OK, where did the salt go? :-)

[VinnyinNJ]

This is officially my first season with a SW pool. I did have it opened last year for about 3 weeks once it was installed around Labor Day but it wasn't anything long term. I'm using the Taylor salt testing kit

When I opened the pool in May, I tested the salt and it was at 2800 PPM so I added salt and it read first at 3000 PPM a little while later it read 3200 PPM then shortly after 3000 PPM. I chalked it up to me either testing too quickly or wrongly for salt although it is a fairly easy test. I haven't tested it for about a month and today it read 2800. I know it doesn't evaporate (actually with a solar cover on nothing is evaporating! ) and I've only have added about 1 inch of water due to a plumbing leak (probably less) and back washed the filter once to see how dirty the water in the filter was from opening the pool. Could this little bit of water "exchange" drop a 24 foot round AG pool's salt by 200 PPM? Unfortunately, I don't have a handle on the salt portion yet.

I have another 40 lbs of salt to bump up the salt level for when I turn on the SWG (still using LC) but does salt need topping off? I would think not unless water is added due to losing and adding water. Or can testing be that inaccurate ... maybe user error?

 

[PoolStored]

Testing error on the salt test is +/-200.

Leave it until the cell is fired up. If the cell works, go with it. If it says low-salt, add a bag..

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Testing error on the salt test is +/-200.

Leave it until the cell is fired up. If the cell works, go with it. If it says low-salt, add a bag..

Thanks! I'll attribute it to both testing error and user error as well!

I just cracked open the 3rd jug of LC that I bought back in May for the opening so it'll be a while before I turn the SWG on. I will say last year I could swear the same thing happened I tested at 3200 when I first started up the pool and then tested at 2800 PPM about 2 weeks later, when I turned on the SWG which read 2600 and it was saying low salt. I had the SWG on for a day or 2 then closed the pool. So far I'm not feeling this SWG thing, I hope it gets better, LOL.

 

[PoolStored]

2800 PPM so I added salt and it read first at 3000 PPM a little while later it read 3200 PPM then shortly after 3000 PPM.

I will say last year I could swear the same thing happened I tested at 3200 when I first started up the pool and then tested at 2800 PPM about 2 weeks later

How long after adding the salt did you test the 3000,3200,3000, and the 3200, after adding the salt?

 

[Newdude]

So far I'm not feeling this SWG thing, I hope it gets better, LOL

It's new and NONE of us likes change and/or learning curves. We'll help you through it and the other side is spectacular, I promise. Actually, no. Scratch spectacular. It's boring as snot because the pool just manages itself, especially in the northeast. But the boringness, is spectacular, if that makes sense.

For now, stop overthinking. The test itself fluctuates a little and the salt level will in fact come down eventually. I wait until 2800 or the cell complaining. At $8 a bag, it's my favorite pool purchase. Heck. I don't think I can buy 40lbs of anything else that cheap. Even the burlap sack bags of rice at the wholesale clubs are $20. Wait !!!! I can buy bags of sackcrete for the price of salt, but they're real heavy so it's not alot of product.

Anywho. When you need salt, add some. It won't be often unless there's tons of rain.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

How long after adding the salt did you test the 3000,3200,3000, and the 3200, after adding the salt?

I added the salt, helped it dissolve and gave the filter about an hour maybe two to mix it read the first 3000, then the next day it read 3200 - I said to myself that I obviously didn't give it enough time to mix properly. The day after that it was down to 3000 again then 3 days later it was still 3000 ... so I figured 3000 was the true reading.

 

[PoolStored]

I added the salt, helped it dissolve and gave the filter about an hour maybe two to mix it read the first 3000, then the next day it read 3200 - I said to myself that I obviously didn't give it enough time to mix properly. The day after that it was down to 3000 again then 3 days later it was still 3000 ... so I figured 3000 was the true reading.

Then it takes 48 hours for salt to mix well in YOUR pool, and eliminate hot spots.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

It's new and NONE of us likes change and/or learning curves. We'll help you through it and the other side is spectacular, I promise. Actually, no. Scratch spectacular. It's boring as snot because the pool just manages itself, especially in the northeast. But the boringness, is spectacular, if that makes sense.

For now, stop overthinking. The test itself fluctuates a little and the salt level will in fact come down eventually. I wait until 2800 or the cell complaining. At $8 a bag, it's my favorite pool purchase. Heck. I don't think I can buy 40lbs of anything else that cheap. Even the burlap sack bags of rice at the wholesale clubs are $20. Wait !!!! I can buy bags of sackcrete for the price of salt, but they're real heavy so it's not alot of product.

Anywho. When you need salt, add some. It won't be often unless there's tons of rain.

I know you all will help me through this, not worried about that end. Lugging jugs of bleach was not that big a deal with our last pool (OK a little bit of a deal! ) and I am anticipating it being even better with the SWG. I'm the type of person who likes to get a handle on techy things so it does become boring eventually. I was OK with my salt being 3000, 3200 then 3000 again due to my timing error. I wasn't ready for 2800 ... then again based on the +/- 200 PPM error it could test at 3000 the next time I test salt, which probably won't be until I use up all the LC! The rate I'm going I may not be using my SWG until August! It's been a month and I have only used 2 gallons of LC - actually I am adding it just to use it ... it's going to get to 0 PPM in the jug, I don't think my FC has fallen below 6 PPM since we opened it up.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Then it takes 48 hours for salt to mix well in YOUR pool, and eliminate hot spots.

Makes sense, that's the part of getting a handle on it that I need!

 

[Newdude]

which probably won't be until I use up all the LC!

There's always patio furniture or siding that needs a good mildew cleaning. Donate the LC to projects.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

There's always patio furniture or siding that needs a good mildew cleaning. Donate the LC to projects.

We used to use bleach to clean the deck. I bought a $100 power washer that worked great. I actually have a half gallon of bleach sitting on my basement steps for exactly the purpose of outdoor cleaning projects that isn't being used.

I screwed up (maybe not?) this year in buying a 4 pack of LC at BJs anticipating needing to SLAM the water and it never happened. With the solar cover on I am not getting chlorine loss at a significant rate. The way I'm looking at it, the less I use the SWG the longer it'll be before having to replace it! Being it's an AG pool it's relatively easy to add chlorine, water is at armpit level so no bending!!!