Weekly Maintenance

Normal pool maintenance is required:

1. Backwash and rinse filter

2. Brush pool walls

3. Net out all floating debris

4. Vacuum up all debris on the pool floor

5. Adjust the ph to between 6.8-7.2 using hydrochloric acid

6. Check copper residual using supplied copper test kit. The test kit will only give true results if the ph is between 6.8-7.2. Adjust copper on eClear control box via on/off switch or ionization percentage dial. If test kit shows copper residual to be at the required 0.5ppm then switch off or turn down the copper ionization on the eClear control box. If copper residual is below 0.5ppm then switch on/ turn up the copper ionization on the eClear control box. The copper MUST be checked and adjusted weekly.

7. Visually check your units milliamp reading. Blue number should be between 1.60 and 2.25. Red reading- .200 - .350

8. Visually check oxygen and copper plates for dirt, build-up and check copper plates thickness. Once they reach under 4mm thick they should be replaced.

That should be all the weekly maintenance necessary.

Annual Maintenance

1. Check calcium level of pool water at pool shop or using eClear purchased calcium test kit. Calcium Level should be between 200-300ppm. Calcium is added at eClear installation to produce conductivity in the water in order for the plates to pass current between them. Calcium does not get used up or evaporate but only leaves the pool during back washing. Thus only needs to be checked every year.

2. Clean the electrodes, if necessary, by removing each electrode chamber and immersing in hydrochloric acid / water solution of 1 part acid to 10 parts water, until the buildup has dissolved.

3. Change pool filter sand every 18 months. We recommend Consul glass sand of grit size 0.6mm-2mm. This is finer than normal pool sand.

Do's and Dont's

ALKALINITY

eClear pools need low alkalinity, unlike chlorine pools. This is because our system changes the chemical make-up of the calcium in the water into bicarbonate. Therefore alkalinity should never need be raised in eClear pools.

Ph and alkalinity are closely linked, alkalinity is defined as the ability of the water to resist ph changes. Therefore if your alkalinity is too high you may need to add large amounts of pool acid very often.

It would be best to drop water volume to lower alkalinity.

pH

A ph of 6.8 results in more stable water parameters. Never allow ph to rise above 7.2 as this renders the eClear's hydrolysis and ionization ineffective.

Prolonged high ph levels may damage your plates and also allow calcium deposits to build up on your plates which will then require removal and manual cleaning in an acid solution.

High alkalinity causes the ph to drift upwards quickly.

Calcium

Calcium is added at eClear installation to produce conductivity in the pool water so that an electrical charge can travel between the electrodes. 200-300ppm is necessary.

Too little calcium will prevent proper operation of the eClear system. Low calcium hardness can promote pool corrosion. High calcium can cause the water to appear cloudy.

Phosphates

Phosphates are food for algae. If you have an algae problem and your copper residual is at 0.5ppm then you may have a phosphate problem. Phosphates are added by leaves, grass and other organic material as well as by people, dogs and clothing washed in certain detergents.

Test the phosphates at a pool shop and add a phosphate remover.

A non-metal based algaecide can be added.

A peroxide based shock may be necessary to kill algae blooms.

Algae

Algae blooms occur when ph is lower than 6.8 and higher than 7.2 or the copper residual is lower than 0.5ppm

If algae occurs in your pool, check phosphates, adjust ph, check copper.

Dead spots in your pool where water doesn't move freely, eg, steps or square corners, are susceptible to algae growth, regularly brush walls in these areas.

Floating or substrate based algae can be controlled by adding non-metal based algaecide said and shocking the water using peroxide based treatments.

Also check filter sand, replace sand if older than 18 months.

Fitting a larger pump and filter will solve almost all algae problems and most water quality issues.

Cycle times

When water quality is an issue, run the eClear system 24 hours a day to clear up the water.

At startup run the eClear 24 hours a day until copper residual reaches 0.5ppm

Thereafter run the eClear 6-12 hours a day during daylight hours, under normal circumstances.

Filter sizes- minimum

Pools under 50 000L - 4 bag filter + 0.75kw pump

Pools between 50 000 to 100 000L - 5 bag filter + 1.1kw pump

Pools from 100 000L to 150 000L - 7 bag filter + 1.5 kW pump.

The entire pool water volume should flow through the filter within 4 hours.

My pool water is green...

Is ph above 7.3? Reduce to 6.8 using pool acid

Is copper above 1ppm? Replace 25% of your pool water

Shock the pool using peroxide based shock

You should never need to add chlorine to the pool but if you must-

Never add chlorine to the pool while the eClear system is powered, it will cause an electrical surge and damage your plates

What can I add to my eClear pool?

Do NOT add

Chlorine - can damage the plates and you!

Salt

Zeolite sand

Any metal based algaecide

Hardly ever soda bicarbonate except at startup

Soda ash

Alkalinity-up products

Copper powder

Metal removers

Gravel filter sand larger than 2mm grit

You may use

Hydrogen peroxide neat or as part of a peroxide shock

Flocculant, clarifier or gel block to clear cloudy water from suspended micro solids

Hydrochloric, muriatic acid to reduce ph

Calcium FLAKES only, not powder or liquid

Soda bicarbonate to raise alkalinity initially, not more than 2kgs per day.

Non-metal based algaecide

Phosphate removers

Alum treatment as a flocculant but must be carried out by a professional

Consul glass filter sand, grit size 0.6 - 2.0 mm