Just added last week before seeing this. Thank you for confirming!! I've been STRUGGLING with our salt pool and just about to buy a new generator... It's CRYSTAL CLEAR! And we've had flooding, a lot if organic material in there because of wind, etc. In Oklahoma, it's so humid and very hard to keep from turning green. I wish I could post a pic. You have the best info, I have learned so much. To thank you!
Using borate the water is clear, algae have not seen any , which was blooming in past 6 months. Chlorine use has been cut . Thus have not needed to shock the pool. Borax level is 50
What is your recommendation for removing iron from a pool? We have an above ground pool at 30,000 gals. We also have a two horse power filter with a cartridge.
If you’re planing to turn the regular liquid chlorine pool to a salt water pool, could you add the boric acid prior to finally installing and dumping in the salt?
As a service provider, do you think it would be cost effective to add borates to all your pools? Maybe in the long run? I am seeing you can add boric acid, which seems to be the most cost effective way to add borates. We use a lot of algaecide and shock/tabs to deal with algae in Texas and I’m wondering if this might be more cost effective since PH will be more balanced.
It would be a great idea. You would save a lot of money on your chemical usage. This is one of the reasons I think PoolCorp doesn't even stock a Borate product.
I’ve added borax to my pool per your recommendations about 7 months ago. My pool is about 8 months old now and it looks great. Problem I have is my ph rises quite a bit every week so I have to use Muretic acid to bring it back down but you have to use about double the dosage because of the borates. I’ve dropped my Alkalinity to 60 to keep the ph from going up so rapidly. Any suggestions and is keeping my Alkalinity around 70 to 60 a bad thing?
In the process of balancing my pool so I can add borax + muriatic. I started with a 7.8 ph and 200 TA and have added about 1 quart of muriatic acid per day for the last 5 days. My reading is now 7.2 ph and 130 TA. Wondering what my next step should be. Can I add borates at these levels or do I need to add more acid first and let ph drop further (which the borax will bring back up?). PS thank you for your channel, you are my go-to for pool questions.
Hi just a basic question that I would like to get a straight answer on is when adding chemicals to your pool , what setting do you use FILTER or RECIRCULATE ????
Depends. If your filter is dropping the flowrate, then recirculate to decrease the turnover time. But low flowrate needs to be solved on its own. It also depends on which chemicals you’re adding. If it’s acid, a maintenance dose of chlorine, sodium bicarb, soda ash, borates, or cyanuric acid, then recirculate or filter works the same. If it’s a chemical that you want to enter your filter to oxidize or decompose bather waste, like potassium monopersulfate, an enzyme, or a shock dose of chlorine, then put it to filter. You also don’t want to leave the filter without circulation for very long, as the residual chlorine will deplete, allowing biofilm to grow in the filter and pipes.
I love using borates. Started using them about ten years ago. I use pro team supreme plus but because of cost considering ordering in bulk through Duda
Dave , I was wondering if I could add the borates slowly over a period of several weeks while I continue to test the ppm and then stop once I achieve 35 ppm . Thanks in advance.
I can't find this anywhere. Only finding the Optimized Plus...where do I find it, please? Is it safe for my cats to drink pool water (above ground salt water)?
I added borates to my 15 thousand gallons pool. I use 8 cups a week of acid. It seems like a lot but I don’t know what’s normal. What does everyone else use? Or what is your average on a 15 thousand gallon pool
PoolRx needs to be replaced every 6 months. Borates are a one time addition with a small booster dose annually. I’m considering doing BOTH but just use the PoolRx during peak season to minimize chlorine use further
Just added last week before seeing this. Thank you for confirming!! I've been STRUGGLING with our salt pool and just about to buy a new generator... It's CRYSTAL CLEAR! And we've had flooding, a lot if organic material in there because of wind, etc. In Oklahoma, it's so humid and very hard to keep from turning green. I wish I could post a pic. You have the best info, I have learned so much. To thank you!
Thanks for the great feedback! You can email me a photo if possible, I would like to see the turn around after you added Borates. 👍
Using borate the water is clear, algae have not seen any , which was blooming in past 6 months. Chlorine use has been cut . Thus have not needed to shock the pool. Borax level is 50
Perfect!
This was very informative
What is your recommendation for removing iron from a pool? We have an above ground pool at 30,000 gals. We also have a two horse power filter with a cartridge.
A metal sequestering agent and the CuLator product work best.
If you’re planing to turn the regular liquid chlorine pool to a salt water pool, could you add the boric acid prior to finally installing and dumping in the salt?
Yes.
@@SPL ty
As a service provider, do you think it would be cost effective to add borates to all your pools? Maybe in the long run? I am seeing you can add boric acid, which seems to be the most cost effective way to add borates. We use a lot of algaecide and shock/tabs to deal with algae in Texas and I’m wondering if this might be more cost effective since PH will be more balanced.
It would be a great idea. You would save a lot of money on your chemical usage. This is one of the reasons I think PoolCorp doesn't even stock a Borate product.
I’ve added borax to my pool per your recommendations about 7 months ago. My pool is about 8 months old now and it looks great. Problem I have is my ph rises quite a bit every week so I have to use Muretic acid to bring it back down but you have to use about double the dosage because of the borates. I’ve dropped my Alkalinity to 60 to keep the ph from going up so rapidly. Any suggestions and is keeping my Alkalinity around 70 to 60 a bad thing?
As long as the plaster is older low alk won't have a big effect on it. Are the Borates at 50 ppm in the pool?
Mm y
In the process of balancing my pool so I can add borax + muriatic. I started with a 7.8 ph and 200 TA and have added about 1 quart of muriatic acid per day for the last 5 days. My reading is now 7.2 ph and 130 TA. Wondering what my next step should be. Can I add borates at these levels or do I need to add more acid first and let ph drop further (which the borax will bring back up?). PS thank you for your channel, you are my go-to for pool questions.
Thanks for the great feedback! You are almost within the ideal range so go ahead and add the Borates to the pool.
Hi just a basic question that I would like to get a straight answer on is when adding chemicals to your pool , what setting do you use FILTER or RECIRCULATE ????
Doesn’t matter as long as pump is on and water is moving. Both of those settings will disperse the chemicals equally well
Depends. If your filter is dropping the flowrate, then recirculate to decrease the turnover time. But low flowrate needs to be solved on its own. It also depends on which chemicals you’re adding. If it’s acid, a maintenance dose of chlorine, sodium bicarb, soda ash, borates, or cyanuric acid, then recirculate or filter works the same. If it’s a chemical that you want to enter your filter to oxidize or decompose bather waste, like potassium monopersulfate, an enzyme, or a shock dose of chlorine, then put it to filter. You also don’t want to leave the filter without circulation for very long, as the residual chlorine will deplete, allowing biofilm to grow in the filter and pipes.
I love using borates. Started using them about ten years ago. I use pro team supreme plus but because of cost considering ordering in bulk through Duda
Yes, try Duda - pretty affordable.
@@SPL are you referring to the same Duda Boratic acid product that is used for killing bugs?
Dave , I was wondering if I could add the borates slowly over a period of several weeks while I continue to test the ppm and then stop once I achieve 35 ppm . Thanks in advance.
You probably can. But you lose the benefits of the product for that time period. Why not add it all at once?
The widely available testing methods for borates aren’t very accurate so it’s better to calculate the dose and add it all at once
What should the PPM be in a salt water pool. Will it be the same 50 PPM.
Yes, I keep every pool at 50 ppm.
I can't find this anywhere. Only finding the Optimized Plus...where do I find it, please?
Is it safe for my cats to drink pool water (above ground salt water)?
I did add to pool and it has worked beautifully!!! Lowers chem cost a bunch!
Btw, it doesn't hurt cats. They don't drink it as much.
I added borates to my 15 thousand gallons pool. I use 8 cups a week of acid. It seems like a lot but I don’t know what’s normal. What does everyone else use? Or what is your average on a 15 thousand gallon pool
Try lowering your Alkalinity down to 80 and see if that helps.
I figured it out! I was using cheap acid. It was only 14% guys check your acid % at least 30% is good
How come the optimize label you’re referring doesn’t say Borates on the label?
Not sure why they don't print that on there.
Is 1 ounce yellow shock considered borates if added once a week.
No, you will need a specific borate product like Boric Acid for example.
So do I use this instead of phosphate stuff?
Yes. You won't need a phosephate remover anymore.
@@SPL thank you!!!
Still best to keep phosphates below 100 ppb because borates not as effective against black algae
This also applies to non salt pools?
Yes. Any pool type
Borates or poolrx?
Borates
PoolRx needs to be replaced every 6 months. Borates are a one time addition with a small booster dose annually. I’m considering doing BOTH but just use the PoolRx during peak season to minimize chlorine use further