SwimmingPoolsThailand

Most of the glass pool filter media of the few different brands imported to Thailand is recycled bottled glass with some ground industrial glass offcuts. An independent study  by the Australian Water Quality Centre clearly shows the differences between various kinds of pool filtration media, including the more expensive zeolite marketed by 'Zelbrite'.

Good pool shops that stock all kinds of media will explain the pros and cons of each type and let customers decide for themselves according to their budgets.

Glass media comes in 25 Kg bags. The laterals in the filter should first be covered with coarse grain, and the rest should be fine grain. Glass media generally only needs 70 - 75% of the equivalent recommended weight of sand for the filter.

Prices of glass media - which is pretty much the same stuff - differ wildly, especially when re-marketed at high prices by 'big name' pool equipment brands.

There are also huge differences in the delivery costs when purchased online. Choose a store that does not make a profit on the transport costs. Balance the advertised prices against the shipping costs. Shop around.

To dispel some of the conjecture:

Muriatic (American English) and Hydrochloric Acid are exactly  the same product.

It  is used in pools for reducing  the pH but  it  is a very common chemical -  it's what  your stomach produces to  digest  your food. Due to  the bed rock type in most  of Thailand (usually  sedimentary  rock - limestone), most  pools regularly need pHminus or hydrochloric acid to  keep  the pH down to  7.2 to  7.6.

Ask for กรดไฮโดรคลอริก (pronounced as in  English ' hydrochloric acid'), or its more common name here กรดเกลือ, pronounced 'grot gloowa', literally  'salt acid' -  Salzsaüre as it  is known in  German.

Hydrochloric Acid   is widely  available at many Mom & Pop hardware stores and in all Home Supplies Centres such  as Do Home, Home Hub, Thai Watsadu, and Global House.

It  is sold in 20 Litre PVC canisters and costs around ฿270.

In  pools, because it  gives off dangerous fumes and is difficult to  store, Hydrochloric Acid  is only  generally  used together with  automatic pH monitoring  and dosing  systems.

Much safer and easier to  use (and goes a lot  further for the price) in other pools is pHminus (sodium bisulphate), sometimes marketed as 'pH Down', a 'dry' acid available from all pool stores and online but  at  wildly  different  prices -  some plainly  extortionate. Shop around.

The simplest thing to do would be to contact several pool companies direct and ask for a rough quote. A good place to start would be to fill in the form at SPTpools. They generally reply within the hour.

SwimmingPoolsThailand has never been closed. Open 24/7 - online.

On 4/14/2020 at 7:43 PM, MoD1977 said:

I would need to raise the chlorine level to at least 5000 ppm to break up the combined chlorine

Much depends on how you have been chlorinating your pool.

If you were to put 5,000ppm of chlorine in the pool, you would be swimming almost in neat chlor which would be extremely dangerous and there would be a pungent smell of chlor in the entire neighbourhood. Check whatever method you are using for measuring your chlor and recalibrate it, or consider investing in a more accurate and reliable form of pool water tester. Note: We do sell test strips, but only because customers keep asking for them every time we remove them from our catalogue; we wouldn't ever recommend them to anyone.

1. If you are using a salt water chlorinator, do check its settings.

2. If you chlorinate manually, it is essential to use the right amount of chlorine powder, granules, or tablets, and test the water for chlor & pH every THREE or FOUR days until you know how much chemicals to add accurately.

3. If you chlorinate manually and are using stabilised chlorine of the type that is manufactured and sold for swimming pool use, it will contain Cyanuric Acid stabiliser. This CYA is good for your wallet because it saves on expensive chlor, but it does not get used up - it stays in the water. Every time you add T.C.C.A (stabilised chlor) you are adding more and more CYA and after a while, when the CYA reaches a certain level, it blocks the function of the chlor. The only solution to that is to drain off some of the water or wait untill the rainy season really gets going - it will only take 4 or 5 typical late afternoon downpours to change out the entire volume of your pool - assuming of course that it's an outdoor pool and has no roof or awning over it.

For more professional advice, you may wish to consult our special Chlorine Guide for swimming pools.  If you consult 20 different web sites, you'll get 20 different answers. The information we disseminate is based not only on our experience which goes back to 1974 in Europe, but also on independent scientific reports commissioned far more recently by governments of US and Australian states for their laws on the disinfection of school, public, and commercial pools and spas.

Non-chlorine shocking is done by adding more oxidizer to the water, but in a form that is not chlorine. The chemical most commonly used is potassium monopersulfate. It can help with oxidants, but will not add disinfecting power. We have no call for it and don't stock it. Some of the very large chemical manufacturers in Thailand might have it but it would only be available in 25Kg sacks. In some countries it's marketed as  Caroat or Oxone.

Superchlorination is by far and away the most widely used and accepted practice for addressing high combined chlorine. Superchlorination is dumping an excess of free chlorine (the industry standard is 10x the level of combined chlorine, though that's more than necessary), into the pool.

A more radical method - which may indeed prove to be more economical - is to drain some of the water and refill with fresh, unchlorinated water

10 hours ago, Bagwain said:

... sodium bicarbonate (Buy from supermarket & not from a pool shop "ph buffer" as it is way cheaper) to keep the levels at 80

It is quite possible that that the sodium bicarbonate sold by pool stores has been purchased in bulk, which on investigation works out much more economical than purchasing supermarket sachets in quantities more adapted for kitchen use

On 3/27/2020 at 5:29 PM, jonny5 said:

. Other, more sophisticated digital, colorimetric and photometric titration methods are also available.

 

What are these methods please.... 

The basic 1 you suggest is just for Chlorine and PH... But i feel there's more into water chemistry, then just the CL and PH levels. 

 

Regards J

5 hours ago, jonny5 said:

Thanks for the info, i will take a look into what you suggested, much appreciated

 

SwimmingPoolsThailand offers a very wide range of quality water testing products  available in Thailand without confusing the customers with choosing between multiple brands of the same article. The standard entry level test kit is perfectly adequate until the owner of the new pool knows which more sophisticated testers to invest in. These Cl&pH testers have been around for at least 40 years and they were all that was available for domestic pools until more accurate testers for a wider range of purposes came on the market in the early 2000s.

Quality testers are expensive and it would be a false economy to purchase something that might not be needed. If one has followed a link to the suggested product, it should be possible to browse all the other testers we have in stock.  SwimmingPoolsThailand also goes the extra mile and provides nearly 50 advice pages including the use of chemicals and testers. If in doubt, a trip to a local pool shop might help.

On 2/26/2020 at 10:32 PM, Kwarium said:

Most quotations I have received by pool businesses fall around 18,000 to 20,000 per square meter complete and ready to swim. Depths are 1.2 to 1.5.

That's roughly about right for an in-ground, fully tiled pool from a serious, well established pool company with a long record for quality and Western supervisory staff. Any less, and there's a question if the 'company' is registered and pays tax, has proper premises, and genuinely knows what they are doing. Any more, and the actual quality will be good but not better.

That said, much depends on whether the price includes a proper filtration system (no socks in the skimmers) from a quality brand, a proper pump room (not a dog kennel), and peripherals such as quality brands of underwater lighting and salt water chlorinators (or other disinfectant systems).

There is a difference in price (up to around 10%) between basic skimmer pools and overflow pools, while the choice of finish - standard tiles, luxury tiles, Pebblcrete, etc - can impact on the end price. Special designs may incur higher architect/conceptual design costs.

In the whole of Isan there are only about three (perhaps four) truly professional, long established builders of concrete pools and who have Western staff, so the distance they have to travel may also need to be factored in.

Shop around, but always try to visit their head office to see what's behind their advertising. It's worth a  day's outing before investing anything up to 1 mio ฿ or more. Ask to meet and talk to their customers.

Depends where you are located. They are mainly sold in those places that sell granite and marble kitchen counter tops, for example, and sandstone decorative cladding for walls. There are dozens of them in the cities. They will cut them to size, if required, and grind rounded edges. We usually find a supplier not far away from wherever we happen to be building a pool.

For most purposes for domestic pools, a simple, very inexpensive test kit for chlorine and pH levels such as this is generally all you need and is the most common. Other, more sophisticated digital, colorimetric and photometric titration methods are also available. There are also test strips to dip in the water but they are not very accurate.

7 hours ago, Susco said:

 

@SwimmingPoolsThailand FYI I'm an existing customer of your company, last time I asked advice through messenger on your website the only response I got was that you didn't want to answer anonymous messages, however as an existing customer I had to login with my email before I could send you the message.

I replied to that email of yours, with the explanation that I thought you were aware of my email since I was logged in, and in the same response added my contact details.

I still never received an answer to my question, so I went elsewhere and never will be a return customer.

Within reasonable limits SwimmingPoolsThailand offers free technical advice whether those who request help are, or become customers or not. The company handles dozens of enquiries daily that are not concerned with the business of online sales.

All the company asks quite clearly is that one has the courtesy to provide a name, a broad indication of location (province), and a telephone number. This is generally the minimum required by most companies on their contact forms.

It is not necessary to create an account or log in in order to receive a response. Anonymous senders receive an automated reply requesting the required details. General enquiries are not handled by the same staff who process user accounts or the staff who operate the online store orders or the front-of-house showroom staff.

At SwimmingPoolsThailand, we operate a 'lowest price guarantee'. This is valid only for products of an identical quality, and with a faster and more economical shipping service.

It is generally quite safe to use copper sulfate as an algaecide.
However, it is very important to keep the water hardness, PH and the copper ion concentration at the correct level. The performance of copper ions as an algaecide depends on the water hardness. Copper sulfate works best in soft water. The lower the hardness the better. The ideal copper concentration is 0.3ppm to 0.4ppm. This is a very small amount - not much more than a spoon full of Copper Sulfate per 60,000 liters of water.

In larger concentrations, copper sulfate can be toxic, stain the walls and fittings, copper plate any steel elements in the pool and plumbing, and turn blond hair green.

It is highly recommended when using copper sulfate to test the level with a test kit.

Black Algaetrine should be mixed with water in a watering can for dispersal in the pool water. The quantities of product to be used are shown on the label.

See notes on:

Using and Dosing

For on going prophylactic treatment once the Algaetrine is used up, consider regular dosing with the more economical AlgiKleer

All SwimmingPoolsThailand own 'SPT' brand chemicals have instructions on the containers inEnglish, Frenc h, German, and Thai.

For more detailed information about the products we market, please contact us direct - we do not regularly monitor  ThaiVisa forum.

The algaecide is essential once black algae has been detected. Scrubbing it will of course send fine particles into the surrounding water, so the filter must be particularly clean. In the worst case scenario the sand should be changed.

When the algae appears to have been removed, shock the pool with Dichlor or Cal Hypo. Continue to use Algaetrine for a while as a prophylactic.

Black algae is particularly tenacious and can be hard to combat. It must be scraped out with a wire brush. If left too long it will take root deep in the grout and the pool will need regrouting.

Chlorine will prevent the growth of most algae, but only if the pH and chlorine levels are rigorously maintained. However, the main purpose of chlorine is as a disinfectant.

Products exist to combat black algae.

Under normal conditions here in the tropics the Zodiac TRi-COMPACT would be perfectly adequate. It is designed for pools up to

There are clearly fewer cumbersome parts in the Emaux type check valve that can restrict flow and/or entrap debris but of course it cannot be fully ruled out. Regular maintenance and checking of pool systems ensures that problems are avoided before they happen. We have seen many barrel-type cone check valves with debris stuck in the springs and cones. Such check valves are often the source of water flow problems but few people think of looking there first before calling their pool specialist.

With the advent of quality, self-priming pumps, such as Hayward, and Emaux, for example, the merits of check valves on the suction side are debatable, especially if the pump is located reasonably close to the swimming pool or balance tank water and not too high above it.

Too many restrictions such as check valves and elbow bends in the piping can significantly reduce the volume and velocity of the water, often requiring a pump of an additional 0.5HP more even for a small pool up to , say, 10 x 4m. Likewise, unless pumps are located below ground level and below the water line, even the use of check valves in the return system may not be 100% necessary. Check valves are certainly required in multiple pump set ups, but that is for a different reason.

The check valve with the transparent lid does have a spring for the flap but it is not so strong as the springs in the cone type valves.

Distinct advantages of these flap type valves is their ease of servicing, the availability of parts, and the fact that the passage of water is unrestricted whereas the water passage in other types is restricted by having to pass around a cone or a ball.

There are many brands of the 'barrel' type check valves and they all look very similar due also to copying. Do bear in mind that this kind of valve is used in many branches of industry of which swimming pools is probably the least of their application. The parts however, are not always interchangeable and the retaining rings often have threads of a different pitch. The Emaux type is designed exclusively for use in swimming pool situations and while it is available under several brands, they are not copies - Emaux offer their products as 'white label' to large distributors and other pool equipment manufacturers.

Spring/cone type check valves by Peraqua, Austria, Europe are excellent quality and have no known issues.

There are some cheaper, near identical ones, on the market here in Thailand but the spring rusts away after about one year and the cone has no support left and sticks in either a closed, fully open, or half-open position.

There are also others on the market with a near identical casing that have a ball inside that has no spring. They close well when under pressure, but may leak when only closed under gravity of the water on top, hence they should be installed in a vertical position only.

Emaux manufacture a flap type check valve with a clear-view lid. very efficient but should always be installed horizontally, or vertically with the flap by default in the closed position.

Spring type check valves have very strong springs and can significantly reduce the water flow - especially when used with smaller pumps (e.g. under 1HP), while with flap types the resistance to the water flow is negligible.

The term 'ball-valve' is usually used for a tap because inside they have a ball with a hole for the water to pass through.

It would be inaccurate to assume that all other quality brands of pumps other than Hayward are not equipped with 'no flow' protection. That said, we have known plenty of Hayward pumps to run dry and seize.

Why is it that Salwater chlorinators are so ridiculous expensive in Thailand, something like 2.5 times the price they are in Australia for the same thing?

It can't be the import charges, since it is a null tariff, been there done that.

This is not exactly directed at the OP, since the prices are about the same in all Thailand pool shops, but probably he can give a reasonable answer.

1. It is not a 'null' tariff, in fact the import duty on pool equipment is extremely high.

2. Manufacturers do not sell to export customers at prices any lower than they sell to their domestic wholesalers

3. No importers in Thailand will purchase the high minimum quantities required by manufacturers to qualify for additional discounts. When these discounts are available they are so low as to not worth taking into consideration.

4. CIF (export packing, shipping, and insurance). Long shipping distances.

5. Import duty

6. Customs clearance 'fee'

7. Customs clearance agent's fee

8. Domestic logistics to importer's warehouse

9. Importer's wholesale profit mark up

10. Distribution costs to pool shops / other regional distributors / online retailers

11. retailer's mark up, VAT

12. Some pool shops are greedy

13. Some pool equipment vendors/constructors sell cheap but then refuse to accept their retailer responsibilities for customer/product support

The prices are not the same. We have seen ,for example Zodiac TRi COMPACT model, on sale here in Thailand from as little as baht 28,000 which is a 'loss leader' to 98,000 which , as Anthony5 says, is ridiculous.

A point to consider: goods on shelves are not like cash in the bank - they do not earn interest. Chlorinators are an expensive commodity for any Thai company,whichever way you look at it. Chlorinators are not as fast moving in this market as people might be led to believe. if you have too many in stock, by the time you have sold them all they are already superceded by a later model.

SwimmingPoolsThailand

Our super-saver offers proved to be so popular during the rainy season that as a special bonus for customers and to celebrate the reopening of our brand new refurbished online pool shop we have decided to maintain these prices permanently.

The Thailand Online Pool Shop

SwimmingPoolsThailand

We stock these inflatable pools. Three different sizes. Complete with pump/filtration unit. Cover optional.

See: http://swimmingpoolsthailand.com/en/203-inflatable-pools

SwimmingPoolsThailand