Water Turns White When Ozone Kicks On

[Gfam]

We have a salt water generator to which we have recently added the UltraPure ozone generator...when the systems are both on the water that is being returned is WHITE! It looks like white paint is being pumped into the pool through the return jets. After about 45 minutes (by this time the entire pool is white) it stops. Does anyone have any experience with anything like this? Any idea what is causing this? Is this going to happen every day?

[quantumchromodynamics]

Ozone can be one of the best ways to treat a pool, IF it is done properly. In my opinion, pumping the ozone into the same return line (or any return line) as chlorine from a chlorinator is not how to use ozone.

The ozone definitely destroys chlorine by oxidizing it. Both the chlorine and ozone are destroyed and wasted fighting each other rather than pathogens and other contaminants. Ozone also causes metals to precipitate out of solution.

The only real value is when they are used in an elaborate, complex and expensive process using large quantities (up to kilograms per hour, not the 1 gram per hour produced by UV) of ozone in contact tanks to oxidize contaminants.

The ozone is then removed completely from the water before the water is filtered for a second time and a small chlorine residual (200 to 400 ppb (0.20 to 0.40 parts per million.)) is added for indoor pools. Virtually no ozone is left in the water to get into an indoor pool's air. Chloramines and trihalomethanes are virtually eliminated.

I would generally not have ozone on a residential outdoor pool. I would not have ozone on any pool without the proper equipment and processes to completely remove the ozone from the water before chlorinating it.

I think that the ozone is going to cause you nothing but trouble. I recommend that you do not continue to use ozone.

If you want to continue to use ozone, I suggest that you find a way to set up a proper ozone process.

Perhaps, you could make your own contact tank out of a 6-foot tall x 12-inch PVC pipe with a degasser column on top to remove the ozone.

Then you could run the water through a second filter (sand, DE or cartridge) before sending it to the salt cell.

This way you avoid conflict, all your oxidizers are happy, and not fighting each other. They can focus on oxidizing the stuff they're supposed to be oxidizing.

What are your chemical readings?

[Gfam]

Are there any homeowners that have experienced this?

[billp]

It may simply be small bubbles. Cl generator makes small bubbles as does an ozonator. If you have added a cheap algaecide or an enzyme these may cause the bubbles to hang around for a longer time than normal. Do a test to see if it is bubbles.