FIRST, BALANCE THE POOL'S WATER
Before installing the
R-20/R-40 ionizer
, the pools water must be clear and balanced properly. It is extremely important that the
following guidelines are implemented - so please read thoroughly.
PREVIOUS SANITIZER USE
If the previous sanitizer used was
Baquacil
, you will need to remove every drop of it, as Baquacil is not compatible with any other
sanitizer including the
MineralPURE Ionizer
. The best way to remove it is to drain the pool completely and refill with fresh water.
You should also change the sand in the filter, acid wash the cartridges, or change the DE in the DE filter. Consult a professional first if
draining the pool. Please contact your
dealer
or
Clearwater Enviro Tech
directly for further help on a pool with Baquacil.
If the pool was using an automatic chlorine generator (where salt is added to make chlorine at the site), the water should be drained at
least halfway and refilled with new water.
If the pool is using chlorine, it is all right to go ahead and install the ionizer, as the two work together fine. Chlorine is actually
required as it may take a few days to fully "ionize" your pool.
Never add algaecides or any sequestering agents unless recommended by
Clearwater Enviro Tech
. If algaecides or certain types of
sequestering agents are in the water, they can cause problems.
CIRCULATION
Before testing the pools water chemistry, make sure the filtration system and circulation is good. Check the filter to make sure it is
cleaned. The filter pressure gauge should give you an indication right away. If the customer has been using a sand filter, and the sand
is several years old, you may want to change the sand for best results. If it is a cartridge filter, check the canister inside to make sure
the polyester fabric or corrugated paper is in good shape. If the customer has a DE filter, change the DE.
Good circulation is important because you will no longer be dumping alot of chlorine in the pool to "cover up" a bad filtering system.
CHLORINE
Always make sure there is some chlorine in the pool when first starting up the system, as it may take a few days to fully "ionize" the
pool.
NEVER ADD GRANULAR CHLORINE
(like HTH) directly into the pool's water with copper-ions in the water. If so, you
will get black stains on the pools surface immediately. If you do use granular chlorine, it must be dissolved first, or poured directly
into the skimmer with the pump on. Always make sure the water is clear before installing the ionizer by using chlorine. The ionizer by
itself will not clear up cloudy water.
pH
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE pH OF THE WATER IS BETWEEN 7.2 - 7.8. THIS IS STANDARD POOL
CHEMISTRY. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT IF THE pH IS ALLOWED TO GO OVER 7.8, THE CLEARWATER’S
MINERALPURE IONIZER WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY AS THE IONS CAN FALL OUT OF SOLUTION, AND YOU
WILL BE UNABLE TO OBTAIN A PROPER COPPER-ION LEVEL
. If the pH in the pool tends to go up, balance the pool so
that the pH is on the
lower
side - 7.2 If the pH tends to go down, balance the pH on the
higher
side - 7.8 When you test the pH again
(always at least once a week) the pH should be in the proper range by following this method.
HOW TO BALANCE
- If the pH is above 7.8, use an acid demand test (from your regular test kit) to determine the amount of muriatic
acid needed to lower the pH down to 7.2. Add the acid and check a few hours later to make sure it is in the correct range. If the pH is
under 7.2, use a base demand test (from your regular test kit) to determine the amount of soda ash needed to raise the pH to at least
7.2. When adjusting the pH, don't wait for the pH to reach 8.0 before adding acid. Go ahead and add a little acid whenever required.
Always test the pH at least once a week, and more often in hot summer months.
TOTAL ALKALINITY
The total alkalinity should be
between 80-120 ppm.
, and should be tested at least once a month. This is standard pool water chemistry.
Using a total alkalinity test kit (from your regular test kit) determine the reading and adjust. If the total alkalinity is under 80 ppm,
raise the total alkalinity by adding sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Consult test kit's chart on the amount needed. If the total
alkalinity is over 120, add muriatic acid. Consult chart on amount needed. Never add acid if the pH is under 7.2.
CALCIUM HARDNESS
The calcium hardness should be
between 150-350 ppm.
, and tested yearly. If the reading is below 150 ppm, add calcium chloride,
available in any pool store. If the calcium hardness is over 350 ppm, the water should be partially drained and refilled with fresh water.
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