New Owner Starting Up w/ SWG above ground pool

[i_object]

New Pool Owner with a 15' above ground pool using a SWG with vinyl.

Can't seem to find a good procedure to follow for which chemicals to balance in which order to get good results. I will list my current test results and hopefully someone has a basic checklist to follow or can offer some advice.

Copper .1 ppm enough to start system?
Salt 2120 ppm after adding the recommended amount and circulating for 24 hours to dissolve.
Should I adjust TA and pH BEFORE starting SWG?
TA is at 180 but may drop if pH is adjusted.
pH is at 8.4 or slightly lower on test strip.
Total hardness is at 400 ppm

free chlorine is at 0 and CYA is at 0 because neither have been added.

any suggested reading or helpful hints at this point would be appreciated.

I Object.

 

[woodyp]

pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator

There ya' go. Welcome!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Number one thing is to get the pH down to about 7.5 and then add liquid chlorine to get your FC up to about 3 ppm. The pool calc can help you figure out how much to add.

Read Woody's suggested article and once you understand that, read the rest of Pool School that aplies to your situation.

Do you have the salt in yet?

Give us more info about your equipment also.

 

[i_object]

thanks for the information.

I am running a 1000 gph pump type A/C filter and an Intex saltwater generator.

Salt was added and has had about a week to dissolve and so has the stabilizer. calculator says I still need about 12 more pounds of salt to get 3000 ppm. following the recommendation from the very helpful article I will add 28 pounds to get 400 ppm above recommended. I am already working to get the pH down to 7.5 using Acid Magic. It is available at the hardware store and has the same baume as muriatic acid without the fumes. If I can bring it down to 7.5 and stabilize everything for a few days I will try bringing it down some more and adding some borax. I am still trying to get the copper and salt level up to recommendations for the swg. I am registering copper at 0 to 0.1 ppm and have run the "boost" cycle twice. I think I will wait until the pH is down and stable before running another boost cycle. The article does not make any suggestions about copper levels, but I know too much will get some green hair for the "blondes" in the water. Should the copper be brought up to recommended levels with the salt? And, does the copper level drop/rise significantly when the swg is completing a cycle or is about to run a cycle? In other words, best time to check copper level?

free chlorine seems to be holding with the recommended settings for the swg. I am hoping that once set up this system requires less monitoring than my spa which has been an ongoing problem.

Any issues with switching to the BBB method in spas? Refill coming up soon on spa and may switch off the bromine sanitizer. Spa tech said chlorine breaks down faster at higher temps and is harder to maintain than bromine.

Thank you guys so much for helping those of us tying to figure out this chemistry.

 

[GK]

Copper is normally an unwanted item in pool water

Here is a discussion about it:

why-is-copper-so-frowned-upon-t16308.html