Foreclosure with a mess of a pool

[jblizzle]

Best to test your salt level first and then use the poolcalculator to determine how much more you need.

Cheapest is to buy solar salt from the hardware store ... Basically the same stuff as the pool salt, but slightly larger chunks ... still dissolves in minutes.

Oh and let the pool circulate for a day after adding the salt before you turn on the SWG.

 

[wct097]

So something like this?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_25656-113-7304_0__

I'm assuming that my salt level is zero as we're filling from the faucet and are on county water, but I was planning on testing it tomorrow to get a base reading anyway. I won't be adding salt until we have the pumps running anyway, and I just ordered the SWG, so it'll be at least next weekend before I can plumb it in. Right now the jets and skimmer are covered anyway.

What salt level should I be putting into the pool calculator as a target? I've seen 3k referenced, but I couldn't find anything specific for the SWG I ordered (don't have it yet, so can't read the instructions). Using 0 current and 3000 as the target, and assuming 17k gallons, it looks like 427lbs of salt. If that item I linked from Lowes is correct, that's a pretty cheap initial investment for getting up to the proper salt levels. I'm assuming you should add a smaller amount at a time and let it circulate before testing to make sure not to over do it.

 

[wct097]

Followup question.... The test kit I got only came with 10 salt test strips. That seems like a very small amount, considering the price. About $1 per test, I think. is this not something that people generally test regularly? I figure I'll probably go through half of them in the first week, just trying to get the salt level correct.

 

[jblizzle]

Get the Morton solar salt that is only $4.78. That is what I use.

You should not need to test very often. I got the drop test and have used it only a few times. I would do an initial test, add about 80%, circulate for a day, then add the rest needed for your specific SWG.

After that you will have a salt reading in the SWG and only need to test the salt if something appears wrong with those readings.

 

[wct097]

Chlorine test showed zero, which was pretty much expected. Ph was a little high at 7.8 or something like that. Zero salt and CYA as well. That's to be expected, I suppose, given that I just finished filling it from the faucet.

I picked up 12 40lb bags of solar salt at Lowes. No Morton's brand though. Once the pool guy gets the liner work finished and the pump running, I'll start adding salt.

 

[Richard320]

Chlorine test showed zero, which was pretty much expected. Ph was a little high at 7.8 or something like that. Zero salt and CYA as well. That's to be expected, I suppose, given that I just finished filling it from the faucet.

I picked up 12 40lb bags of solar salt at Lowes. No Morton's brand though. Once the pool guy gets the liner work finished and the pump running, I'll start adding salt.

I'd hold off on adding the salt until it's up and running and balanced using bleach. And check out the highlighted part here especially if you have kids.

 

[harleysilo]

Chlorine test showed zero, which was pretty much expected. Ph was a little high at 7.8 or something like that. Zero salt and CYA as well. That's to be expected, I suppose, given that I just finished filling it from the faucet.

I picked up 12 40lb bags of solar salt at Lowes. No Morton's brand though. Once the pool guy gets the liner work finished and the pump running, I'll start adding salt.

I'd hold off on adding the salt until it's up and running and balanced using bleach. And check out the highlighted part here especially if you have kids.

Glad this keeps getting mentioned can't wait to do it with my kids once ITS FINALLY SUNNY!

 

[Dalandlord]

Before you start adding salt check what the SWG reports and set it to 0 if it is off. I haven't seen one of in the the last few years but when I bought my first pool pilot it was off by 900 reading too high. And I know someone else who bought one just before me and he added the amount of salt he thought it needed and the SWG reported he was way high so he pumped a bunch of water out to get it right. He was having trouble keeping his cl up so we put the manifold in a tub of tap water only to find out it was off by 1000+ reading too high. It's stretching my memory on his numbers as it was maybe 6-7 years ago. But it was off by a bunch.

If you decide you like the fine ground pool salt Sam's club is a lot cheaper than a pool store. But salt is pretty much salt.

Good luck on start up you are getting there and your timing is good.

 

[wct097]

I think my water may be balanced finally. Two weeks ago I took some water to the pool store and had them test it. I knew I needed CYA, but I wanted them to verify for me. Ended up going home with some CYA, some shock, alkalinity, and some "PH minus" to the tune of about $150. I got my Pool Pilot programmed to run about 10 hours a day with the purifier set to 50%. Last weekend the FC measured 12 and the CC was 0. This weekend I did another test. And my numbers are as follows:

FC: 10
CC: 0
TA: 80
CYA: 65

The Pool Pilot has been reading 3500ppm which is what the pool store said as well.

I think everything is good, though I did have a couple small yellow/green spots in the shallow end where the bottom meets the side near the steps. The brush cleaned them up rather nicely. I'm assuming that's algae due to lower circulation in that area and probably some sitting leaves. Is that something I need to worry about? Should I just aim one of the jets in that direction to try to keep the water moving better? Should I adjust my pump program or purifier at all?