlorine, makes algaecides and algaestats redundant. The amount of chlorine required to maintain the free chlorine level is typically less than half of that required without a Wizard.
If you buy your chlorine from a reputable dealer or a well-known brand, you shouldn't have a problem. The chlorine products have to pass stringent manufacturing and/or import standards, so they are generally quite uniform.
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Zeolite
You're welcome any time, Mike
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