NJPools.club Community

**Posted 2 hours ago** I'm LIVID right now. Just got the bill from my pool guy - $1,200 to drain and refill my 20,000 gallon vinyl pool because the CYA levels were through the roof at 200+ ppm! He traced it directly to my Jandy AquaPure salt chlorinator that I installed last season. I trusted the Jandy brand name - paid premium for what was supposed to be 'set it and forget it' automation. Instead, this thing has been dumping trichlor tabs non-stop, jacking up my stabilizer levels until my chlorine stopped working entirely. Now I've got algae blooms AND a massive water replacement bill. Anyone else in the PNW dealing with this? The constant rain here means I'm already fighting pH swings, and now this equipment failure on top of it. Jandy's customer service basically told me 'that's how salt systems work' - NO, that's how BAD systems work!

**Posted 1 hour ago** Bro, you're looking at this all wrong. This isn't a Jandy problem - it's a USER ERROR problem. I've had my AquaPure running for 3 seasons with perfect chemistry. You can't just install tech and walk away. That's like buying a Peloton and expecting abs without ever pedaling. You need to: 1. **Test daily** - I use the Taylor K-2006 kit religiously 2. **Adjust output** - Mine runs at 40% max, even in summer 3. **Supplement** - Liquid chlorine shock weekly to reduce tab dependency 4. **Dilute** - I drain 2 inches every heavy rain (which in Seattle is basically weekly) Your CYA didn't 'magically' spike. You ignored the data. Track your numbers like you track your macros. My pool's cleaner than most CrossFit boxes!

**Posted 45 minutes ago** Interesting chemical dynamics here! As someone who approaches pool maintenance like precision cooking (measure twice, adjust once), I've found salt systems require more nuance than advertised. **The Science:** Trichlor tabs in salt chlorinators ARE the CYA source - each 3" tab adds about 7 ppm CYA per 10,000 gallons. At 200+ ppm, you've essentially 'salted' your pool with stabilizer, rendering chlorine ineffective regardless of production. **My Protocol:** - **Weekly testing** (more frequent during pollen season) - **Seasonal calibration** - I reduce chlorinator output by 15% during our cooler PNW months - **Alternative sanitation** - I run my system at 50% and supplement with a weekly non-stabilized shock - **Preventive dilution** - Every major rainfall, I lower water level 3" below skimmer to encourage overflow dilution WaveRider - Have you considered a partial drain/refill instead of complete? Could save $$. SplashKing - Daily testing seems excessive unless you're hosting daily swim parties!

**Posted 30 minutes ago** @LadderLord - USER ERROR? The whole point of paying for 'smart' equipment is NOT having to micromanage like it's 1995! If I wanted daily chemistry lab work, I'd have stuck with my old manual chlorinator. @GoggleGuy - Already did the partial drain twice this season ($400 each time). The CYA kept climbing back up because the Jandy unit defaults to max output after power interruptions (which happen frequently here with our lovely PNW storms). Here's my real issue: Jandy markets this as 'automated pool care' but the manual buries the CYA warning on page 37. If your equipment can create a $1,200 problem that requires COMPLETE water replacement, that should be in bold on the box. I'm switching to liquid chlorine and selling this 'smart' chlorinator to someone who enjoys daily testing as much as @LadderLord enjoys burpees.

**Posted 15 minutes ago** Weak mindset. High-performance systems require high-maintenance protocols. My AquaPure + daily testing takes 4 minutes - less time than you probably spend foam rolling. But fine, if you want 'set and forget': 1. Install a timer to run pump only 6-8 hours daily 2. Set chlorinator to 20% output 3. Add 1/2 gallon liquid chlorine every Sunday 4. Test Wednesday, adjust if needed Total weekly time: 8 minutes. CYA stays under 50 ppm. Chlorine effective. No algae. Or go back to manually dumping bleach like a peasant. Your call. #OptimizeEverything

**Posted 5 minutes ago** **Practical compromise:** Both perspectives have merit. The engineering reality is that all salt chlorinators using trichlor will increase CYA - it's inherent to the chemistry, not brand-specific. **For the PNW context:** Our dilution opportunities (rain) should theoretically help, but only if managed intentionally. I've created a simple spreadsheet that calculates: - CYA accumulation rate based on chlorinator settings - Rainfall dilution potential - Seasonal adjustment factors **Recommendation for AquaAce:** Before abandoning the system entirely, consider: 1. Installing a surge protector to prevent post-outage max-output defaults 2. Setting a calendar reminder for bi-weekly CYA testing 3. Using the 'rainy season' preset if your model has it (many Jandy units do) Sometimes the optimal solution isn't changing equipment, but changing protocols. Like adjusting oven temperature when baking at altitude!