While you're waiting for the pump to be repaired go ahead and add liquid chlorine as normal and use your brush to mix it all around. You don't want it to let it go backwards if you can help it.
Converting to SWG today
- Thread starter LINY
- Start date
Pump is back in action... Started up at 4pm yesterday
TC was still above 28 dropped over night for the first time to 27 so have topped it up, but not surprised half a trees seeds and pollen had escaped into it whilst the pump wasn't running and due to my incompantancies I failed to put dophin round on Friday mad at myself today.. Guess that's a lesson learnt.
Fingers crossed for tonight's overnight but we are expecting rain so I guess the chances are I will fail it again... Sigh!
on a side note on reading my swg manual it suggests using an algaecide thoughts please?
TC was still above 28 dropped over night for the first time to 27 so have topped it up, but not surprised half a trees seeds and pollen had escaped into it whilst the pump wasn't running and due to my incompantancies I failed to put dophin round on Friday mad at myself today.. Guess that's a lesson learnt.
Fingers crossed for tonight's overnight but we are expecting rain so I guess the chances are I will fail it again... Sigh!
on a side note on reading my swg manual it suggests using an algaecide thoughts please?
Didn't get as much rain fall as first expected and I passed the OCLT my pool is in the sun pretty much as dawn breaks so I set my alarm before dawn to do the test. Had 1ppm TC loss CC 0 and crystal clear water.
So my next question is do I wait till my TC is below 10 before sorting out the pH and TA?
I have turned my SWG on its set at 1% there isn't a 0% just so we can do the readings of the salt on there.. Interestingly I also bought some salt testing sticks which states I have far less salt than the machine is telling me. A difference of about 8040 ppm not sure if the generator can give an instant reading of salt in ppm It states in my manual that it can take 24 hours for any adjustments to register when adding salt so I guess I just wait.
So to summarize I think I need to wait for everything to settle and I just need to keep brushing (I like the stroll round with a brush! Lol) and send in my dolphin. Am I correct?
So my next question is do I wait till my TC is below 10 before sorting out the pH and TA?
I have turned my SWG on its set at 1% there isn't a 0% just so we can do the readings of the salt on there.. Interestingly I also bought some salt testing sticks which states I have far less salt than the machine is telling me. A difference of about 8040 ppm not sure if the generator can give an instant reading of salt in ppm It states in my manual that it can take 24 hours for any adjustments to register when adding salt so I guess I just wait.
So to summarize I think I need to wait for everything to settle and I just need to keep brushing (I like the stroll round with a brush! Lol) and send in my dolphin. Am I correct?
Yup, that'll do it. 
As to the algaecide- we generally don't recommend the use of algaecides. Many folks mistakenly think when they have algae they should use it then, but they're really a preventative than a cure. They often are used at closing, or when folks are dealing with metals stains or in their water and treating that.
Soooooo all that said- my answer would be no to the algaecide. Just keeping your FC at the right level will prevent algae.
And yeah, if your FC is over 10 you can't make any pH adjustments with confidence. Just wait till the FC drops.
As to the algaecide- we generally don't recommend the use of algaecides. Many folks mistakenly think when they have algae they should use it then, but they're really a preventative than a cure. They often are used at closing, or when folks are dealing with metals stains or in their water and treating that.
Soooooo all that said- my answer would be no to the algaecide. Just keeping your FC at the right level will prevent algae.
And yeah, if your FC is over 10 you can't make any pH adjustments with confidence. Just wait till the FC drops.
Quick question how low should I let my FC drop before turning my SWG on to say 50% currently at 1 not producing anything but on so we could see what the salt reading was
I have been monitoring my FC level which has dropped to 11.5 I worry if I leave it too late my level will drop too far and not produce in time.
I have been monitoring my FC level which has dropped to 11.5 I worry if I leave it too late my level will drop too far and not produce in time.
Ok, I looked back where you said your CYA was 70. So using this as a reference: [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] I see your ideal FC level is 5 (and it should NEVER go below 3). So I would let it stay near-off until you get to....oh...6 or so? Then turn it on to 50% and see how it does at maintaining your pool. Keep in mind that pools usually lose about 2ppm of chlorine a day naturally, so you just need it to keep up with the expected loss.
And anytime you're unsure and need more FC fast (such as baby diaper blowout) you can use bleach again for the instant response. The SWG would take too long to rise to the occasion...y'know?
And anytime you're unsure and need more FC fast (such as baby diaper blowout) you can use bleach again for the instant response. The SWG would take too long to rise to the occasion...y'know?
Ok wasn't too sure how responsive the system worked... Thanks for the tip will check levels again later and tomorrow it's been warmer than normal here for the past few days.
When using salt test strips, only put them in 1" of water, and read when the little stripe at the top has turned black. I'm worried that you said there was an 8000 ppm difference, because your salt system most likely wants to be somewhere around 3500, not 11,000.
My difference should have read 840 ppm my mistake... Today I can't decide if I should trust the salt testing sticks today it said I dropped 1000 ppm going to trust the SWG I think it is closer to the mark than the sticks guess time will tell and I have bottles of bleach as a back up
I would suggest you trust nothing except the Taylor K-1766 Salt Test.
I don't care what my SWG says because it still toodles along making chlorine. It thinks I have too much salt. I don't. My salt test kit says I'm right on the money.
I don't care what my SWG says because it still toodles along making chlorine. It thinks I have too much salt. I don't. My salt test kit says I'm right on the money.
I did wonder about the Taylor salt test kit... I guess I will have to go for it! My husband thinks I'm ocd about this pool now! I just want to have it great all summer.
Just ordered it.. soon I will have the knowledge at my fingertips! Lol (well there's hope!)
Ha!Ha! Wait till he brags about how pristine clear your pool is compared to the guy down the street who is fighting algae all summer long. He'll appreciate your efforts then.
Its a lot to grasp at first, and to get the pool in line but once you have the hang of it- its so easy!
Right Salt Test Kit arrived tests results are in
3600PPM so spot on for my machine recommendations
the rest of my results are in with my machine running on 50%
Temp 76
ph 7.5
FC 6.5
CC 0.5
TC 7
CYA 80
TA 90
CH 125
Question I am pretty much on the mark for everything bar my TA being a little high Ch is low but I am a vinyl pool. Do you think I should try and lower my TA a bit? My salt water generator manual recommends level of TA between 80 and 120. I know I should ignore the manual and go by recommended levels here but I just wondered if it was lowered it would mess too much with the pH then lead to further trouble... it looks so good I don't really want to mess it up fiddling figures.
3600PPM so spot on for my machine recommendations
the rest of my results are in with my machine running on 50%
Temp 76
ph 7.5
FC 6.5
CC 0.5
TC 7
CYA 80
TA 90
CH 125
Question I am pretty much on the mark for everything bar my TA being a little high Ch is low but I am a vinyl pool. Do you think I should try and lower my TA a bit? My salt water generator manual recommends level of TA between 80 and 120. I know I should ignore the manual and go by recommended levels here but I just wondered if it was lowered it would mess too much with the pH then lead to further trouble... it looks so good I don't really want to mess it up fiddling figures.
Saturn94
Bronze Supporter
- Mar 11, 2015
- 1,746
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Looks good. I wouldn't mess with TA right now. How stable is your pH? If your pH is pretty stable, then no TA adjustment is needed. Btw, if you do have to add acid a bit to keep pH down, your TA will come down from the acid additions.
pH has been the same since 5/31 (5 Days) I didn't check pH prior to that due to slamming only when shock level had dropped considerably. So with that said I think I am going to leave it well alone and enjoy a beer watching my kids having fun in the pool!
Saturn94
Bronze Supporter
- Mar 11, 2015
- 1,746
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
Thanks guys your help has been quite frankly amazing... i wouldn't have thought 2 weeks ago I would have been enjoying the pool today... took 4 weeks to get where I am today last year and even then it was still not as good (had a bad case of algae always lurking)... today crystal clear and not a puff of anything as I brush. Thanks again.