[Salt Water Generator]

Using a copper ionizer alone won't provide any oxidation of bather waste so I presume you mean using ozone or non-chlorine shock to handle that, right? Copper takes around 40 minutes for a 99% kill of typical bacteria that it takes chlorine about 1-2 minutes to kill (at an FC that is around 10% of the CYA level). Metal ions aren't very good at inactivating viruses. So it's a spectrum of risk and clearly not fast enough to prevent person-to-person transmission (or other fecal-to-oral route transmission) though might be enough to prevent uncontrolled bacterial growth in some cases. Silver ion would kill about twice as fast; copper is better at killing algae. These systems would not be allowed in commercial/public pools, but there are no laws forcing you to sanitize your own residential pool any way you like. If you get ill, you can't sue the government.

As for the Dr. Albert Bernard asthma studies, I write about those here. If you want to lessen the amount of chlorine in the pool, then you can just use a regular weekly algaecide such as PolyQuat 60 since it is the prevention of algae growth that requires more chlorine. Copper will prevent algae as well, but can stain so would be a particularly bad choice in plaster pools. You could use 50 ppm Borates to inhibit algae or use (expensive) phosphate removers, but none of these will stop algae growth, though they should slow it down enough for you to lower chlorine levels somewhat -- but probably not much less than half (so perhaps down to an FC that is 2%-3% of the CYA level). If you go much lower than that then you slow down oxidation of bather waste so might need supplemental oxidation.

Thanks--I really liked your discussion of the chlorine/asthma issue. Another question about the copper ionizers, some like ChlorineFreeUSA (http://www.chlorinefreeusa.com/howitworks.htm) purport to create oxygen as an oxidizer which they say is "5 times more powerful than sodium hypochlorite" which then burns up the "bacterial and viral contaminants". Copper ions (no silver) are then used to control algae and fungus. This all sounds good but I wonder if you see any big holes in this approach??

[Salt Water Generator]

See also this post with the EPA requiring Nature2 to label properly saying that chlorine is required.

COPPER IONIZATION--I have some familarity with 2 copper ionizers that purport to do away with chlorine. ChlorineFreeUSA and EcoSmarte. What do you think of these kind of devices as your primary sanitation device in a pool?

CHLORINE AND ASTHMA CONNECTION--http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/09September/Pages/SwimmingAsthmaRisk.aspx This is a link to an article that discusses the study that reported the connection between chlorine and asthma in 2009 and reported the connection as "signifigant". What do some of the chemical gurus think of this connection. I have been telling customers that the weight of current studies is that they are "suggestive" of a link but not conclusive. Based on this possible link, I always push a Frog or Nature II to lessen the amount of chlorine in the pool. Am I being too paranoid about this issue?

[Viking,san Juan, Or Blue Hawaiian?]

My wife and I are going to have a new fiberglass pool installed before next summer. We have been doing some research to try and figure out what we want. After reading some posts on here we decided it was very important to find a reputable contractor, even more than the brand of pool we choose. After doing some leg work through the BBB and other places, I have found three contractors that appear as though they do very good work and have very low customer complaints against them. One is a Viking dealer. One is a San Juan dealer. One is a Blue Hawaiian dealer. I do not have prices yet from each dealer so that could very well sway which way I decide to go, but my question is this; all things being equal, which manufacturer would you go with, or is the quality between these brands so comparable that the decision should come down to which pool design I like the best?

Thanks in advance for all of your advise. It is very much appreciated.

I am a Viking dealer so take this with a small grain of salt............however, Viking has the best colors of FG pools available and has been actually doing color longer than anyone else, Viking is heads above everyone else as to options, quality control and innovation and they have great customer service. My guess is that they are also in the best financial shape and that is important because of the long term warranties offered by FG pools. The pool business has been a tough business lately. San Juan is in bankruptcy; little is known about the financial condition of Blue Hawaiian. Viking itself just emerged from bankruptcy on 1/22/10 with a solid net worth, a $30,000,000 line of credit and a host of money people dedicated to their longevity.

That being said, it is MORE important to pick a great installer--screw up on the installation and it doesn't make any difference who built the shell--your problem will be between you and the installer (and in this day and age, make sure your builder isn't on the edge of bankruptcy)'

Because your name is Pool 'Facts', I wanted to clarify your color statement. Viking pools got their color from Compass Pools out of Australia. They clearly were not the first. Also, Compass no longer uses the Crystite that Viking took from them because of its 'issues'. In other words, if Viking's color was so great, why does Compass, who were the color originators, now use something different?

VIKING CRYSTITE COLORS==You may be right about Compass pools.....I am not that familiar with Australia but I do know the USA and FG pools. When we were doing Viking in the late 1990s we were the ONLY one around with color and it was a huge competitive advantage. Now everyone is doing some kind of color although I like Viking's crystites the best for a lot of reasons especially durability as all those crystite pools we put in in the late 1990s (including mine) still look great. I do know that Leisure (I believe an Australian company) has some deep colors that look good in the kitchen but just look like blue paint once a pool is in---there is just not enough variation in the color so that water line stains as well as every scratch shows. Maybe they should knock on the door of Compass, their Australian neighbor, if they have such great colors and see if they can borrow one.

[Looking For A Leisure Pool Builder In Our Area Or That Will Come Here!]

Hello! I am new to the forum. Thanks in advance for any help!

We have been considering a pool for over a year and finally think we are ready. After lots of research we decided on fiberglass and in particular we like the Leisure products and warranty. The downside is that we have only found 3 builders in our area that do any type of fiberglass. (Yes we have contacted Leisure directly as well). None of the 3 do Leisure.

We are going to try to convince one of the three to do a Leisure install (after we interview them all and find out who meets our criteria). BUT in the mean time we were hoping someone out there might know a builder in SC that we don't!

Thanks!

Hi I am surprised that Leisure does not have anyone in your area that can help you, I might be able to find you someone if you want to get back with me. I have been installing Leisure Pools for over a year now and they make the best pool on the market. We use to install Viking Pools and we have been experiancing a high volume of pools that have been installed that have cracked, I wish we had discovered that they were making inferior pools before we started having them crack. When we started doing Viking 8 yrs ago it was a good pool, but they started going down hill in the last couple of years, so stay away from Viking.

Viking is a quality pool==

We have been building fiberglass pools for over 20 years. We have built various brands over the years including Viking and Leisure. We prefer Viking for their dedication to quality, customer service and their innovation. Most ideas in the fiberglass pool business seem to come from Viking, perhaps because they are by far the largest mfg. in a very small industry. We have NOT had problems with pools cracking as that is generally an installation/drainage issue and we are very careful on these issues.

That being said, a customer would be well advised to choose a good builder. If you do so, either Leisure or Viking shells will be fine. If you don't, cracking or another problem might occur.

[Viking,san Juan, Or Blue Hawaiian?]

My wife and I are going to have a new fiberglass pool installed before next summer. We have been doing some research to try and figure out what we want. After reading some posts on here we decided it was very important to find a reputable contractor, even more than the brand of pool we choose. After doing some leg work through the BBB and other places, I have found three contractors that appear as though they do very good work and have very low customer complaints against them. One is a Viking dealer. One is a San Juan dealer. One is a Blue Hawaiian dealer. I do not have prices yet from each dealer so that could very well sway which way I decide to go, but my question is this; all things being equal, which manufacturer would you go with, or is the quality between these brands so comparable that the decision should come down to which pool design I like the best?

Thanks in advance for all of your advise. It is very much appreciated.

I am a Viking dealer so take this with a small grain of salt............however, Viking has the best colors of FG pools available and has been actually doing color longer than anyone else, Viking is heads above everyone else as to options, quality control and innovation and they have great customer service. My guess is that they are also in the best financial shape and that is important because of the long term warranties offered by FG pools. The pool business has been a tough business lately. San Juan is in bankruptcy; little is known about the financial condition of Blue Hawaiian. Viking itself just emerged from bankruptcy on 1/22/10 with a solid net worth, a $30,000,000 line of credit and a host of money people dedicated to their longevity.

That being said, it is MORE important to pick a great installer--screw up on the installation and it doesn't make any difference who built the shell--your problem will be between you and the installer (and in this day and age, make sure your builder isn't on the edge of bankruptcy)'