Actual salinity

[Vickery]

Here are the stats:
16X32X48 (13700 gals per pool calculator)
tc - 3.5 fc- 3.5
ph - 7.4
cya - 90
ta - 80

I added 400# of salt pellets (new fill last fall, only bottled bleach and ma since) and tested with two strips - the bottle is out of date as of January. Both registered a salt level 0f 4000. I tend to trust the pool calculator over most anything else..... any other suggestions? I was about to re-install the swcg for the summer, but wanted to know if the freshness of the strips would have that much of a bearing on the accuracy of the reading. Any thoughts other than to buy another bottle of strips and retest?

 

[jblizzle]

Did you test for salt before adding the pellets? You should have as you were not likely at 0 when you started ... bleach also adds salt. I think I have seen that the salt tests are generally only good to within about 400ppm as well.

You can always install your SWG and see what level it thinks your salt is at ... after all it is what needs to be happy with the level to function.

 

[chiefwej]

Some salt pellets have cleaning additives (for softeners) that you DO NOT want in the pool. You should make sure it's pure salt.

 

[duraleigh]

but wanted to know if the freshness of the strips would have that much of a bearing on the accuracy of the reading.

Well, it's hard to say but we have had more than one report of out-of-date strips not being very accurate.

I don't know that means yours are but it does seem to me that they get a little "wobbly" after their expiration date.

Of course, as Jasonlion often reminds, it is your SWG that needs to be happy. If it "thinks" it has enough salt, you are good to go and it will generate chlorine.

 

[Vickery]

Yes, the salt pellets are "pure" 99.99% salt....I guess that there is a little bit of sand or binder in it that I have to vacuum. It was a fresh fill, so I didn't check with the strips first. But now after 2 1/2" of rain it has become a moot point......I'll crank up the swcg and see if it's happy....

Thanks.