Hello, We are in the process of getting bids on a pool. We have not yet decided on a builder. I started looking into all the methods to sanitzie the pool. When I ask the builders about the copper ionization they really don't know much about it, or feel that it could not do the job adequately. The one thing they all tell me is that the copper will stain the pool, unlike what the website says. How long have you been a dealer? What is your take on staining? Is there anything I need to consider when building my pool that will work better with the system? I wonder why if it is such an amazing thing why pool builders are not out there promoting it. As much as I know I want to get away from chlorine and even salt water, I am somewhat skeptical of the system. My husband is very skeptical. Thanks for any input you could give me. Tina
Tina, Thanks for your interest, and for all the great questions.
1) Why haven't pool builders heard about it? ECOsmarte was marketed strictly over the internet for the first 8 years the company was in business. Since then, a wide network of dealers has developed. We are now in all 50 states and 46 countries. Since our home office is in Minnesota, ECOsmarte moved across the country in an east to west direction. About 11% of the pools in the general Minnesota area are ECOsmarte pools, and we are huge in Florida. I have been a dealer for a year and a half now. When I found this company, I couldn't believe it wasn't all over California (where I live), and set about to remedy that situation. Copper ionization alone is not sufficient to keep a pool chlorine-free; it is our powerful electronic oxidation in conjunction with the copper that provides the level of sanitization necessary for a non-chlorine pool. We have been advertising "Chlorine-Free" since the company began, with absolutely no problems from the FTC, because it is true.
2) Will copper stain my pool? Not unless you let your pool get way out of balance. The reason pool builders think that copper will stain the pool is because when chlorine is present with copper, it will precipitate out the copper and stain the pool. Since our systems are chlorine-free, this is a non-issue. If you let the PH of your pool get quite high, the copper can precipitate out as well, but that takes a huge amount of neglect and mismanagement. We very rarely have that problem.
3) What to consider when building your pool that will work better with the ECOsmarte system? I am so glad you asked. You will get the very best results with:
a) Adequate circulation; a turnover time of 1.5 to 2 times per day
b) Sand filter
c) Glass media (yes, I said glass media - completely post-consumer & recycled)
I discuss this a little more in one of my other posts here. Though the initial cost for the sand filter and glass media is higher, it will save you countless hours of cleaning out DE (diatomaceous earth) filters, the carcinogenic exposure to and environmental impact of DE itself, and provide you with far superior filtration; 3 microns when the DE averages about 10. The resulting clarity of your pool will astound you. And in the long run, you will save money not only on labor costs, but because glass media lasts for years and years. Here's a link for more information (just increase the size of the PDF to read it - yes, our website needs work!)
3) Healthy skepticism is good; we welcome that. After about 12,000 pool installations, we have more than proven ourselves, and have 65 testimonials on our home website. Be assured we have a 60 day money-back guarantee as well as a 5 year warranty on everything but the (self-sacrificing) copper bars. You also get 6 months of toll-free support from the answer guys in Minnesota to help you or your pool guy learn the system. Your real risk is in swimming in toxic chemicals!
