How to properly test for Salt?

[bdpeter]

Hi - have a 16x32 vinyl pool, for approx 19k gallons. Initial salt reading (test strips) was less than 100ppm.

added 12 40lb bags of salt about 5 days ago, and they're completely disolved... now the reading is 960! According the the salt table here

http://www.inyopools.com/salt_generator ... table.aspx

that should have brought me close to 3500 ppm...

I'm using a large cup, dropping the test strip in for 10 minutes, taking it out and reading it 10 min later. is this the right method to test for salt content? The water certainly TASTES salty!

thanks in advance, and happy Fourth.

B

 

[jblizzle]

480lbs should have added about 3000ppm in a 19k gallon pool.

Not sure about how to use the strips ... maybe they are bad? Hopefully your first test was not too far off making you overshoot.

Can always get the pool store to test it too.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Is your swg hooked up yet? If so what does it say?

 

[BoDarville]

bdpeter:

What kind of test strips are you using? Regardless of type, if they are over a year old their accuracy may be suspect. If that's the case, I would get new ones.

I use these test strips for salt (only test where I use strips).
http://tftestkits.net/Salt-Test-Strips-Aqua-Chek-p28.html

Here's a link to a drop-based salt test kit:
http://tftestkits.net/K-1766-Taylor-Salt-Test-p31.html
The drop-based kit offers more precision but is more difficult to use.

Even though I have a non-SWG pool, I test salt monthly as it is a factor in the Calcite Saturation Index (CSI).

 

[bdpeter]

SWG is not connected yet. Using the Aqua check strips that expire 5/13.

 

[JasonLion]

I'm using a large cup, dropping the test strip in for 10 minutes, taking it out and reading it 10 min later. is this the right method to test for salt content?

No, that is not the correct way to use the strips. Read the directions on the package for the correct instructions, which have only a vague resemblance to what you just described.

 

[bdpeter]

I'm using a large cup, dropping the test strip in for 10 minutes, taking it out and reading it 10 min later. is this the right method to test for salt content?

No, that is not the correct way to use the strips. Read the directions on the package for the correct instructions, which have only a vague resemblance to what you just described.

i thought that as well, Jason.

The bottle says "1. Place strip in water sample. 2. Wait 10 minutes 3. Compare to chart "

Should i just dip it and leave it out of the sample for 10 minutes? Leave it in the sample for 10 minutes?

I'm going to Google and see what I find.

thank you

 

[JasonLion]

Which exact test strips are you using? My several bottles of AquaChek Salt as Sodium Chloride test strips all say

1) Fill a small vial with about one inch (2.5 cm) of pool/spa water.
2) Remove one strip form bottle ad replace cap immediately.
3) Insert lower end of strip into water. Important: keep top half of strip completely dry to get accurate reading.
4) Leave strip in water until test is complete (when yellow band turns dark, about 3-4 minutes).
5) Obtain your salt concentration: note where top (highest point) of white peak falls not eh number scale. Read to of peak to the neared 0.2 division. Locate chloride concentration next to that reading in the table below.

 

[bdpeter]

ok - found the insert online!

http://www.aquachek.com/product_images/ ... Insert.pdf

says to only dip into 1 inch of water and keep the top of the strip dry! I wish that was printed on the bottle, but it's not.

Have to wait until the yellow bar at the top of the strip turns black, then the test is done.

Just tested and shows a 6.4 on the scale, for 3070ppm .

thanks guys!

 

[bdpeter]

Which exact test strips are you using? My several bottles of AquaChek Salt as Sodium Chloride test strips all say

1) Fill a small vial with about one inch (2.5 cm) of pool/spa water.
2) Remove one strip form bottle ad replace cap immediately.
3) Insert lower end of strip into water. Important: keep top half of strip completely dry to get accurate reading.
4) Leave strip in water until test is complete (when yellow band turns dark, about 3-4 minutes).
5) Obtain your salt concentration: note where top (highest point) of white peak falls not eh number scale. Read to of peak to the neared 0.2 division. Locate chloride concentration next to that reading in the table below.

Thanks Jason, I'm using the AquaChek strips, but don't have the insert. i think the kids opened the package and just kept the bottle, so all i had was the few lines on the back of the bottle that had a few lines in English, Spanish and French maybe?

The top of the bottle has a "1126 and 2013/04" printed on it.

Thank you for the quick response, this site is amazing!