So, for a 25,000-gallon pool, thats 50 pounds of borates. Below are the benefits of adding borates to a pool: When you think of a pH buffer, you think of total alkalinity. Borates also offer the added benefit of being a terrific buffer for pH, to keep pH in balance to keep calcium scale in check. ), Now add of the Muriatic Add it near a return line so it mixes well. In the example, we would add 2 gallons of muriatic acid. Pool Chemistry Training Institute Website Info. 
Here are the proven benefits of having a Borate level of 30-50 ppm. Originally the main reason the Girvan Company brought the product to market was its algaestatic properties, he recalls. Wait at least 12 hours and retest the pH and Total Adjust as needed. According to a fact sheet from the EPA, boric acid was first registered as a pesticide in the U.S. in 1948. Again, it all works to increase water quality and ease maintenance., The upshot, Durant says, is overall greater chemical efficiency. Sodium tetraborate pentahydrate is added to the water in a manner similar to that of borax. Watch the video above to see the benefits of having Borates in your pool. When it is time to get a new automatic pool cleaner, there is a very good chance that your customers will be asking your opinion on which cleaner to get. However, because it has half as much water as the decahydrate form, less will be required. Borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is readily available in most grocery stores under the trade name 20 Mule Team Borax. They do this, not by actually killing algae, but by preventing its growth and reproduction. Its a one-time application or a once a year application, Bokor says. Borate additives are atypical of many pool chemicals in that they are not consumed over time. Break up any lumps with a scoop or other, Using a scoop or plastic bowl broadcast the powder into the water while walking around the, If any powder accumulates on the pool bottom, use a pool brush to help it, Test water for metals. When brushing is complete, add the rest of the acid and the rest of the borax and brush again. 1. 2018 Sands Resort Legionnaires Case Settled. 6 Legionnaires News Story Saves A Life.. 8 How Asbestos Diaphragms Are Used To Produce Chlorine One person is dead after a small plane crashed into an aboveground swimming pool in Centralia, Illin More than a dozen lawsuits filed against the Sands Resort in Hampton, New Hampshire, for a deadly Le A Legionnaires Disease outbreak has been linked to the spa at Clarion Pointe Wake Forest Hotel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Jonathan Durant, retail manager for Performance Pools, a builder with five locations in Minnesota, is among those who have seen the advantage in greater service life of pool equipment using borates. Keeps the pH of the water from going up (pH buffer against rises in pH), Helps prevent algae (it is an algaestat, not an algaecide), Lowers chlorine demand (preventing algae lowers the need for chlorine), Helps protect HOCl (hypochlorous acid the killing form of free chlorine) from UV destruction, Turn on the pump and leave it on for the next 24, Measure or weigh out the dose of Boric Acid. Adding borates can be done using borax, also known as sodium borate or sodium tetraborate decahydrate. Many claim that borates can help lower chlorine demand by preventing algae. You can also find this in either granular or powdered form. This has the added benefit of reducing the rate of scale formation that tends to form on the salt water chlorine generators cell. ), Add the remaining Muriatic Acid as above. It does reduce the red-eye. Getting to that concentration of borates will depend on the type of borate starting material. On one hand, not accounting for splash out and backwashing, this means youll almost never need to top up on borates. Whats your favorite automatic pool cleaner? 
The customers equipment lasts longer, the rails and ladders last longer, everything lasts longer. Carbonates have been used for this purpose in the pool industry for many years. When you factor in all the upsides, including extra pH buffering, more protection against algae, less chlorine consumption, and smooth, sparkly water its simply too good to pass up. Which means that in most cases the pH will not rise dramatically when adding these products (although there is some debate on how pH neutral they actually are). Weve also introduced the product in our spa line as well to help reduce that dry, itchy feeling you get after you use your spa., We are a builder of pools and we offer a training class on chemicals and maintenance to all our customers, Theobold explains. Test the pH again. You can use it in any pool or spa whether its sanitized with a saltwater chlorine generation, chlorine tablets or feeders.. The same cant be said for your cats or dogs, however. Maybe but maybe not since Borates will do just that. This is calculated as parts per million boron. This chemical also raises the pH level of your water, so it needs to be paired with muriatic acid in order to counter the rise in pH. Converting to the number of boxes needed, at 65 oz per box, it will be necessary to use 23 boxes of borax. 
At $5.88 a pound, it would cost $294 to dose the pool. Softer and less irritating water: The water feels softer and doesn't burn your eyes. For a 25,000-gallon pool then, 1,500 oz will be needed. Borate is a mineral commonly found in nature. Allow the pump to run for 24-48 hours. As before, your mileage may vary on this one but theres a good chance youll see this change in your water if you live in a particularly sunny climate. Borates are also said to increase the service life of other equipment and fixtures. There is actually a lot of truth to what the manufacturer is saying. However, this will make the pH near 3.You will need to aerate and cause turbulence to raise only pH. Borates dont evaporate or break down in water. Borates are believed to disrupt cell division, which reduces replication. I have added Borates to my pool and couldn't be happier. Keeping pool water pH from fluctuating (buffering) is a vital task it ensures the water in the pool remains comfortable for bathers and doesnt attack the vessel that contains it. The amount of reduction depends on how prone your pool is to algae. In fact, its not uncommon for this to result in illness or even death after drinking from pool water containing a moderate level of borate. One of the most important selling points when we talk about borates is the fact that the borates makes the pool water feel smooth and soft on your skin., Micofloc Clarifier Works to Make Pool Water Better. Some have attributed this observation to the possibility that borates reduce the surface tension of the water. Results are well worth it. 8. Depending on where you live, you may not actually be allowed to use borate in your water. During application, it is necessary to neutralize the pH rise that will occur upon addition of borax. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. oz or 5.46 gallons of muriatic acid will be required to neutralize 70 pounds of borates. Even customers that actually keep their pool water balanced, they only get five to six years out of an equivalent cell., Trey Theobold, retail manager for Riverbend Sandler Pool Supply in Plano, Texas, echoes these comments. That works out to $5.88 a pound. In general, adding borates can be expensive. Those are a lot of bold claims. Converting to gallons, where there are 128 oz per gallon, it will take 5.9 gallons of acid. This is unheard of for most of the industry. Many pool owners also report subtle aesthetic changes to their water after adding borates. All articles and videos by David Van Brunt. It doesnt kill algae, per se, but it starves it so you dont get algae blooms. If you plan on using borates, train your pets NOT to drink from the pool. The optimal concentration of borates in a swimming pool is 50 ppm. The addition of borates in your water sets off a chemical reaction, whereby borate binds with calcium and magnesium ions (which make your water hard) and effectively removes them from the water. That makes it an especially useful tool in salt water chlorine generating swimming pools, which tend to experience pH drifts in an upward direction. That is, they add an anti-corrosion effect that can help with the problems such as rusted accessories and fixtures commonly seen in pools chlorinated with an SCG. (How to Kill All Algae Types), The Different Parts of A Pool (How A Swimming Pool Works). Bromine or Chlorine? Below are the drawbacks of adding borates to a pool: The concentration of borates used in swimming pools isnt harmful to humans, at least not if you swallow the odd mouthful. Test the borate levels monthly. Some pool owners choose to put borates in their pool water, but do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? These products use a combination of boric acid and sodium tetraborate which makes them more pH neutral than using pure 20 mule Borax (I will touch on this a little later). Its a softer feel to the water, Bokor says. Currently, numerous pesticide products are registered which contain boric acid or one of its sodium salts as an active ingredient. Continue testing and adding 1 pint of acid each time until the pH is 4-7.5. Thats $103.50 for the proper dose of borax for the hypothetical 25,000-gallon pool. One woman suffering from the disease said a WRAL News Story helped lead to her diagnosis, which came after Wake County health officials identified three cases of Legionnaires connected to the hotel spa. For smaller animals, borates can cause stomach issues if ingested. It inhibits algae and water mold growth so that the consumer actually uses less sanitizer in the pool..
Next, simply multiply 23.75 by the actual pool volume, and divide by 10,000. In the same 25,000-gallon pool requiring 1,500 oz of borax, it will require 750 fluid oz of muriatic acid. Beyond the mission of keeping pH in its target range and therefore preventing scale and corrosion, borate products are used as algaestats (meaning they prevent algae, as opposed to killing it like an algaecide). Besides, the hair and saliva they leave behind only make your chlorine and pool equipment work harder.
The ideal level of borate in pools is 30 to 50 parts per million, though you certainly dont need any to have a well-functioning pool. Here are the proven benefits of having a Borate level of 30-50 ppm: Lower Chlorine usage:The Borate helps reduce chlorine usage by eliminating Carbon Dioxide and also by keeping the pH stable.Chlorine last longer when the pH is right at 7.6-7.8. pH is stable:The pH won't change much in a pool with Borate in it.
Using less sanitizer means youre reducing halogen byproducts. It also will keep your skin and hair hydrated so after swimming your skin won't be as dried out. Less Algae growth:Either the Boric Acid or less Carbon Dioxide in the water or a combination of both will prevent algae growth. Whats in Your Pool? Paranoid? Chlorine production threatened by cancer risk. An easier, if not slightly more expensive way to inject borates into your water is to use boric acid, also known as hydrogen borate. We recommend this product for clients with salt chlorine generators because the electrolysis that occurs in those systems causes the pH in the water to increase.. Nearly this quantity of boric acid can be found online, and is offered at prices from between $45 to $70 depending on whether it is purchased in bulk. These factors taken together the beneficial chemistry and convenient use make borate a useful item in Arthur Edwards Pools product line, according to Schulhoff. This is particularly beneficial if you own a saltwater pool as the overall lower pH prevents scaling inside the cell plates of your saltwater generator. For example, the EU banned borates in all cosmetics due to health concerns, and there are some laws in the United States that make it very difficult to import products containing borates.