Adding salt and a few chemistry questions

[CLEMom]

Pool was finished a few months ago and just opened 2 weeks ago. Tested today and salt is low (1926, target range is 2800-3200), CYA is low at 17, and total alkalinity is high at 118. We’re going to add needed salt as the first step, but here are my questions:

1. Do kids need to wait to swim after adding salt? If so, how long? I need to add 141lbs of salt, which seems like a lot!
2. Pool Math app says to add 6lbs of dry stabilizer due to low CYA. Do I need that right away too, or wait and see what CYA reading is after getting salt where it needs to be?
3. Pool Math also says to lower alkalinity by adding acid to reduce pH, then aerate to increase pH again. Do I need to do that too, or again can I wait to see what tests look like after getting salt in range?

 

[mknauss]

How are you testing your pool water chemistry?

Kids can swim while the salt is dissolving. Some call it diamond day!
Wait on chemistry adjustments until we know how you got those test results.

 

[CLEMom]

How are you testing your pool water chemistry?

Kids can swim while the salt is dissolving. Some call it diamond day!
Wait on chemistry adjustments until we know how you got those test results.

Pool store. When we had pool school 4 days ago, a test strip indicated slightly low chlorine levels (can’t remember exactly how low, and everything else read good on the strip), so pool school guy had us turn equipment up from 30% production to 45%. Our salt equipment (still learning!) at the pool equipment pad says salinity is 2.6 GPL and we have it set at 45% production now. They also tried to “pool store” my husband, by telling him we needed 8lbs of hardness plus (calcium hardness read 198 with normal range of 200-400 ppm), plus he brought home a bottle of Leslie’s “perfect weekly” for $60 to keep everything in check and remove phosphates (read 382 with normal range saying 0-100 ppb). We didn’t open it because we weren’t sure it was really needed. After some additional reading on this wondweful platform, I’m even more convinced we should return that!!

 

[Bperry]

Pool store. When we had pool school 4 days ago, a test strip indicated slightly low chlorine levels (can’t remember exactly how low, and everything else read good on the strip), so pool school guy had us turn equipment up from 30% production to 45%. Our salt equipment (still learning!) at the pool equipment pad says salinity is 2.6 GPL and we have it set at 45% production now. They also tried to “pool store” my husband, by telling him we needed 8lbs of hardness plus (calcium hardness read 198 with normal range of 200-400 ppm), plus he brought home a bottle of Leslie’s “perfect weekly” for $60 to keep everything in check and remove phosphates (read 382 with normal range saying 0-100 ppb). We didn’t open it because we weren’t sure it was really needed. After some additional reading on this wondweful platform, I’m even more convinced we should return that!!

A big reason for the “pool stored” moniker is the testing they provide is nortoreously innaccurate and often leads people add junk they dont need and not add stuff they do need. Marty will tell you to get a reliable test kit and not trust the pool store test at all and especially not the test strips. The TF-100 pro salt is really the best option though the Taylor K2006C is also ok, just less stuff for the money.

You can safely return the phosphate stuff.

Heres the details on the test kits:

Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared

What pool test kit should I buy? Why not use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

Add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine each day with the pump running until you get a test kit as Bperry described. Post up your results when you get the kit.

 

[CLEMom]

I got the Taylor K-2006 salt kit and tested today. Hoping I did it correctly, and here are what I think my results are…
- Free chlorine = 3ppm
- Combined chlorine = 0 (added 5 drops of R-0003, no change in color)
- CYA = 30 (it took filling small tube all the way up before black dot disappeared)
- pH = 8.0
- Acid demand = 2 drops
- Total alkalinity = 150
- Salt = 2800ppm
- Calcium hardness = 20 drops, no change, so tried the “if anticipated high” method. If turned purple after 9 drops and truly blue after 12 drops. So somewhere between 225-300?

Pool still looks great - crystal clear! What do I need to do next??

 

[PoolStored]

You are doing GREAT! And, hello from Ashtabula!

Not much you need to do, I would lower your pH to 7.6 using Muriatic acid. This will also lower your TA. While your TA is above about 60-80, you will experience pH rise. When pH rises again to 8, lower to 7.6. Doing this repeatedly will lower TA over time and your pH rise will slow. When your TA gets to 60-80, don't lower to 7.6 anymore, just lower to 7.8. pH should stabilize.

Your salt is OK, but I would raise to 3000 and use that as your target. At the low end, you risk the cell turning off if salt drops with rain and overflow.

What kind of pool do you have (inground, above)?

Good Job! Are you East or West side CLE?

 

[CLEMom]

I got the Taylor K-2006 salt kit and tested yesterday. Hoping I did it correctly, and here are what I think my results are…
- Free chlorine = 3ppm
- Combined chlorine = 0 (added 5 drops of R-0003, no change in color)
- CYA = 30 (it took filling small tube all the way up before black dot disappeared)
- pH = 8.0 — see image; did I interpret this correctly??
- Acid demand = 2 drops
- Total alkalinity = 150
- Salt = 2800ppm
- Calcium hardness = 20 drops, no change, so tried the “if anticipated high” method. If turned purple after 9 drops and truly blue after 12 drops. So somewhere between 225-300?

Pool still looks great - crystal clear! I had planned to add acid to bring pH down as well as total alkalinity. I took a sample of water with me to the pool store, figuring I could double check before buying acid, and the pool store results are completely different! Because I’m so new, I’m not sure I trust my results. But their results are SO different, so now I don’t know what to do! Pool store manager (who tested my water) suggested raising salt production to bring up FC, but that’s it. Maybe add hardness after the weekend, to protect our gas heater since it’s been low.

Does my pH seem ok? Do I trust their FC reading or my own from the Taylor test kit? Maybe repeat it again at home today?? Do I need hardness plus for my heater (vinyl wall inground pool)?

 

[PoolStored]

Congrats on the KIT!!!!!

pH is 8!

Trust your test kit. It is the GOLD standard for testing. Can't tell you the 1000s of pools we've helped, all with that test kit.

Stay out of the pool store. See the thread in my signature...

Always target your FC using this...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Go Guardians!