Getting My First Salt System - Lots of Questions

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Sallie

Sallie

0
May 16, 2008
116
Columbia, SC
I am going salt for the first time and just got a new liner. Salt test kit is on order and is a K1766 kit. The unit is a CircuPool RJ-45. It should be here Friday. Pool is filling now, and based on what I know about our pool guys, I can probably start running the filter on Tuesday. I’ve been reading and reading and now everything is running together.
1. Salt – Unless we have salt in the water, we are going to need 18 bags to get the level to 3500. We’re going to get the initial batch from Leslie’s because it’s close by and they keep a large supply. It’s $10 a bag, but none of the other places like WalMart or Lowes have that many bags.
a. In the future, is there any salt you would NOT recommend?
b. How much salt can I put in at a time?
c. How long should I wait to check the level after adding?
d. I’ve read to pour it in the shallow end and use a brush to move it around.

2. Stabilizer
a. How much can I add at a time?
b. How soon should I test after?
c. Yes, I know about the sock thing.

3. pH
a. Same thing, I never know how much I can put in at a time. In the past, mine has tended to inch up.

4. So, for CYA of 70 – 80, FC of 4 -6 is good? I think I’ve seen other levels mentioned for this.

5. Can I do everything else and then just add borates after the SWG is up and running?

6. If I get all the levels right before the unit is installed, I can add bleach to keep the FC up if necessary, right?

7. The unit, not the control panel, will be in the sun. Is that okay or do we need to figure out something about that?

Yes, I have a great test kit. They were sold by Ben Powell at Pool Solutions, and I have bought new reagents from time to time, so it would compare with one of the really good ones that you guys are using.

Any other comments or suggestions would be really appreciated.
 
1. Use solar salt from HD for a water softener. Half the price of pool salt for the same thing. And a discount on 10+ bags.

You can add as much as you like. Just pour it around the pool and brush, or let the kids play with it. Circulate a day before testing or turning on the SWG.

Your tap water should not have salt in it, unless softened.
 
Sallie said:
1. Salt – Unless we have salt in the water, we are going to need 18 bags to get the level to 3500. We’re going to get the initial batch from Leslie’s because it’s close by and they keep a large supply. It’s $10 a bag, but none of the other places like WalMart or Lowes have that many bags.
a. In the future, is there any salt you would NOT recommend? Clorox brand....has had problems with iron content in the salt.
b. How much salt can I put in at a time? I'd underdose at first and creep up on your goal. Underdose by about 1/4, then let dissolve and test. Add if needed.
c. How long should I wait to check the level after adding? With the pump on continuously I'd test the next day. Give it a chance to be well mixed and all disolved.
d. I’ve read to pour it in the shallow end and use a brush to move it around.Pour it in wherever you can get to it to mix it. One poster puts the kids in the pool and tosses it over them too to let them help mix it in. He/she calls it "Diamond Day".
**Most important is to keep the SWG OFF until the salt is entirely dissolved and mixed in.. I go a day or two. Keep that SWG off or you screw up the cell**

2. Stabilizer
a. How much can I add at a time? Use PoolMath to help you determine how much, then only put in about 2/3 to 3/4 of what it calls for. You don't want to over shoot this as it is easy to put in but hard to remove.
b. How soon should I test after? I'm conservative and say give it a couple of days. Others feel a day or two is enough, we used to recommend a week.
c. Yes, I know about the sock thing. I found the leg of an old pair of hosiery faster than a sock, FYI.

3. pH
a. Same thing, I never know how much I can put in at a time. In the past, mine has tended to inch up. PoolMath figures this out for you. Don't struggle, let it do the brain work.

4. So, for CYA of 70 – 80, FC of 4 -6 is good? I think I’ve seen other levels mentioned for this. Here is the guide -->[FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] Its always good to aim 1 or 2ppm high to allow for the daily loss to the sun gods and such.

5. Can I do everything else and then just add borates after the SWG is up and running? Way too soon for borates. Wait a few months and see where you sit and how stable things are. Once you add them its harder to tweak your pH and such.

6. If I get all the levels right before the unit is installed, I can add bleach to keep the FC up if necessary, right? absolutely! In fact that is the proper thing to do... get the FC level up to snuff with bleach and then let the SWG take over to *maintain* that level. The swg is too slow to get you up to desired level.

7. The unit, not the control panel, will be in the sun. Is that okay or do we need to figure out something about that? No problem that I've heard of?

Yes, I have a great test kit. They were sold by Ben Powell at Pool Solutions, and I have bought new reagents from time to time, so it would compare with one of the really good ones that you guys are using.

Any other comments or suggestions would be really appreciated.
Click to expand...

yeah.... we love pics of pools <hint! hint!>

Maddie :flower:
 
You already have salt in your water. Probably 1+ parts per thousand (ppt). Your salt system needs 3ppt. Meaning subtract at least 30% or more of what you think you need. You can test your salt level first with the K-1766 salt test kit. I just dump it in the water anywhere and by the morning it is all dissolved.
 
So I finally got all my levels to the recommended. I just turned on my unit today. I do have the following questions. (Don't ask for levels, grandson spilled something all over my paper!)

1. The manual for the SWG said to start it off at 70%. Does that sound right?

2. Should I run the pump 24 hours a day to begin with? In the past, before this year with salt water, I have run everything for 8 hours a day. (The pool pump and SWG are on the same timer.)

3. Does anyone know on this SWG unit how to change the temp reading from Celsius to Fahrenheit? I know how to compute it, but it would be easier not to have to compute. I don't see anything about that in the manual.

Anything else I need to know?
 
1. There is no way they can recommend a percent setting because they don't know how big your pool is or how long you're running the pump. You have to start somewhere. Just pick a value and see how it goes. You could use poolmath to determine how long you would need to run it to add a certain PPM in a given day. You just need to know what the chlorine gas output of your swg is.

2. First, why did you have to run 8 hours before the swg? A pool generally only needs 3 or 4 hours of runtime to circulate the chemistry. Although now that you have an swg you may need to run longer than that. I would suggest to start out at about 6 hours

3. I have no idea
 
Another question. I was not absolutely sure about my CYA reading, but for the last stabilizer that I put in, I used the Clorox brand, which doesn't usually last for me. Long story. Anyway, my CYA is 50, should be 70. My instructions for my SWG say not to add any chemicals while the SWG is on. So do I keep it off during the time that the stabilizer is dissolving AND for a couple of days later OR do you guys just put it in with the SWG on? Don't want to mess up the unit for sure.
 

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If you follow the methods that we recommend for adding chemicals, there is no concerns about leaving the swg on. The only thing we suggest turning the swg off for is if you're adding salt
 
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