Swimming pool and domestic heating and heat pumps

A shark managed to jump out of its aquarium on to a water slide at a hotel swimming pool used by guests.

The female reef shark, one of various exotic creatures in the popular Mayan Temple aquarium at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, tumbled down the slide – known as the Leap of Faith – after vaulting the one foot high and 18 in wide barrier around its pool.

Although the creature survived the journey its body could not cope with the chlorinated water in the swimming pool at the bottom of the slide. Rescuers managed to return the 12-year-old shark to its own pool but it died shortly after wards.

Staff at the Atlantis resort said that guests were never at risk as the water park had yet to open for the morning. The shark posed no threat to humans and regularly swam with guests in its aquarium

“the shark was startled by an unusual circumstance that we have no way of defining completely. In the over ten years guests have experienced the Leap of Faith, the reef shark itself, harmless to humans as it is fed regularly by our staff, had shown no previous incidences of leaping out of the water in the marine habitat,” the resort said in a statement to the TMZ website.

“Once the shark fell onto the slide and into the chlorinated water, it was in significant distress.

“The Marine Aquarium Operations team responded immediately and was able to retrieve the animal at the bottom of the slide and return the animal to the main marine habitat in an attempt to resuscitate her. Despite the team’s best efforts to recover the animal, it died shortly after the occurrence.

“The entire team at Atlantis is truly saddened by the loss of this animal who had resided in the Atlantis marine habitat for over ten years.”

The Atlantis resort describes itself as a “unique, ocean-themed destination”, with 20 million gallons of pools and lagoons, waterfalls, and a marine habitat filled with water filtered from the Atlantic Ocean.

Calyenty is a premium supplier of swimming pool heating systems based on heat pump technology. We manufacturer powerful whisper quiet, titanium heart, stainless steel cabinet heaters for distribution across Spain, and its islands (including Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Tenerife, Lanzerote, Palma etyc.) Portugal, France, UK and the rest of Europe.

A PROPOSAL to develop a wind turbine at Thurso High School has been lodged with the local authority’s planning office.

The Highland Council wants to erect the nine-metre 6kW turbine, which has a blade-to-blade span of five metres, within the school’s ground in a site currently used as a “playground” area.

It would be bolted to a concrete base foundation and enclosed within a boundary fence at the site, understood to be near the games hall at the rear of the school.

The development has already attracted one letter of objection from David Craig, of Sandford House, Achvarasdal, who is concerned over safety issues.

In a letter to the planning department in Wick, he writes: “While I fully support the Highland Council’s drive to reduce its energy bills and to power part of the school from renewable energy, I believe that air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps and solar power should be deployed as considerably safer alternatives to a wind turbine.”

The application is subject to the Highland Council’s usual planning procedures.

Calyenty is one of Europe’s leading swimming pool heating solution providers using heat exchanger technology which is now being developed into highly efficient domestic hot water and central heating units.

PRESSURE SIDE CLEANERS - These types of cleaners operate much like the suction side cleaner except that these types of cleaners require a separate high pressure pump to operate. This pump would be installed next to the pool pump and filter and requires a separate plumbing line installed back to the pool. Cleaners of this type typically have a bag which collects the dirt and debris from the pool. Once the bags are full the cleaner is removed from the pool, the bag removed and emptied.

SUCTION SIDE CLEANERS - These types of cleaners operate off the suction side of your filter pump. No additional pump is needed. These cleaner typically connect into the plumbing of the pool either through a separate line on the side of the pool or through the piping of the skimmer. The amount of suction to the cleaner is controlled by a valve in the pool equipment area or through the valves and accessories which are supplied with the cleaner. There are many different types of units available, some ride around on plastic feet, small pads and some cruise around in the pool on brushes. The dirt and debris which is picked up is deposited in the pump basket and in the pool filter for removal.
Also available for pools which collect a large amount of leaves, separate leaf canisters which collect the debris before the pump and filter (Installed inline in the hose which floats in the pool).

ELECTRIC CLEANERS - The third type of cleaner operates independently of the existing pool system. These units have a long power cord attached to a low voltage transformer which plugs into a 110 volt outlet. These units move around the pool collecting dirt and debris and depositing it in a bag or cartridge with is attached to the vacuum cleaner unit. Typically these units are used on an as need basis and removed from the pool when not in use.

All three types of cleaners function well and remove the dirt and debris from your swimming pool. Research all the styles, models and brands available and make your choice. Automatic cleaners can make your swimming pool much more enjoyable and easier to care for. Why spend time cleaning and vacuuming your pool, purchase an automatic pool cleaner and have more fun in your pool.

Calyenty is a premium supplier of swimming pool heating systems based on heat pump technology. We manufacturer powerful whisper quiet, titanium heart, stainless steel cabinet heaters for distribution across Spain, and its islands (including Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Tenerife, Lanzerote, Palma etyc.) Portugal, France, UK and the rest of Europe.

There are several types of pool water options available to the pool owner. This article attempts to identify which is the most sensible option to choose

Types of pool water options to consider:

1. Fresh water, where you add granular or tablet chlorine to the water in order to keep it sanitized and clear.

2. Salt water, where you add salt to the pool water and an electrode array creates the sanitation.

3. Ozone pool, where sanitation is created by Ozone which is made from Oxygen or O2, which is converted through electricity to Ozone or O3. Ozone is a much more powerful oxidant than chlorine. Ozone dissipates very quickly. It must be manufactured and used on-site, and generators can now be purchased from specialist suppliers which can be fitted into an existing pool pipework without too much effort or cost. Ozone Generators convert the Oxygen in the air into Ozone.

4. Ultraviolet, where the pool water passes through a cylinder that contains an ultraviolet light tube, the ultraviolet rays kill the harmful organic elements suspended in the water

5. Swimming ponds where a selection of naturally growing plants create the sanitation. In warmer climate mosquito larvae eating fish must be present otherwise mosquitoes can become unbearable close to the pool.

For the purposes of this article we are looking at the first two options, standard fresh water and salt water.

How do they work.

Traditionally, Europeans tend to opt for the standard fresh water option. This is where you fill your basin with standard mains water or can buy it in from a water supplier in a tanker. Whichever, this is basic drinking water.

The water has to be treated continuously for a pleasant bathing experience in clear water that is free from both water borne insects such as mosquito larvae or microscopic animals such as bacteria or plants such as algae. If left untreated the water will deteriorate quickly will become discolored and will be less than healthy or pleasant to swim in.

There are two things that your fresh water pool owner needs to continuously monitor, both of which are vital. Firstly pH. This is important for several reasons, but the main reason is that anything outside the recommended pH level of 7.4 will make any additional chlorine added to the water for sanitation less effective. So the number one operation is to check the pH level and to add pH plus or minus depending on the test result. Many pool owners skip this test believing it unimportant thinking as long as you throw plenty of chlorine at the pool everything else will be OK, this is far from the truth and will cost you significantly more as the available chlorine in an unbalanced pool will need to work much harder.

Usually the same tester kit has the facility for measuring the chlorine level. This is usually achieved by adding Chlorine tablets, this can be put in the skimmer pots or a purpose floating applicator. It is always best to buy the 4 action tablets as they contain the other additives generally required to maintain a good water balance and health, and saves having to purchase, store and handle these other chemicals individually.

There are other tests that can be done and some good swimming pool shops will offer a water testing service if you pool water has become a problem that is defeating you. But keep these two elements always correct and occasionally test for TOTAL pH and you should have trouble free bathing.

The mechanics behind a salt water pool is frequently misunderstood. For example I will share a conversation I had recently. I received a call from a pool owner who was having big algae problems with his saltwater pool . The first question I asked was “have you checked the salt level or added any salt recently” His reply was astonishing “My pool is a saltwater pool, it has a mechanism that makes salt that keeps the water clean and healthy.” He was astonished when I explained how his system actually worked, but his astonishment was nothing compared to mine when he told me he had had the system for almost fifteen years, and he admitted he had always been puzzled when previous pool companies had added sacks of salt to his pool when he had had problems before, but nobody had ever explained what he had, and he clearly had never bothered to find out.

Basically salt water pools work like this: You have to install a unit into your pool filter line which contains an array of titanium electrodes. You then add several sacks of raw rough salt granules into the fresh water in your pool. A 50m3 pool requires about 250kg of salt. The electrodes are activated by a low voltage power supply when the pool pump comes on and drives the now salted water through and over the electrode plates. The electrodes split the salt molecules from sodium chloride or NaCl into sodium and chlorine Na and Cl. There is a control module that comes with the kit which indicates the level of salt in the water, so you will know when to add more, and the chlorine production level.

So you can see you are still achieving the sanitation by using chlorine. But the chlorine is much healthier, in fact it is almost completely indiscernible in the water, and anyone that gets agitated by the fact that there is still chlorine in the water and therefore this is a flawed and less than environmental solution are misinformed. The environmental issues normally associated with Chlorine in its synthetic form come from its manufacture, health problems from its handling, and unpleasant side effects including skin irritation, sore eyes and horrible smell come from the stabilizers and the trichlorides that form with its usage. None of these apply in the Chloride made in a salt water pool system. This leads us neatly into the following considerations

The considerations when choosing your system are as follows: Swimming environment, health, Initial start-up costs, Ongoing costs, convenience of maintenance.

So lets make the first comparison based on the swimming environment. It appears that most people who have had the experience of bathing in both types of pool, i.e. fresh water sanitized with synthetic chlorine and a salt water pool, myself included, seem to prefer the salt water experience. As already discussed, freshwater pools where chlorine is added in a synthetic form of granules or tablets can cause irritation to skin and eyes, dry the skin when leaving the pool and leave your body and clothes smelling bad. It can also bleach your hair and clothes and shorten the life of your costume and pool toys significantly. One of the main reasons I personally looked into alternatives was that every time I handled the chlorine, I would usually get at least one big lungful of chlorine gas,usually when removing a tight lid, and would get infuriated when constantly spoiling decent trousers or shirts with white spots from the chlorine.

The salt water pool has salinity very similar to that that is contained in the human body, or about 1/10 of that that you find in the sea. Consequently you are swimming in almost fresh water. In fact there is no danger if swallowed, and it can even be put onto grass and plants without them suffering any harm at all. No stinging eyes, no bad smelling hair or skin and your body feels lovely cleansed and fresh when ever you get out of the pool.

So round one to the salt water pool.

The next consideration is health. Some of the statistics that are now available make some very interesting if not scary reading. Chlorine byproducts found in fresh water swimming pools are linked to higher incidences of asthma, lung damage, stillbirths, miscarriages and bladder cancer, according to credible research conducted in the U.S., Canada, Norway, Australia and Belgium.

One researcher noted that 10-year-old children spending an average of 1.8 hours per week in an indoor swimming pool environment suffered lung damage she would expect to see in an adult smoker.
The problem isn’t the chlorine, but what chlorine turns into when combined with organics. The organics are contributed by bathers in the pool in the form of sweat, dander, urine and other organics. The chlorine reacts with the organics and produces nitrogen trichloride, aldehydes, halogenated hydrocarbons, chloroform, trihalomethanes and chloramines. If these sound like dangerous chemicals, they are. During the Olympic Games held in Australia, it was reported that more than one-quarter of the American swim team suffered from some degree of asthma.

Investigators in Belgium presented research showing that exposure to such chloramines greatly increases permeability of the lung epithelium, a condition normally associated with smoking cigarettes.

In contrast a salt water pool which generates much lower levels of chlorine, which is much better distributed throughout the whole body of water by nature of the method of production, under these standards, the salt water swimming pool water is essentially treated to drinking water standards, and although not such a good solution from a health perspective as the ultraviolet or ozone options is significantly better than using synthetic chlorine pool products manually added to fresh water.

Round two, health, to the salt water option. Two nil.

Initial start up costs are marginal for a fresh water pool as no additional equipment is needed unless you invest in a tablet applicator, which are very inexpensive. Salt water pool equipment is now less expensive than it has been. For a 50m3 pool, which represents about 75% of the European pool install base, or a 8m x 4m by average 1.5m depth pool will cost about Euros 1000 for all the kit and a further euros 100.00 for the salt. They are quite simple to install and most people should be able to do this themselves.

Round three to the freshwater pool. Two – one.

Ongoing costs.

Many people just look at the costs of the chemicals that they have to put into a fresh water pool during the swimming season, which for a standard 50m3 pool will be in the region of about euros 300.00. For me this pales into insignificance when you add the costs of the numerous pairs of jeans and new shirts that have been ruined every year by handling pool chemicals. “I’ll just put some chlorine in the pool, I’ll be careful as I cant be bothered to change just for this quick simple job” only to regret it virtually every time when the tell tale white blotches and smears appear on that favorite piece of clothing.

One thing you will have to do with a salt water pool is install an automatic pH dosing unit. These basically monitor the pH very accurately and add pH minus, or acid, because the by product of the chlorinator is alkaline caused by sodium carbonate. Because the Chlorine dosage from the unit is so mild this is important otherwise you can quickly have problems if this falls out of line. I believe this would be a useful addition to any pool so will not count this as a cost against the salt system. If you use a diluted form of Salfumant (Hydrochloric acid) the ongoing costs here are marginal. To conclude on this point, a salt water pool hardly has any ongoing costs, whereas the cost of chemicals, time, and replacing clothing can be significant over the year,

Round four to the salt water pool. Three - one

Onto the final consideration, convenience. The time saved in not having to manually put chemicals into the water and test the levels constantly are significant. No shopping for chemicals, and no replacing of clothing - great.

Round five to the salt water pool. Four – one

In conclusion. I am happy to conclude and therefore recommend that based on the score four - one, a salt water pool is a better option. Even if you take the point conceded on capital costs, if you shop around you can buy these systems for less now. Also if you factor in the savings from the reduction to almost zero for ongoing costs the capital will be paid off very quickly, lets say two years, therefore in reality fresh water pools need to concede another point, five – one. Its a landslide!

I have had my salt water system for one season now having changed from a standard chemical devouring freshwater pool, and do I regret it? – not one bit, it does all the positive things mentioned in detail above, and everyone loves the water quality – it just feels so much healthier, probably because it is. I spend far less time on the pool now and I know I am saving money.

I will say though that you may need to run the filter pump for longer, which is an additional power cost. I have also found that it is a good idea to add 5l of liquid bleach to the pool a week. This can be bought from any supermarket for about one euro, the cheaper the better, and try and get the odorless type. This keeps everything A OK and the sparkliest water ever without compromising the ethics of your new system.

Statistics show that the Australians are far further advanced than we are in Europe regarding which type of pool we like to have, with the Aussies having over 75% of their pools as salt water systems. Current statistics on numbers of installed pools across Europe - and for the purposes of this study this includes, Spain and its islands (Canaries and Balearics) Portugal, France , Italy and the UK show that the number of adopters of salt water systems across this region to be less than 20%.

Calyenty is a premium supplier of swimming pool heating systems based on heat pump technology. We manufacturer powerful whisper quiet, titanium heart, stainless steel cabinet heaters for distribution across Spain, and its islands (including Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Tenerife, Lanzerote, Palma etyc.) Portugal, France, UK and the rest of Europe.

Calyenty is one of Europe’s leading swimming pool heating solution providers using heat exchanger technology which is now being developed into highly efficient domestic hot water and central heating units.

There are three types of electric heat pumps one can choose from: air source, dual-fuel and geothermal electric heat pumps. Air source electric heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump, and are further divided into packaged heat pumps and split-system heat pumps.

Packaged heat pumps allow the compressor and heat exchangers to be located outside your home, using ductwork to heat and cool your entire home. Split-system heat pumps allow more flexibility for installation, as the indoor air-handling unit and heat exchanger are separate from the compressor and the outdoor exchanger.

The heating efficiency of an air source heat pump is measured as the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF), and ranges from 6.6 to 9.1, whereas the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) indicates the cooling efficiency and generally falls between 10.0 and 15.0.

Heat pumps save as much as 30% on heating costs when compared to a gas furnace and also provide year-round comfort. A good-quality electric heat pump provides a continuous flow of heat and an even temperature, whereas gas furnaces mostly blast certain areas with heat, causing uncomfortable hot or cold spots. Additionally, an electric heat pump does not have an open flame and reduces the possibility of fuel leaks or carbon monoxide poisoning.

A dual-fuel heat circulates heat evenly throughout your home. Although dual-fuel heat pumps are costlier than conventional heating and cooling systems, they are also the most efficient, versatile, and economical heating and cooling systems. Geothermal electric heating systems circulate water or refrigerant between an underground network of pipes and heat pumps located inside the house. They are much more durable, comfortable, environmentally safe, non-allergenic and cleaner than the conventional methods of heating.

Calyenty is one of Europe’s leading swimming pool heating solution providers using heat exchanger technology which is now being developed into highly efficient domestic hot water and central heating units.

I like to think of myself as quite well informed when it comes to the care and maintenance of swimming pools, after all I am the director of one of Europe’s leading pool heating companies, Calyenty. However last year I had an attack of black algae which nearly defeated me. Beating the problem taught me a lot and I can share with you here the lessons.

Firstly I will make the point of how to try to keep the algae from forming which is really basic good housekeeping (or pool keeping in this case). But, as I have experienced sometimes even with the best intentions, events conspire against even the most diligent and attentive pool keepers and you get the dreaded attack.

Here they are anyway: Equilibrium is key. Correct levels of Chlorine and pH are the most important. Don’t just bung it in. Measure the levels constantly, or at least once a week and dose according to the volume of water in your particular pool. Check again soon afterwards, to check you have the dose correct. Also check total pH occasionally and add Bicarbonate soda if required. Remember it is always far easier to keep a clean pool clean than to clean a dirty pool and expect it to remain clean.

The other big factor is filtration. As a rule of thumb, all the water in your pool must pass throught the filter at least once per day. You can work out from this how long you need to run your filter pump for. In most cases, during the swimming season, I would recommend that for an 8m x 4m pool with a 1kW pump to run the filter pump for eight hours per day. Also it is important to run the filter pump during the day. Most people mistakenly break the timing up into chunks and run it stop start for 24 hours a day. You usually bath during the day and this is when the vast majority of debris will be entering the pool. Also wind movement is usually greater during daylight hpours, so filter it out during the day. You can put a half hour break in after say four hours if you want to give the pump a rest, but even this is really unnecessary.

Onto the Algae

There are almost 22,000 known varieties of algae, so you can probably roughly double that number for all living strains. But for reasons of understanding and control we can shrink this list down to manageable categories grouped by colour, see below.

As there are so many strains of algae and because their spores are almost permanently present in the air, there is nothing a pool owner can do from preventing the spores from entering the water. The presence of spores combined with out of balance water, warm temperatures, sunlight and presence of nitrates and/or carbon dioxide.can result in a bloom. But despite their presence, it is mainly good pool maintenance practice that prevebts the spores from developing into an algae problem

The pool must be kept in a constant state of correct equilibrium for preventing the spores taking hold and developing into a visual algae bloom, photosynthesizing on the sides and surfaces of your pool. Remember clean water is much easier to keep clean. Once you have had a bad case of algae or other water problem, the filters and other equipment are contaminated and its harder to get back to perfect conditions.

Firstly I’ll describe the four main types of problem algae presents, followed by the steps to cure a problem and how to take measures to ensure that you don’t have the problem again.

Different types of Algae,

Green Algae:

Green is probably the most common algae, certainly to be found in Spain, Portugal, France and the rest of Europe. It can quickly appear in your pool following the pool loosing clarity from a lack of proper filtration and, or poor sanitation due to chemical imbalance. It is frequently found free floating in the water, although it also will cling to the walls. Once it starts to form the water will remain cloudy and will get worse without proper treatment. This clouding distinguishes the problem as due to algae as apart form copper precipitation, which turns the water a clear green colour t. Varieties of green algae also appear as “spots” on surfaces, particularly rough areas, or places where circulation is low. They also show up as “sheets”, where large wall sections, or even the entire pool, is coated in green slime!

Yellow Algae:

Yellow algae usually clings to the walls of the pool and is a mustardy colour. This variety is usually found on the shady side of the pool. It forms large patches in sheets, and can be difficult to eradicate completely. If you get a bloom of yellow algae it can be tremendously difficvult to get rid of. Frequently a pool owner can spend the entire season fighting yellow algae, and re-infection is common, often just when you think it is beaten. You will need to scrub the infected areas thouroughly preferably with a steel bristle brush, shock with Chloro rapide then filter, filter, filter, backwashing frequently to waste to flush out the spores.

Black Algae:

Black algae will appear as dark black or dark blue/green spots, It is clearly raised like small bumps or buds from where it is rooted on the side of the pool. This is a horror if you get infected and is a little like herpes to get rid of as it keeps coming back. Sometimes you really need to resort to drastic measures to get rid of this one. The main reason this strain is so difficult to get rid of is because the plant puts down deep roots into the grout between the tiles and unless you kill the roots it will justy come back within a few days as bad as before.

Pools that are near the sea and frequented by bathers that like to have a dip in the sea then enter the pool without washing the swim suite between dips, are most susceptible to this form of algae bloom, but again, good water treatment levels and filtration usually keep it at bay.

Pink Algae:

Pink algae is actually a bacteria, however falls squarely into this category for treatment and even appears as though it is an algae. This tends to form in corners or dead spots where the water circulation is not what it should be and therefore the movement and changing of chemicals is not so great.

Where you get a mild bloom of the green algae you can use anitalgicides to solve the problem. The more you spend the better the product and less you will need to use in a dose, but these will have little or no effect on the other types of algae once you have the problem. It is good practice to put a small amount of algicide into your pool once a week when everything seems perfect, this will help prevent getting a bloom in the first place.

Below I list products on the market which are supposed to help to get rid of your algae bloom once you have it in my opinion, none of these products work on anything other than a mild attack of green algae, see later for the best eradication methods

Algicides:

Potassium Tetraborate:
When added to the pool water in proper dosage, prevents algae from converting carbon dioxide into the fuel it needs for growth.

Chitin:

Not an algaecide (meaning to kill algae) per se, but its properties might be called algaestatic (that is, to prevent algae growth). Chitin has the ability to coagulate and remove a wide variety of suspended materials and impurities from the water. This allows the sanitizer to more effectively kill contaminants unobstructed. It also improves the effectiveness of the filtration equipment.

Algaecides and Algaestats:

1. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds:
A low grade type of algaecide, Quats, as they are called, will usually have “10″ somewhere on the bottle, representing 10% active ingredient. Although available at a lower cost, quats tend to produce a small amount of surface foaming. They are most effective as an algaestat, that is, as a prevention, not a cure.

2. Polymers:
Polymers are long, complicated chemical chains that behave in water both as an algaestat and an algaecide. They are available in percentage strength of 30 - 60%, are non foaming, and work well as general, all around algae treatments. Poly-Quats are a blended compound of polymer and quats.

3. Copper Based:
Copper is a proven algaecide and algaestat. Available in varying non foaming strength of 3 - 10%. It works very well on all types of algae, but it has the drawback of staining white plaster surfaces a light blue/green color if it precipitates out of solution. Most copper based algaecides are chelated, which means that agents have been added to prevent this, such as Lo-Chlor Algaecide.

4. Silver Based:
Silver has been shown to be an effective bacteriostat, which means that it works to prevent bacteria from reproducing. Non foaming and effective with pink algae. In high doses, reactions with sunlight can cause colloidal silver to deposit as black stains on white plaster. When using copper or silver algaecides, the use of a sequestering agent is recommended.

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HAVE A SALT WATER POOL DO NOT USE ANY METAL BASED ALGICIDES.

Too late to prevent it…How do I kill algae?

For suspended green algae, shock the pool…hard. Put in as much hypochlorite as it takes to turn the pool a cloudy, bluish/gray color. Brush the walls and floors towards the main drain, with a wire brush head if possible – be careful using these you do not want to damage the grout or the finish on the tile surface, but these do shift the roots of the algae. Backwash the filter when the pressure gauge indicates the need (8 - 10 lbs. above clean reading, after backwashing.) Using a flocculent may be a good choice if the pool is extremely “swampy”. As you probably know floculant will clump all the suspended solids in the water and deposit it on the bottom. When you suck this up with the vacuum cleaner take the water directly to waste, do not make the mistake of false economy of trying to filter it out thgen backwash, just get rid of it all to drain.If you cannot see the bottom of the pool, and it is filled with leaves and debris, it may be wise to drain the pool, acid wash and refill it.

After the chlorine level has come down below 5 ppm, add an algaecide and brush the pool again. When it all settles, vacuum the pool (to waste, if possible). Check and re-balance the pool water if necessary.

For algae which is not suspended, but only clinging to the walls, follow the same advice above, first shock with brushing, then add an algaecide, brush again, vacuum to waste (preferred) or vacuum and then backwash the filter. Use of a steel bristled brush is recommended for algae on plaster pools (use nylon brush on vinyl). Filter, Filter, Filter!

For black algae, the brushing part is very important. You must tear through the protective layers so the chemicals can destroy the plant from the inside out. Pumice stones work well to knock off the heads of black algae. (Don’t forget to vacuum them up later, and vacuum clean to waste). Also effective on the black algae nodules is sprinkling granular trichlor over the spots (of course if they’re on the wall this is next to impossible). Rubbing the spots on the walls with a trichlor tablet or stick can also be effective to knock off the heads and get trichlor directly to the roots. Follow up with a dose of copper algaecide, or high strength polymers.

Having said all this, my experience was, once the black algae was there you will never isolate areas in the pool and shift it with brushing or concentrated treatments in localized spots. Basicallly you will need to empty the pool. When the pool is empty thoroughly wash all the surfaces with a jet washer. Next acid wash it completely then rest it for at least a week. You will also need to completely change the sand in the filter, and try and rinse all other pipework and filter equipment with acid (in Spain we are lucky to have the splendid product Salfumant which is great for these heavy jobs – just be careful how you handle it, because this is basically concentrated hydrochloric acid. ) Also respect your equipment with such chemicals as it is VERY corrosive and can damage things quickly. Remember you are only trying to harm the algae.

For good algae prevention, we need a combination of good filtration, sanitation and circulation. It may be time to consider changing the old pump and filter. It’s cheaper and easier to pay a little up front for more chemicals, electricity or better equipment than all the money and aggravation spent on fighting algae blooms.

Calyenty is one of Spain’s leading swimming pool heating specialists, remember heating your pool may increase the chance of algae blooms unless correct advice is taken, we are happy to advise you on any issues you may have with your pool, so do not hesitate to contact us. We have dealers working across Spain and its islands, Portugal, France, UK and most other parts of Europe.

Written by Frugal Trader 10th December 2008

This is a blog published in Canada, which we found clear and interesting. If you wish you can acknowledge the original author by following the link above.

One of the regrets of my recent house build was not looking into the heating system a bit closer. When I was evaluating the heating options pre-build, the options were basically electric heat, oil furnace, or the more efficient heat pump systems. I went with electric as it was the easiest (and cheapest) at the time as it’s the option that most new houses go with around here.

Even though the house is fairly new, I’m already thinking about what my next build would include! This is a common problem with people who have built; they never want to stop building because there are always improvements to be made. With that, I’m convinced that my next house will include a heat pump type heating/cooling system.
What is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is a heating/cooling system for a home that works very similarly to your refrigerator. When it’s cold outside, it can efficiently extract the warmth out of the air, amplify it by compressing the refrigerant, and releasing the heat it into the home with a forced air system. What’s neat about a heat pump is that it can work in reverse and provide air conditioning inside the home during the warmer summer periods.
The Numbers

The cost to install a heat pump initially can be quite expensive. You need the heat pump, the forced air furnace, the duct work and heat control throughout the home. From phoning around local stores, the equipment and installation adds up to be around $6,500 - $10,000 depending on the size of your house.

Air source heat pumps (as opposed to ground source/geothermal) is, according to a government of Canada publication, known to have 50% greater efficiency than traditional electric heat sources. In other words, if it costs you $2,000 / year in electric heating costs, a heat pump will incur approximately $1,000/year in energy costs. In this case, the heat pump will pay for itself in 6-10 years. If you look at the government of Canada link above, that table includes the pay off period for different regions within the country.
Advantages

* Environmentally friendly where it reduces household carbon footprint.
* Reduces monthly heating costs.
* The ability to be a source for heat and air conditioning all in one unit.

Disadvantages

* Upfront expense.
* If the outside temperature gets too hot/cold, the heat pump becomes less efficient.
* In places with an abundance of snow (like Newfoundland), the heat pump must be kept clear of snow.

Final Thoughts

If we do decide to build again, I think that we will take the hit upfront and use the heat pump system. I like the fact that it’s environmentally friendly, there’s a significant monthly cost savings, and it has the ability to have air conditioning for those muggy nights. In addition to those immediate benefits, the heat pump will pay for itself over the years.

Do you have a heat pump installed in your house? If so, am I missing anything?

Calyenty based in Spain is a manufacturer and distributor of air to water heat pumps for heating swimming pool water. We are currently undergoing significant investment in developing the technology to offer a cost effective heating solution to cover domestic hot water and central heating. We are also helping in the development of a low cost ground source heat pump, the object of this development program to offer a product within a budget that will be low enough for the domestic, small commercial market.

Local authorities in Sweden are facing an interesting dilemma with how the managers of local public swimming pools deal with the bathing habits and wishes of their customers which vary wildly depending on which cultural/religious group they belong to.

On the one hand there was an outcry after some young Swedish girls were asked to leave their local swimming pool for removing their bikini tops after having entered the water. The manager gave reasons of hygiene, security and possible offense to others as the reasons for the ejection.

This action has fueled a group calling themselves the Bara Bröst network into further demonstrations of their wishes, and to make a number of statements in support of their cause. Bara Bröst translates into English as simply ‘bare breasts’ or ‘just breasts.’ Ragnhild Karlsson , 22, explained the womens’ motives for swimming without bikini tops:

“It’s a question of equality. I think it’s a problem that women are sexualized in this way. If women are forced to wear a top, shouldn’t men also have to?” Another member of the group went on to say “We want our breasts to be as ‘normal’ and desexualized as men’s, so that we too can pull off our shirts at football matches,”

Sweden’s bare breast network is gathering pace and incidents of breast revealing are increasing and ejections are being reported at many provincial public swimming pools across the liberated Scandinavian country. Ejections.

As if the topic wasn’t spicy and controversial enough, Sweden’s growing Muslim population is giving Sweden’s beleaguered public swimming pool managers another headache. It is a big part of Muslim culture that dictates that Muslim women are mostly covered at all times when in public. This must cause numerous problems for them when going about their everyday life, but snaps especially sharply into focus when they want to enjoy a dip at the local pool.

The problem starts when Fatima or Laila want to take a dip in the local public pool in their Burka or baggy body stocking. Again there are a number of reasons why Sweden’s pool managers have issues with this style of bathing. First of all there is the safety element, Burkas or indeed other forms of clothing can become very heavy when saturated in water and may pose a danger to the bather from sinking.

Then there is the hygiene issue, these heavy eastern fabrics can harbor germs or even parasites. Particles from the fabric can also come loose and make the pool initially look less inviting to other bathers and ultimately puts more strain on the pools filtration system. Also, the pool requires higher levels of chlorine, which is both expensive and less pleasant for the other bathers. Recently a pool manager in Malmo ejected two Muslim women for wearing a veil while swimming and this has caused a furore of a different kind.

The Swedish authorities are still fumbling with the breasts, and continue to search to find a solution for the growing band of liberated Swedes wishing to bare them. However, they have quickly come up with what they believe is the answer for our Muslim sisters dilemma - the Burkini.

For 30 krona, it is possible to now rent the all in one swimming burka from many of Swedens public baths, and if they prove popular there are plans to put them on sale.

However, things are never that simple, especially in Sweden’s multi-cultural public swimming bath community, and some Muslims are not sure that the burkini will be enough to make modest Muslim women comfortable with bathing in the presence of men.

“I’m not so sure. It’s pretty tight and still shows your body. Maybe it’s easier for some, but others can still probably not think of showing themselves in that way in front of men,” said Firouzfateh.

As you can see from the picture the burkini is ostensibly a rubber frogman suite. The author finds it quite extraordinary that anyone could feel exposed or un modest wearing such a thing, even in front of the friskiest male.

Maybe the solution to Sweden’s pool problem is to allow the plucky gals from the Bara Bröst network to bath alongside the sisters in the burkinis - any onlookers would be sufficiently distracted by Miss Karlsson and her band of bear breasted babes that Fatima and Laila can do their lengths in peace with no danger from their frogsuite’s potential power of arousal.

The author invites your comments.

Oliver Reavey is the Commercial Director of Calyenty SC, Spain’s leading Pool heating specialists.

Some weeks ago the Calyenty office in Calonge  we received a phone call from an interesting Costa Brava personality living in  the popular holiday destination resort of Lloret De Mar.

Swiss born artist Denise Mathyse likes to swim in warm water and despite the summer’s hot weather, the pool at Denise’s stunning Lloret de Mar property was still too cool for her and her sister with whom she shares her splendid property, to comfortably swim in.

As is our policy at Calyenty we went to survey the installation and found an Aladdin’s cave of beautiful artwork, mainly created by the proprietor, Denise, in a fantastically interesting property, again mainly designed by the artist, with little balconies overlooking the spectacular azure blue bay of Lloret punctuated with Mediterranean plants of all shapes and colours.

Artist Denise Mathyse moved to Lloret de Mar from Switzerland some forty years ago to follow a dream. That dream was to fall in love and follow the Bohemian lifestyle of painting where the natural sunlight of the Costa Brava illuminates her subjects to a kaleidoscope which feature in most of her canvases. Denise likes to paint in oils, which enable her to create the vivid colour exchanges that marks her work out and gives it her unique character.

There is an assortment of animals, mainly dogs and cats running around the place that add to the overall bohemian atmosphere Denise and her sister have created.  Covering a pool is always a good idea to keep the warmth in overnight when the temperature can drop quite significantly, but Denise was dead against this, worried that this might prevent any of the pets from escaping the water if they were ever to fall in.  We have informed Denise of a sort of ramp that can be fixed to the side of a pool to allow animals to walk out if they ever fancy a dip without supervision and need assistance to get out.

It is always risky to compare the works of different artistes but there are influences from Rousseau, Monet and her almost namesake Matisse in Denise’s work.

A week after we installed Denise’s pool heater she called us to report that she believed that her new system could not be working properly ‘I still cant swim, it is too cold’ she told us. Service is everything at Calyenty so we went to explore, no problem with the heater, we just needed to turn the heat up a little.

Denise and her sister are now enjoying the perfect dip, swimming every day in swimming conditions of 31 degrees Centigrade.

Calyenty is a supplier of premium quality whisper quiet stainless steel powerful swimming pool heater heat pumps supplying markets across Spain and its islands, Portugal, France, UK and other European countries.  We are also currently developing this technology for the heating of domestic and commercial hot water and central heating.  Calyenty are also developing a short vertical core (5m) budget priced GSHP ground source heat pump for use in domestic houses.

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