Hi everyone. I have seen the awesome help you have been to others so I decided to create an account to seek your help with an issue I have come across with my new pump. I have a Summer Escapes 18'x48" above ground pool. I just installed an Intex Krystal Clear Saltwater chlorinator/filter pump combo. It is the paper filters for now, but I have plans to upgrade to a sand filter eventually. We need to check the filter cartridge but cannot figure out how to do it without water spewing everywhere. We bought all of the pieces needed for conversion and it was a success. However, none of the guides we have come across have shown us how to stop water flow (even after turning off the pump) to change the paper cartridge. Does anyone have any tips for doing this successfully? Thank you in advance.
Getting started with a salt water system
- Thread starter Alinessa
- Start date
My husband and I just converted an Intex Crystal Clear Saltwater system and filter pump combo (not a sand filter but a cartridge filter) on our Summer Escapes 18'x48" pool and need some advice. Our pool was very green as the glorified fish tank pump that came with the pool had failed. It took a while for all of the conversion parts to arrive so we were without a pump for a couple of weeks in hot southern Georgia, so needless to say it was like a swamp. We have shocked it with a granular shock product and used algaecide about two hours ago and the pool is already blue again and the algae is gone. How long should we wait after shocking it and using the algaecide until we add the salt and start running the saltwater system? I do not want to cause any damage to the copper ions so any advice would be appreciated!
Hi, welcome to TFP! I will answer your questions but first I have some information to share and a few questions to ask of you. The Intex Saltwater System is a good little system, and like you said it has the copper ionization. The problem is copper will build up in the water and over time turn light colored hair green and stain surfaces inside the pool. A properly chlorinated pool does not need copper to prevent algae. The solution is simple, unplug the power supply from the copper bars. You can leave the copper bars in place and they won't hurt anything. They only release copper ions when they have electrical current running through them. It will still generate chlorine without the copper bars plugged in.
Can you give me some more information about the granular chlorine and algaecide you used? For the chlorine did the label say it was dichlore, trichlor, or calcium hypochlorite? Do you remember what brand it was? Also do you know the brand and active ingredient of the algaecide? How much of each did you use? I would like to pass along some information about water chemistry but I need to know what chemicals you have in your pool to do so.
Now for your questions. Once you have cleared out the dead algae you can go ahead and add salt to the pool. I believe you should wait 24 hours for the salt to dissolve before turning on the saltwater chlorinator (SWG). I don't know what type of vacuum you have, but if it is the one with the little bag and a water hose then you will need a different vacuum to get the algae debris out of the pool. You may be able to use a standard pool vacuum if you have a skimmer on your pool. Otherwise the easiest way to vacuum is to get a separate vacuum such as a pool blaster.
As for shutting off the water, if you are using hoses to connect the pool to the pump and filter then you need the Intex Plunger valves. They will shut off the flow of water from the inlet and return sides while you change the filter.
Can you give me some more information about the granular chlorine and algaecide you used? For the chlorine did the label say it was dichlore, trichlor, or calcium hypochlorite? Do you remember what brand it was? Also do you know the brand and active ingredient of the algaecide? How much of each did you use? I would like to pass along some information about water chemistry but I need to know what chemicals you have in your pool to do so.
Now for your questions. Once you have cleared out the dead algae you can go ahead and add salt to the pool. I believe you should wait 24 hours for the salt to dissolve before turning on the saltwater chlorinator (SWG). I don't know what type of vacuum you have, but if it is the one with the little bag and a water hose then you will need a different vacuum to get the algae debris out of the pool. You may be able to use a standard pool vacuum if you have a skimmer on your pool. Otherwise the easiest way to vacuum is to get a separate vacuum such as a pool blaster.
As for shutting off the water, if you are using hoses to connect the pool to the pump and filter then you need the Intex Plunger valves. They will shut off the flow of water from the inlet and return sides while you change the filter.
The brand of shock we used was Shock Plus Xtra Blue (the label said dichlor) and the algaecide was Aqua Chem Algae Control for green algae. We do have Aqua Chem 6 way test strips but I have not tested the water yet as I just added salt last night and wanted to give it all some time to settle so I could see what I needed to add next. The salt was quick dissolving pool salt and it has been in all night circulating with the filter pump running, so I am about to head out this morning and see if I can't get the saltwater system up and running. Thank you for the advice about the plunger valves. We figured out a way to do it without them. It is not the proper way, but it causes no damage to any parts and no water is spewing everywhere so I suppose it will work for now!
The easiest way to change the filter without plunger valves is to lift the pump onto a table or something higher than the water level in the pool.
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