Frequently Asked Questions

Once the unit is added to the skimmer (or pump basket), all blue minerals dissolve out of the cylinder and pass through the pool filter and into the water within 4 – 6 hours. 

The minerals form a stable residual throughout the whole body of water eliminating the algae and bacteria wherever they may be in the pool.

These minerals recharge ionically as they pass through the PoolRx cylinder. 

This is why the minerals are so effective and last up to 6 months, depending on algae kill, backwash and splash-out.

We recommend placing the unit in the skimmer if there is good water flow. This allows more time for the minerals to dissolve before passing through the pool filter.

Both formulas work great and are very similar. The PoolRx+ products have “silver” as an additional active ingredient to eliminate algae and bacteria.

If the filter pressure is high and the water flow is restricted, you must backwash / clean the filter immediately. 

Under certain circumstances, filters can clog with various materials including the influx of PoolRx minerals. This is why we strongly recommend starting with a clean filter and placing the PoolRx unit in the skimmer (or pump basket) with minimum 4-6 hours of pump run time left.

This is by design.

All the minerals completely release out of the unit and through the filter into the whole body of water within 4 – 6 hours of being placed in the skimmer (or pump basket).

The minerals form a stable residual throughout the whole body of water eliminating the algae and bacteria wherever they may be in the pool.

These minerals recharge ionically as they pass again through the PoolRx cylinder.

Yes. The minerals are packed inside the specially treated alloy cylinder in the PoolRx unit. The minerals are blue-ish in color and start dissolving immediately when placed in water. That is why it’s important to run the pump after install for at least 3-4 hours (longer is even better) so all the minerals can dissolve completely into solution and circulate properly.

It is safe for your pets to drink water treated with PoolRx. PoolRx has an NSF certification for drinking water. Please be mindful of chlorine levels and other chemicals.

Yes. The minerals dissolve completely and immediately out of the unit and into solution throughout the entire body of water. The minerals DO NOT slowly dissolve over time like chlorine tablet. They dissolve typically within a few hours based on flow over the unit, and form a stable residual eliminating and preventing all types of algae.

It could be due to flow over the unit. If you place it in your skimmer basket, but there was not strong suction, the minerals could take longer to dissolve. Also, in very rare cases, check the plastic outer shell. If the holes are not perforated all the way through on the top and bottom of Plastic outer shell, take a screwdriver and poke them through. This will allow the minerals to dissolve out easier. (This delay in dissolving completely does not affect the product, or longevity, it’s only a delay in seeing the results.)

The PoolRx minerals inside the PoolRx unit (and/or the Booster minerals) are in a granular form before they dissolve. If the filter is dirty, the minerals get caught up on the dirty filter and don’t dissolve through. If this happens, you don’t get enough mineral in solution in the water and you won’t get the results we advertise.

No. The minerals are uniquely chelated. This is one of the things that sets us apart from other copper-based products. Our chelation protects our minerals at a molecular level, so they DO NOT fall out of solution and stain the pool due to overoxidation or pH fluctuations. Because of this chelation, if you test for copper after using PoolRx, you will not get an accurate or consistent reading. So, if you think you have copper coming into the water from some other source, (well water, old copper plumbing, old copper heat exchanger that is leaching copper in the water, other copper based products, etc.) be sure to TEST for Copper first. If you are at 0.2ppm or less, it’s OK to use PoolRx. If above that 0.2ppm, resolve those issues before using PoolRx. Once you have PoolRx in the water your copper reading will not be reliable untile 6 months later when the PoolRx minerals have been up and filtered out.

No, Do not use other copper based products with PoolRx. (You won’t need to, but more importantly, you don’t want to saturate the water) If your copper reading before adding PoolRx is at 0.2ppm or less, it’s OK to add PoolRx. If above 0.2ppm then address that issue first before installing PoolRx. Note: PoolRx is adding the right amount of specially chelated copper, at the right time, the minerals are rejuvenated when they pass over the specially treated alloy cylinder and the minerals are used up and filtered out over time, so we never get to a saturation point when used as directed. Keep in mind, if you do saturate the water, it won’t be the chelated minerals that fall out do to pH fluctuation or over oxidation, it will be the free non chelated copper that will cause the problem. Once PoolRx is ‘in solution’ it will not ‘fall out’. Understand that if you ‘overdose’ the pool with PoolRx, the minerals will not have room to dissolve ‘into solution’ and can stay in granular form. They will settle to the bottom or stick to the scale. (See question 12 and 25)

1. Time: It’s been 4-6 months since you first installed PoolRx.
2. Your chlorine demand goes back up to where it was prior to installing PoolRx.
3. Your water is cloudy, or you start to see algae

Note: Because a small amount of minerals are still working in the water you will notice a gradual change over about a two week period. This gives you plenty of time to add a booster or new PoolRx unit. Reminder: The minerals are used up from Algae kill, backwashing filter cleaning and splash out. The more these factors happen, the shorter the lifespan of the minerals.

A PoolRx booster is 8oz. of the PoolRx minerals. It can support 7.5K-20K gallons.
Booster minerals are used for the following:
1. Longer seasons (beyond 4-6 months)
2. Tough conditions (the harder the minerals work, the shorter the lifespan)
3. Green Pools (the minerals get used up from Algae kill, backwashing/filter cleanings, so you will likely need to add a booster before 6 months)
4. Larger Pools (you need to have the right amount of minerals in the water based on total gallons, so the chemistry works.) See sizing chart.

*Whether purchased as a part of a PoolRx unit or as Booster the minerals are the exact same formula and will
do the exact same thing. These minerals completely dissolve into solution within a few hours of being placed in
your skimmer or pump basket and form a residual throughout the pool water for up to 6 months. Over the 6-
month period you will lose these minerals through algae kill, filter cleanings and splash out. In order to keep the
PoolRx minerals active for up to 6 months, you must also have the PoolRx cylinder in the water. Without making
contact with the cylinder, the minerals will lose their effectiveness within 2-4 weeks of install.

As with all pool products that depend on chemistry, sizing is important. Choosing the correct size unit based on total gallon is important. If you undersize the unit, it won’t work. If you over size / overdose, the minerals won’t have room to dissolve properly. Depending on the size you are supporting you may need to add additional Booster Minerals to support the total gallons of the pool. We need the right amount of minerals in the water to reach the level where algae cannot exist. See sizing chart.

No, more is not better. There is a wide range for error on sizing, but Yes, you can overdose. If you add too much mineral to the water, the granular mineral won’t have room to dissolve into solution. It can stay in granular form (a blue-ish color) and it will settle to the bottom and or float around and stick to the scale turning it a blueish color. See FAQ 24: I made a mistake. How do I fix it?

If you don’t, the minerals will start dissolving after install. If the pump is not running, the minerals will dissolve in a concentration at the bottom of the basket, and when the pump turns on several hours later, 20,000 gallons of concentrated minerals blow through the system and into the pool, in a big plume of undissolved minerals. If this happens the minerals don’t have time to dissolve properly into solution and they can stay in granular form and stick the scale on the surface turning it a blue-ish color. There is a simple fix, we recommend Jacks Magic Blue stuff. It’s a phosphonic acid that will help dissolve the mineral off the surface and into solution. See FAQ 24: I made a mistake. How do I fix it?

All types of chlorine are compatible with PoolRx. (IMPORTANT NOTE: If using Cal-Hypo granular chlorine (SHOCK), be sure to dissolve and dilute. BE SURE to dissolve each pound into a 5-gallon bucket of water before pouring in the pool slowly as you walk around deep end of pool, so it can further dilute. If you don’t, the PoolRx minerals make that particular type of chlorine so active and available, that if you just sprinkle it in, depending on your water chemistry, it can INSTANTLY OXIDIZE WHEN IT SETTLES TO BOTTOM AND TOUCHES THE SURFACE (you won’t have time to brush it up). The granular cal-hypo chlorine instantly turns black/grey. It will eventually go away after a few weeks, and there is an easy fix to clean it up sooner, but it’s totally avoidable if you just dissolve and dilute the cal-hypo before pouring in the pool. See FAQ #24: I made a mistake. How do I fix it?

No. PoolRx is not compatible with Bromine. You may see a yellow tinge to the water or some foaming. Not dangerous, but not a good look! With PoolRx you can use so little chlorine that you will not feel it or smell it.

YES! PoolRx works great with those systems. PoolRx minerals are not affected by UV or Ozone. Even better, the minerals are in solution throughout the entire body of water, preventing all types of algae and freeing up chlorine to be more available. UV and Ozone systems only oxidize the water for a few seconds. The water is then exposed to contaminants when it returns to the pool. This is where adding PoolRx to a UV or Ozone system really makes sense.

All you NEED with PoolRx is balanced water in normal pool chemistry ranges, and a constant residual of least 0.5-1.0ppm of Free Chlorine. You can keep a higher ppm of chlorine if you wish. (With PoolRx you will notice it takes you less chlorine to reach your desired ppm) You will also need to run your pump long enough to circulate and filter your water at least 1.5 times a day (ideally, during the heat of the

First, we ask you a question. Do you know why you’ve been told to reduce phosphates? They answer is, because they are food for algae. That’s it.

Phosphates are simply food for algae. With PoolRx there is NO ALGAE, so it does not matter how much food is in the water. You can’t see, feel, smell or taste phosphates. Phosphates DO NOT consume your chlorine…it’s the Algae (even the micro algae) and bacteria and other contaminants that consumes (uses up) your chlorine.

With PoolRx there is NO ALGAE…there is NO MICRO ALGAE, so it does not matter how high your phosphate levels are. With PoolRx we eliminate all types of algae and by doing that, we free up the chlorine to be more available to eliminate the much easier to kill bacteria and other contaminants. With PoolRx your water can be high in phosphates, but it will be algae free and crystal clear, using less chlorine.

NOTE: If you have a salt pool, most salt chlorine generator manufactures require that you keep phosphates low. It’s believed that phosphates interfere with the electrolysis and chlorine production. They say the lower the phosphates in a salt pool, the more efficient the generator can produce chlorine. We understand if you’d like to continue adding Phosphate Remover to salt pools. PoolRx is compatible with all Phosphate Removers.

1. The minerals are uniquely chelated, so they are safe to use in the high pH environment of a salt pool. They will not stain.

2. With PoolRx you can turn down the salt chlorine generator by 50% +/- of its previous setting. (The minerals free up the chlorine to be more active and available, so it takes less, and you can use less).

3. If you are producing less high pH chlorine, you can use less acid to balance the water.

4. There is some zinc in the mineral formulation. The zinc helps to prevent scale from attaching to the salt cell as easily, so you will won’t have to clean it as frequently.

5. Less generation, less cleaning, prolongs the life the salt cell, equipment and surfaces.

6. PoolRx minerals are always working for you in the water, even when your chlorine demands fluctuate.

Sodium Bromide, Bromine, Biguanides, Other Copper based products. (NO Cal-Hypo directly into the pool. MUST dissolve and dilute first. See question 15 and 24).