Tropical Fish^tm Liquid Solar Blanket

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One TROPICAL FISH^TM covers a pool area of 350 to 400 sq. ft for approximately one month
Example : 1 fish for an above ground pool up to 21 ft.
1 fish for inground pools up to 15ft x 30ft.
2 fish for above ground pools 24ft and up.
2 fish for inground pools 16ft x 32ft to 20ft x 40ft.

Product Description

TROPICAL FISH^TM is an alternative to conventional solar blankets.

Evaporation accounts for up to 7/8 of heat loss from a swimming pool. A single TROPICAL FISH^TM contains liquid which automatically floats to the surface of the pool and acts as an evaporation inhibitor, much as a conventional solar blanket performs, except a lot easier to use.

Our key ingredient is a nontoxic chemical called HEAT$AVR; it's been around for over 8 years and has a proven track record in commercial use. We packaged it to facilitate its application for the residential pool owner. HEAT$AVR is filter friendly, does not affect the chemical balance (PH, chlorine, alkalinity) of the water, will not damage vinyl liners or any other pool surfaces, and is absolutely harmless to skin contact.

TROPICAL FISH^TM contains a liquid called HEAT$AVR. HEAT$AVR works by slowing evaporation from the surface of the swimming pool. It reduces the steam loss per hour and therefore the dollar cost of keeping your pool warm.

HEAT$AVR is a mixture of carefully chosen ingredients which are lighter than water so that they automatically float to the surface. They are attracted to each other so that they always try to form a perfect very thin layer over the whole pool surface. They are individually so small that they are 500 times smaller than the spaces in a super high quality filter. After a swimmer stops disturbing the water they rush to reform a complete layer because they are chemically happiest that way.

HEAT$AVR theoretically could save half your heat bill if no one ever swam in the pool and if the circulation pump were turned off. This is not likely but HEAT$AVR does achieve savings as high as 40%.

How Does it Work?

Simply snip the fin where indicated and toss the fish in your pool. The TROPICAL FISH^TM submerges to the bottom of the pool and as the pressure increases, the liquid escapes, rises, and forms an invisible layer on the surface of the water. It is 60% as effective as a conventional solar blanket but 100% less trouble. It works 24 hours a day, even while people are swimming. TROPICAL FISH^TM will last for approximately 1 month. Then all you have to do is retrieve the fish and toss a new one in.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I would like to know if the skimmer and/or the filter are affected by the Liquid Blanket ?
No to both questions. The Liquid Blanket forms a layer on the surface of the water and gets pulled into the skimmer goes through the pump and filter and returns to the pool. The molecules that form the Liquid Blanket are so small that they will go through any filter including DE and cartridge filters.

2. I lose a lot of water due to evaporation during the hot summer months, will the Liquid Blanket help prevent this ?
Yes, the Liquid Blanket reduces the amount of evaporation from the pool.

3. Does the product prevent the evaporation of chlorine as well ?
Yes, however so minutely that you will probably not notice.

4. My dog drinks water from the pool. Will my dog get sick ?
No. Once in the pool the isopropyl alcohol in the Liquid Blanket is absorbed by the water, leaving only the active ingredient which is environmental safe and totally harmless. It is also tasteless and odorless so your pets won't be attracted to it.

5. Will the Liquid Blanket work in pools that are not heated ?
Yes ! The Liquid Blanket acts just like a conventional solar blanket. It reduces the amount of evaporation and heat loss from the pool. Without a heating system for your pool you can ill afford to lose any heat during the colder months. The Tropical fish will help keep some of it.

6. Do swimmers carry any residue out of the pool after swimming ? Is it noticeable ? Is a shower after swimming advisable ?
The layer formed on the surface is not sticky and will not cling to your body. Also it is only 1 molecule thick, so there is very very little of it. You won't notice it because the liquid is clear, odorless and inert. You don't need to shower to remove the liquid. As always you might want to shower at the end of the day to remove the chlorine.

7. Will the Liquid Blanket work in different climatic conditions ?
The principal of how the Liquid Solar Blanket works is the same everywhere. It forms a layer on the surface of your pool water and prevents evaporation and heat loss. However the Liquid Blanket works best with temperatures above 70F. If your pool is below this, you should wait until warmer weather to use the Tropical Fish.

8. In smaller pools will a Tropical Fish last longer than one month ?
No, the Tropical Fish "leaks" out the liquid at a controlled rate over a 1 month period.

9. Once I put the Tropical Fish in the pool how long before it starts working ?
The layer on the surface of the pool water takes 1 or 2 days to form.

10. I just put my Tropical fish in my pool and it didn't sink ?
The Tropical fish will float if there is any air left in it. Gently squeeze any air out of the fish until a little of the liquid starts to come out. It will now sink to the bottom slowly.

11. Can you physically tell that the product is being used in the pool ?
Not really. There is no coloration so you can't see the layer formed. The water tension is slightly changed, so if you look closely you may be able to notice this. It sort of looks like there is something there... but you're not really sure.

12. Does the turbulence caused by my jets and/or fountain affect the efficiency of the product ?
Yes, the product's performance is reduced in the area where the water is disturbed. You can reduce the turbulence by facing the pool jets towards the bottom of the pool. A fountain, due to the evaporation effect of the mist, COOLS a pool incredibly. If pool heat is a priority, the fountain running time should be reduced.

13. How do I know when the Tropical Fish is empty ?
The fish will be flat and will have lost its blue coloration.

14. It's been only 20 days since I put the Tropical Fish in the pool and it's empty, how come ?
Normally the Tropical Fish should empty out in +/- 25 days. There would then remain a residual which would biodegrade in 3 to 5 days. As you can imagine a very small amount of liquid comes out each day over the +/- 25 days. When you first put the Fish in your pool, cutting it exactly on the line and not lower was very important. After you cut it on the black line, slightly squeeze the Tropical Fish. The liquid should only dribble out. If the liquid squirts out the Tropical Fish will empty more quickly. We are presently modifying the Tropical Fish design to make the cutting process less critical.

15. A white residue formed on the surface of my pool the day after I put the fish in. Did I do anything wrong ?
There are two reasons why this could happen. The first is that your pool water was too cold. The Liquid Blanket works best with temperatures above 70F. The second is that that the Tropical Fish let too much of the liquid out at a time.
In both cases the liquid blanket is still doing its job. The white residue will go away in a couple of days without doing any harm to your pool or filtering system.

16. I have an automatic vacuum for my pool. Will it affect my Tropical Fish ?
Tie your Tropical Fish using a string to your ladder. It should be slightly above the bottom of the pool and out of the way.