Poly 60, borax and algea

[adesalvo]

Sodium Tetraborate Pentahydrate
Borax Pentahydrate
Sodium Biborate Pentahydrate
Disodium Tetraborate Pentahydrate
Disodium Biborate Pentahydrate

All of the above are synonyms for the same chemical.

Thank you for clearing this up.

If you were consuming a lot of chlorine, then you may have had a nascent algae bloom -- not yet visible, but using up lots of chlorine. Do you have any idea what your CYA level was when this happened?

Over the past several years, I have had multiple readings with 0 FC. I have never had an algea bloom. So, I suspect that my combination of borax and algacide were helpful in keeping my water clear.

But, since I was a slave to the poolstore, I was never instructed on the importance of CYA. I just know that every spring it was zero because they always had me add more.

What kind of filter do you have and do you backwash regularly (not for cartridge, of course)? Do you have significant rains that cause overflow of pool water or significant splash-out?

Go to http://www.desjoyaux.com/index2.htm to learn about my pool.

I am in NE Ohio and we get 40 to 50 inches of rain a year. The golf course that I play at did not turn on the sprinklers last year because it did not go more than 3 days without rain. Last year was the wettest summer on record.

Plus, I have three boys and get a lot of splash out...and I had a leak at the heater plumbing last summer.

c) You can add salt to your pool and get a saltwater chlorine generation system (SWG).

I have come to realize that this is the best option. Hopefully, I will be able to afford one with the money that I am going to save on pool chemicals.

Thank you for your informative response.