Salt level keeps rising, help!
- Thread starter thedeadliving5
- Start date
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,288
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Click the link on PoolMath (top of page) and enter all your numbers. There's a spot at the bottom that gives you your water balance index and advice about it.
Whenever you post test results here, do so like this:
FC x.x
CC x.x
pH x.x
TA xx
CH 160
CYA xx
Salt xxxx
You don't need to test CH, CYA and Salt more than once a month, but include your last result. TA is tested weekly, same thing, your last result is fine. FC and pH need to be tested daily until you understand your trends.
Also, please add a signature with your pool information. Instructions are in "read before posting" which is linked in my signature. There's some other tips there as well, which will help you get the best advice.
With those numbers in hand, we can answer the question about your plaster
Whenever you post test results here, do so like this:
FC x.x
CC x.x
pH x.x
TA xx
CH 160
CYA xx
Salt xxxx
You don't need to test CH, CYA and Salt more than once a month, but include your last result. TA is tested weekly, same thing, your last result is fine. FC and pH need to be tested daily until you understand your trends.
Also, please add a signature with your pool information. Instructions are in "read before posting" which is linked in my signature. There's some other tips there as well, which will help you get the best advice.
With those numbers in hand, we can answer the question about your plaster
Sorry about the signature, it has been updated, along with my current numbers, thanks guys!
FC 5.1
CC 5.1
ph 7.64
TA 70
CH 160
CYA 70
Salt 3900
FC 5.1
CC 5.1
ph 7.64
TA 70
CH 160
CYA 70
Salt 3900
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,288
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
No worries, it just takes a little while to get everything set up here.
What test kit are you using?
Your water is aggressive on your plaster, which means it's dissolving it a bit very, very slowly. The cure is to raise the CH to recommended levels. Your fill water will add some calcium over time, so start at the lower end of the range. Calcium can only be removed by draining. Slightly higher pH (7.7-7.8) will also help, but 7.6 is fine when the calcium is in range.
Pool School - Recommended Levels
What test kit are you using?
Your water is aggressive on your plaster, which means it's dissolving it a bit very, very slowly. The cure is to raise the CH to recommended levels. Your fill water will add some calcium over time, so start at the lower end of the range. Calcium can only be removed by draining. Slightly higher pH (7.7-7.8) will also help, but 7.6 is fine when the calcium is in range.
Pool School - Recommended Levels
I have yet to get my own TF-100 kit, but thankfully one of my friends had a Taylor kit of their own(not sure which one) that they brought over and helped me test with. I will see if I can find some some Calcium Chloride here locally in AZ, most pool owners have trouble keeping their CH from getting too high, obviously not in my situation so its hard to find. I will report back with what I find, and keep pushing my wife to let me spend the $$ on my own test w/speed stir.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,288
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
K, no worries. I had to ask because your numbers were a bit odd.
For FC, it should be units of 0.5, using a 10 ml sample size. Yours said 5.1
It could be 5.2 using a 25 ml sample size, but we just stick to 10 ml because it saves reagents and works fine.
You wrote CC as 5.1 as well, and I think you meant 0.0
Also pH was 7.64, and we would just write 7.6
No big deal, but trying to explain that the testing is only as accurate as the number of drops, or nearest color comparison.
If a big box or hardware store has some road de-icer left over, that's the source of calcium chloride most people here use. You can test your fill water for CH as well, and then we/you will know how much your top-ups are going to add. You can mention to your better half that people here save back the price of the test kit within a few months, by avoiding pool $tore potions and getting our pool chems at WalMart. We're all about saving money!
For FC, it should be units of 0.5, using a 10 ml sample size. Yours said 5.1
It could be 5.2 using a 25 ml sample size, but we just stick to 10 ml because it saves reagents and works fine.
You wrote CC as 5.1 as well, and I think you meant 0.0
Also pH was 7.64, and we would just write 7.6
No big deal, but trying to explain that the testing is only as accurate as the number of drops, or nearest color comparison.
If a big box or hardware store has some road de-icer left over, that's the source of calcium chloride most people here use. You can test your fill water for CH as well, and then we/you will know how much your top-ups are going to add. You can mention to your better half that people here save back the price of the test kit within a few months, by avoiding pool $tore potions and getting our pool chems at WalMart. We're all about saving money!
I understand completely, the only numbers I have seen are from the pool store and I was told those are worthless so I assumed his numbers were better than theirs. I will ask him to come over and test them again and try to pay better attention.
I will report back after I retest, thanks!
I will report back after I retest, thanks!
X1000000 on the speed stir. If mine broke tomorrow, I would order another immediately. I think it's a necessity not a luxury.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
Other pool chem aside... it looks like your salt concentration dropped, yes? Did you do a drain and refill or something? or is this a manifestation of testing kits/strips/stores etc. I thing I missed something in the thread were the salt was rising and now its down.
Ok, I was able to retest both the pool and the fill water and I believe the salt increase is coming from the amount of acid I've been having to add to keep my PH in check. I have started to work on lowering the TA and letting my PH sit at 7.8, but my intellichem wont allow me to do a set point higher than 7.6 so I have had to adjust for it. Currently I have the PH setpoint of 7.6 with sensitivity set to low, and a mixing time of two hours between doses which is keeping it pretty close to 7.8, that is until I drop it all the way down to 7.0-7.2 to lower the TA.
I have also noticed that between my manual doses of MA to lower TA, the PH level seems to increase very slowly, but when I am trying to maintain the 7.8, the PH level is increasing at a much faster rate (via Screenlogic app on my iPhone). I was under the impression that if I got my TA lower and set my PH to 7.8 I would need less acid to maintain balance, is that not correct?
Thanks for all your help guys!
FC - 6
CC - 0
PH - 7.6 (still aerating to increase PH after adjusting for TA)
TA - 60 (down from the last posting )
CH - 200 (added 5 lbs of Calcium Chlorate to increase)
CYA - 70
Salt - SWG fluctuates between 4050 (at start up in the am) and 3900 (at 7:00pm) Still cant get accurate results from Taylor Salt Drop Test.
Fill Water
CH - 120 (this is why I don't believe the water is softened, wouldn't it be much much lower, closer to 10-20 if softened?)
I have also noticed that between my manual doses of MA to lower TA, the PH level seems to increase very slowly, but when I am trying to maintain the 7.8, the PH level is increasing at a much faster rate (via Screenlogic app on my iPhone). I was under the impression that if I got my TA lower and set my PH to 7.8 I would need less acid to maintain balance, is that not correct?
Thanks for all your help guys!
FC - 6
CC - 0
PH - 7.6 (still aerating to increase PH after adjusting for TA)
TA - 60 (down from the last posting
)CH - 200 (added 5 lbs of Calcium Chlorate to increase)
CYA - 70
Salt - SWG fluctuates between 4050 (at start up in the am) and 3900 (at 7:00pm) Still cant get accurate results from Taylor Salt Drop Test.
Fill Water
CH - 120 (this is why I don't believe the water is softened, wouldn't it be much much lower, closer to 10-20 if softened?)
Another update, I got a copy of my cities latest water report and it has the following:
Looks like a few of my problems are coming from the fill water.....
Looks like a few of my problems are coming from the fill water.....
Bumping my own thread, please let me know if this is not allowed.
I was finally able to purchase my own testing kit, ended up getting the Taylor K-2006 with speed stir (what an amazing tool). Due to my salt issues, I had to do another partial drain of my pool this weekend so this was the perfect time to get my pool balanced the TFP way.
Most recent test:
FC: 4
CC: 0
CH: 300
TA: 90
PH: 7.5
CYA: 60
Salt : 3500
I know that with an SWG, it is recommended to have at least a CYA level of 70 so I added 14 oz yesterday based off the pool math calculator. I am also adjusting my SWG to get me to my FC target of 5. Once I get those two squared away I am going to start on my TA to help lower the amount of acid my intellichem is going through. Only problem is that this is all going to be for not when my salt levels go up again and I have to do another partial drain. If you don't want to read the entire thread, I am having issues with my salt increasing very quickly. I was told it could be the amount of acid I'm dumping in, then it dawned on me that it could have been my auto-leveler was on the same line as my softener, but it looks like its my fill water.
I tested my fill water prior to the softener (spigot out front), in the house (kitchen sink), and from the auto-leveler, they all have the same salt content, 1000ppm. To make sure I was not crazy, I even tested two of my neighbors water supplies and discovered they too had the same 1000ppm. I tested each one several times to make sure I did not mess up the testing process, 10ml sample, 1 drop of the yellow (chromate indicator), turn on speedstir, add one drop of the silver nitrate at a time until the solution turns brick red, multiply drops by 200. To really make sure I was not crazy, I did test the hardness of my water and as expected, the faucets in the house were indeed soft (40ppm or less) while the faucets outside were much harder when using the K2006 to test.
Should I call the city, I dont think 1000ppm sodium chloride is normal for drinking water?
I was finally able to purchase my own testing kit, ended up getting the Taylor K-2006 with speed stir (what an amazing tool). Due to my salt issues, I had to do another partial drain of my pool this weekend so this was the perfect time to get my pool balanced the TFP way.
Most recent test:
FC: 4
CC: 0
CH: 300
TA: 90
PH: 7.5
CYA: 60
Salt : 3500
I know that with an SWG, it is recommended to have at least a CYA level of 70 so I added 14 oz yesterday based off the pool math calculator. I am also adjusting my SWG to get me to my FC target of 5. Once I get those two squared away I am going to start on my TA to help lower the amount of acid my intellichem is going through. Only problem is that this is all going to be for not when my salt levels go up again and I have to do another partial drain. If you don't want to read the entire thread, I am having issues with my salt increasing very quickly. I was told it could be the amount of acid I'm dumping in, then it dawned on me that it could have been my auto-leveler was on the same line as my softener, but it looks like its my fill water.
I tested my fill water prior to the softener (spigot out front), in the house (kitchen sink), and from the auto-leveler, they all have the same salt content, 1000ppm. To make sure I was not crazy, I even tested two of my neighbors water supplies and discovered they too had the same 1000ppm. I tested each one several times to make sure I did not mess up the testing process, 10ml sample, 1 drop of the yellow (chromate indicator), turn on speedstir, add one drop of the silver nitrate at a time until the solution turns brick red, multiply drops by 200. To really make sure I was not crazy, I did test the hardness of my water and as expected, the faucets in the house were indeed soft (40ppm or less) while the faucets outside were much harder when using the K2006 to test.
Should I call the city, I dont think 1000ppm sodium chloride is normal for drinking water?