CuLATOR INFLATED LIKE A BALLOON, IS THIS NORMAL?

CuLator Ultra 4.0 hydrated and puffy.
CuLator Ultra 4.0 hydrates and puffs up. This is normal.

Message: 

I’ve used CuLator 4.0 for the past few years and have been happy with the results. I believe there is a problem with the CuLator 4.0 I purchased this year from Leslie’s Pool Supply. After placing it in the skimmer, the bag in the plastic holder has inflated like a balloon. Is this a defective product?

Response:

Thank you for your email and continued use of CuLator!

Your new CuLator Ultra 4.0 is supposed to inflate.  The polymers inside hydrate and then start to bind the metals. Often, it looks like a grenade when the polymers are hydrated inside the bag.  When the bag shrinks to ½ the size, feels watery inside, or crunchy inside, then the CuLator is finished and needs to be replaced.  If the bag is still puffy, then it has capacity to remove metals.  

Note:  Sometimes in our production process, polymers get onto the outside of the CuLator bag.  Don’t worry, the polymers are non-toxic and they will slough off and get caught by the filter.  These will show up as a clear gel on the outside of the bag.  If you happen to see a white substance, which looks like Crisco, form on the outside of the CuLator bag, that is phosphate remover which gets caught by the bag.  Just rinse that off and the CuLator will work normally.

 

phosphate remover on CuLator bag
Phosphate Remover collects on the CuLator bag (white goo). Just rinse this off and the CuLator works fine.

Is the CuLator Still Working When Puffed Up?

We get questions about if CuLator is working and when you know it is finished and needs to be replaced.

Here is an example of a question:

Love your product my pool had very high copper levels after 4 days my bag is blue and puffed up. Should I take it out if it is puffed up ? I bought the 1.0 and seems to really be working so I purchased the 4.0 also!

Here is an answer:

When the CuLator is puffed up, it means the CuLator polymers have “hydrated”.  This is normal and does not mean all the metals have been removed from the water.  When the contents of the CuLator bag shrink to half their size, or the contents feel watery or like pebbles inside, then it is time to replace the CuLator.  This may take 1-3 months with the CuLator 1.0 and up to 6 months with the CuLator Ultra 4.0.

When the contents of the bag turns blue (or another color), that indicates that metals are being removed from the water.  The best way to see if metals are being removed is to hold the bag up to the light (with the light behind the bag) and see if there is a color INSIDE the bag.

If the bag is “puffy” it still has capacity to remove metals from the water.  If you aren’t sure you can always call Periodic Products at 954-764-7654.

 

CuLator Ultra 4.0 hydrated and puffy.
When the CuLator is Puffy There is Still Capacity to Remove More Metals from Pool Water
Used CuLator with Copper Removed From the Pool.
CuLator 1.0 Used and Blue Indicates Copper was Removed from the Pool Water

We also have a product call the CuLator Metal Indicator Tabs, which is an easy visual to use to determine if you have metals and which one you have in your pool water.

CuLator Metal Indicator Tab Showing Copper Present in Pool.
Metal Indicator Tab Turns Blue/Teal Indicates Copper Present in Pool Water
CuLator Metal Indicator Tab- Indicating iron is in the swimming pool water
Metal Indicator Tab Turns Yellow/Orange/Rust Indicates Iron Present in Pool Water

CuLator Solves Copper Cyanurate Problems in Swimming Pools

We received a question from a customer who had purple gunk at the bottom of his swimming pool.  We suspected that he had copper cyanurate.  We had him check his CYA level which was very high.  His copper level was also very high.  High copper + High CYA = Copper Cyanurate.   We had him drain the pool water and refill until the CYA was between 30-50.  When he drained the water, there was a light purple residue (sand) which showed up on the street pavement.  Obviously, that purple sand was copper cyanurate.  He was instructed to add a CuLator Ultra 4.0 to his pump basket and the problem was solved.

Here is what was said in his own words:

06/20/20 

Here are the photos of our pool. The last two photos show the residue that accumulated in the street at the end of the vacuum hose. The numbers are looking great; we will be placing the CuLator Ultra 4.0 cartridge in the pump basket this evening! 

Once again, thank you for all your help. I look forward to doing business with you in the future.

 

09/10/20

Pool closing…thanks for all your help this Spring with our “Purple Haze” problem. We survived the summer with pristine pool water and no problems.

H.D. Long Island, NY

Why does the CuLator Ultra 4.0 Swell Up?

When CuLator is added to the skimmer or pump basket, it usually swells up and becomes very puffy. This is normal. The best way to see if the CuLator is catching metals is to hold it up to the light. In this case, there is some blue at the top showing that the CuLator is binding copper out of the swimming pool water and preventing stains..

 

 

Why does the CuLator Ultra 4.0 puff up? The CuLator polymers “hydrate” when they enter the water and puff up.  As they bind the metals out of the pool water, the CuLator bags will “shrink” back down to a much smaller size.  So, when is CuLator finished?  It is easier to tell with the Ultra 4.0 because the bag will be about 1/2 full, or the contents will feel watery inside or they will feel sandy.  With the 1.0 it is a little bit harder to tell, but when the bag feels almost empty or there is a lot of color in the bag after a month, then it is exhausted.

Opening Your Pool with CuLator Metal Eliminator

Ultra PowerPak 4.0 When you open your pool here are a few hints:
  • Place a CuLator Ultra 4.0 into the pump basket and run a few days before adding any swimming pool chemicals (as long as the pH is above 7).
  • Leave the CuLator Ultra 4.0 in for the entire summer to grab metals out of the water and keep your water clear and to prevent staining.
  • If you are worried about any metal levels in the water, add some sequestering agent to the water to hold the metals in suspension until the CuLator will pull them out.
    CuLator Metal Sequester
    CuLator Metal Sequester
  Swim and have fun in a metal free and stain free pool!

Use CuLator Ultra 4.0 to Remove 0.4 Copper from 31,000 Gallons

CuLator Ultra 4.0
I have 0.4 copper in my pool currently. I am treating my pool for almost 3K ppb phosphate now. I used a sequestering agent a few weeks ago (Bioguard/SparkleUp) and then cleaned the filter with no reduction in copper. Do I need to add another sequestering agent to the water when I add the culator 4.0 in? My pool is about 31K gallons. Thanks for any advice!

DC

 

Hi DC,

Thanks for the questions.  The sequestering agent will last about a month.  Just place the CuLator Ultra 4.0 into the pump basket and leave it in all summer.  You should be good to go!

Thanks,

David

Before CuLator and After CuLator

Fiberglass pool treated with NO-DRAIN Metal Stain Eliminator Kit and CuLator Metal Eliminator

before-and-after-blain-pool

Here are images from a customer who used a No Drain Metal Stain Eliminator Kit on an in-ground fiberglass pool.  The pool was completely stained, but the stains were lifted, sequestered, and eliminated with a CuLator Ultra 4.0

 

What is interesting about this pool is that we noticed that there is no metal touching the water.  So, we asked the pool owner if the water was bonded (which equalizes the electrical potential) and he found out that his water was NOT bonded.  Once he bonded the water, his metals were not immediately plating out onto the surface.

You not only have ground your pool equipment, you must also bond the water.  Yes, these are two different musts.  Many new fiberglass pools are not bonded.  Please check your pool!

Here is a great site about Pool Water Bonding.