- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
You need around 100 lbs of salt, so go ahead and get 4 40lb bags so you'll have some extra. Do you know what kind of salt to get?
Bestway pool to Saltwater ?
- Thread starter jsalz
- Start date
No is just regular pool salt? How many bottle of bleach should I have on hand? And the muriatic acid? The test kit has not come yet. It said it has shipped so hopefully it will be here Tuesday.
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
2-3 gallons bleach, any percent will work, only non-scented, no splashless, plain old boring bleach.
A 4lb container of Stabilizer. I use Chlorox brand, but any pure Cyanuric Acid will work.
A 12lb resealable bag of Arm & Hammer baking soda.
1 gallon of Muriatic Acid (start with a gallon, though amount you need depends on what your fill water pH is and how much TA is in it.
4 bags of salt, at least 99.8% pure sodium chloride. "Pool salt" or Morton's salt or Diamond salt will work. Make sure there's no rust remover or other additives, just pure salt.
1 old sock with no holes for adding CYA.
Without knowing what's in your fill water, this is a good list of what you'll probably need.
A 4lb container of Stabilizer. I use Chlorox brand, but any pure Cyanuric Acid will work.
A 12lb resealable bag of Arm & Hammer baking soda.
1 gallon of Muriatic Acid (start with a gallon, though amount you need depends on what your fill water pH is and how much TA is in it.
4 bags of salt, at least 99.8% pure sodium chloride. "Pool salt" or Morton's salt or Diamond salt will work. Make sure there's no rust remover or other additives, just pure salt.
1 old sock with no holes for adding CYA.
Without knowing what's in your fill water, this is a good list of what you'll probably need.
Find a safe place to store the muriatic acid that is away from the chlorine. They do not play well together. The m. acid should not be stored by metal as the fumes can cause rust. I keep mine outside behind the barn where no critters go.
Make sure the bleach does not have any "enhancers" in it. Do not buy any that has something like "Chloromax" on it. We are not sure what this is yet and it might be causing foaming.
Kim
Make sure the bleach does not have any "enhancers" in it. Do not buy any that has something like "Chloromax" on it. We are not sure what this is yet and it might be causing foaming.
Kim
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Good point, completely forgot about that part.
And in case you see it at the store and wonder about it, no you can't use dry acid or pH down. Those have sulfates in them which are bad for your SWG cell. Plain muriatic acid is the best thing to keep your pH in check.
TA and pH work together in a pool, the TA helps to buffer any pH changes, like rising from outgassing or splashing. That's when the TA is in the recommended range for your pool. If TA is too low, pH can drop instead of rise like normal. If TA is to high, pH will skyrocket quickly. There's a sweet spot for every pool where when you get your TA just right, the pH will rise very slowly and you only need MA too lower you pH once a month or less.
Now how do you lower your TA if you over shoot it or if your fill water has a lot of TA to begin with? By adding MA. So high TA causes your pH to rise, and adding MA will lower both your pH and TA together. Keep lowering your pH as it rising over time and your TA will come down more and more until you approach that sweet spot.
You put the CYA in the sock (the cuter the sock the better LOL) and hang it in front of the return making sure it does not touch the side. You can and should squeeze it to help the CYA dissolve. You can also put the sock with the CYA in it in the skimmer using care to not block too much of the water flow. If you do this you have to keep the pump running until it is all dissolved.
Kim
Kim
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
You put the CYA in the sock (the cuter the sock the better LOL) and hang it in front of the return making sure it does not touch the side. You can and should squeeze it to help the CYA dissolve. You can also put the sock with the CYA in it in the skimmer using care to not block too much of the water flow. If you do this you have to keep the pump running until it is all dissolved.
Kim
Uglier the better, cuz I always end up throwing the sock away afterwards, lol. I have plenty of orphaned socks at my house though, lol. Definitely no holes in the sock though.
Guys i cant even begin to thank you enough for all the help I have received. Here we are in July and I still dont have the pool up. We had some life events that came up that caused us to be out of state for awhile and then it just wont quit raining where I am from so it's been quite a bummer. Anyways I think have everything ready and plan to put it up this weekend. So after I fill it, I balance the water first and then put salt? Or is it salt first? And then how long should I run the SWG before we can get in? And I should run the SWG and pump while in use? Ive read some ppl only run them at night for safety concerns but Ive also read you should run them while in there too so I am confused there. Thanks in advance. I have one anxious little boy who is so excited to finally get this going!
Sorry life got in the way of the pool but it is time to put a smile on a kid's face!!!
First-do you have a test kit? The hth 6 way would work just fine for your pool. How many gals does that pool hold?
Shopping list:
-test kit
-CYA aka stabilizer-Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.
-liquid chlorine-You will need some to get it started and to help your SWG when it needs it. Walmart has their "pool shock" in right now. If you have a close pool store that sells liquid chlorine you can put a deposit down on the jugs and use that.
-Two 2 cup plastic measuring cups (one for muriatic acid and one for all other chemicals.)
Now how to get the water for the first cannon ball!!!
-Put the CYA in the sock and let the water run over it as it fills the pool. (shoot for 30 for right now. We will add if needed later)
Once the pool is full and equipment is working:
-Adjust pH if needed(link coming at the end with how much and how to adjust)
-Add chlorine
-Throw the kid in!!!!
Salt-we call it "Diamond Day" for kids. They love to dive in the water and look at the pretty "Diamonds". They are great at helping mix it in.
Here is a set of links I put together for new pool owners:
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool Math
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
Know that you will need liquid chlorine to get your chlorine level up. The SWG is great at keeping the FC level where you want it but not so good at getting it there.
The pool math app will tell you how much of what to add to your pool! SO easy to use!
Kim
First-do you have a test kit? The hth 6 way would work just fine for your pool. How many gals does that pool hold?
Shopping list:
-test kit
-CYA aka stabilizer-Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.
-liquid chlorine-You will need some to get it started and to help your SWG when it needs it. Walmart has their "pool shock" in right now. If you have a close pool store that sells liquid chlorine you can put a deposit down on the jugs and use that.
-Two 2 cup plastic measuring cups (one for muriatic acid and one for all other chemicals.)
Now how to get the water for the first cannon ball!!!
-Put the CYA in the sock and let the water run over it as it fills the pool. (shoot for 30 for right now. We will add if needed later)
Once the pool is full and equipment is working:
-Adjust pH if needed(link coming at the end with how much and how to adjust)
-Add chlorine
-Throw the kid in!!!!
Salt-we call it "Diamond Day" for kids. They love to dive in the water and look at the pretty "Diamonds". They are great at helping mix it in.
Here is a set of links I put together for new pool owners:
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool Math
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
Know that you will need liquid chlorine to get your chlorine level up. The SWG is great at keeping the FC level where you want it but not so good at getting it there.
The pool math app will tell you how much of what to add to your pool! SO easy to use!
Kim
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
I bought some of the granular pool salt (99.6 or 99.8% pure) and it was a breeze to add. Poured several bags in (don't remember how many I needed for a fresh fill) and before the granules could hit the bottom, most were already dissolved, think it took 5 mins to add a couple bags and that was with some precautionary brushing even though the bottom of the pool was clear of salt.
Salt and CYA will take the longest to mix in the pool, so add them both fairly soon. I'd suggest adding salt once pool is within an hour of being full and go ahead and brush it all so it's dissolved. CYA can go in pretty early too. I came up with an idea to attach the CYA sock to your hose as it's filling using one of those metal clamps that you tighten with a screw. I haven't tried it yet though, so if you do that, let me know how it works.
When you add salt, let the pump running at Max speed for 24 hours minimum and then test your salt level. Add more salt if needed, running pump for another 24 hrs if you added more salt and test again 24 hrs after adding salt. Do not turn on your SWG during this time, not until 24 hours after the last time you added salt and your test then says it's at the appropriate level. If you have to add more salt after an overflow from rain later on, make sure you unplug the SWG for another 24 hrs again then.
With CYA, give it a few days to a week before testing it again since it takes a while to show up on tests. If you add enough CYA to bring it up to say 70ppm, then target your bleach for the non-swg target right away.
Yes, at first before salt is fully dissolved, you will run your pool like a bleach pool. Once salt is fully dissolved and shows up on a test, you can then treat your pool like the SWG pool it now is.
As far as when to run your SWG, I recommend during the hottest part of the day, when the sun will be consuming the most FC, that way as the sun burns some FC up, more is added right away. I run mine from 10am to 3pm every day, plus run it while we're swimming. When anyone is in the pool, organics on your body will be washed off, like dead skin, and react with the FC, which will cause the FC to drop. Running your SWG and pump then will help to combat that FC drop from bodily organics. Also, I find that if I don't run the pump while swimming, the movement of the pool walls will cause stuff to get sloshed out of the skimmer back into the pool. Nothing like swimming and having fun, just to watch thousands of dead insects float out of your skimmer.
Salt and CYA will take the longest to mix in the pool, so add them both fairly soon. I'd suggest adding salt once pool is within an hour of being full and go ahead and brush it all so it's dissolved. CYA can go in pretty early too. I came up with an idea to attach the CYA sock to your hose as it's filling using one of those metal clamps that you tighten with a screw. I haven't tried it yet though, so if you do that, let me know how it works.
When you add salt, let the pump running at Max speed for 24 hours minimum and then test your salt level. Add more salt if needed, running pump for another 24 hrs if you added more salt and test again 24 hrs after adding salt. Do not turn on your SWG during this time, not until 24 hours after the last time you added salt and your test then says it's at the appropriate level. If you have to add more salt after an overflow from rain later on, make sure you unplug the SWG for another 24 hrs again then.
With CYA, give it a few days to a week before testing it again since it takes a while to show up on tests. If you add enough CYA to bring it up to say 70ppm, then target your bleach for the non-swg target right away.
Yes, at first before salt is fully dissolved, you will run your pool like a bleach pool. Once salt is fully dissolved and shows up on a test, you can then treat your pool like the SWG pool it now is.
As far as when to run your SWG, I recommend during the hottest part of the day, when the sun will be consuming the most FC, that way as the sun burns some FC up, more is added right away. I run mine from 10am to 3pm every day, plus run it while we're swimming. When anyone is in the pool, organics on your body will be washed off, like dead skin, and react with the FC, which will cause the FC to drop. Running your SWG and pump then will help to combat that FC drop from bodily organics. Also, I find that if I don't run the pump while swimming, the movement of the pool walls will cause stuff to get sloshed out of the skimmer back into the pool. Nothing like swimming and having fun, just to watch thousands of dead insects float out of your skimmer.
Ok thanks! I got the pool set up today finally yay! But i still have to put up the filter and plan to fill it tomorrow. All your guys help has been so wonderful but i still feel so clueless! Can one of you just come to my house?? 
It is not dangerous to run swg and pump while we are in it?
So just to repeat back how I understood it (please correct me if i am wrong) I fill the pool with the CYa in a sock and then an hour before its full dump in the salt. Then when its full balance it like a bleach pool. Then can get in?? After 24 hours witg the pump running test salt and if ok then run SWG. Do i have this right?
@Kim yes i bought the test kit that was recommended on here! I believe lightmaster figured my pool to be around 4500 gallons. It was earlier in the thread but my internet is super sketchy right now so it will take me forever to go back to look but i think it was around there
It is not dangerous to run swg and pump while we are in it?
So just to repeat back how I understood it (please correct me if i am wrong) I fill the pool with the CYa in a sock and then an hour before its full dump in the salt. Then when its full balance it like a bleach pool. Then can get in?? After 24 hours witg the pump running test salt and if ok then run SWG. Do i have this right?
@Kim yes i bought the test kit that was recommended on here! I believe lightmaster figured my pool to be around 4500 gallons. It was earlier in the thread but my internet is super sketchy right now so it will take me forever to go back to look but i think it was around there
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Ok thanks! I got the pool set up today finally yay! But i still have to put up the filter and plan to fill it tomorrow. All your guys help has been so wonderful but i still feel so clueless! Can one of you just come to my house??
It is not dangerous to run swg and pump while we are in it?
So just to repeat back how I understood it (please correct me if i am wrong) I fill the pool with the CYa in a sock and then an hour before its full dump in the salt. Then when its full balance it like a bleach pool. Then can get in?? After 24 hours witg the pump running test salt and if ok then run SWG. Do i have this right?
@Kim yes i bought the test kit that was recommended on here! I believe lightmaster figured my pool to be around 4500 gallons. It was earlier in the thread but my internet is super sketchy right now so it will take me forever to go back to look but i think it was around there
4300 according to PoolMath. If you have City water though, turn off everything that uses water in your house, read your meter, then fill. Check meter again when its full.
And that all looks good to me.
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Ok guys im up amd running with so much thanks to you. But.... I need some help with my chemicals (as we all knew i would). Here are my #'s
fc-13.5
cc. 5
ph-7.2
cya-30
Ch-225
alk-150
.... So i got a lil crazy with a bleach ...oops.. From what i read i just wait for the chlorine level to drop? Is that correct? What else should i add? I havent hooked up the SWG yet cos im afraid with the high chlorine level it would just make it higher?? At what point should i run that? Thanks again!
fc-13.5
cc. 5
ph-7.2
cya-30
Ch-225
alk-150
.... So i got a lil crazy with a bleach ...oops.. From what i read i just wait for the chlorine level to drop? Is that correct? What else should i add? I havent hooked up the SWG yet cos im afraid with the high chlorine level it would just make it higher?? At what point should i run that? Thanks again!
I know you have seen some of these already but I did not want to take a chance you might have miss one or two. I put these together for new pool owners:
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool Math
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Love that you have a great test kit already!
If is safe to swim in a pool when the FC is just below the SLAM level for your CYA so you are good to go!! CANNON BALL!
Kim (notice how I set up your numbers. That is easier for us to read.)
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool Math
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Love that you have a great test kit already!
If is safe to swim in a pool when the FC is just below the SLAM level for your CYA so you are good to go!! CANNON BALL!
Kim
(notice how I set up your numbers. That is easier for us to read.)
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
yes sorry it is .5 -- So right now everything looks ok? when i run the saltwater gen do I have to add more stuff? like my CYA value is ok for a bleach pool but low for SW or will it automatically go up when i run it? Sorry i am asking so many dumb questions. I
Asking questions is a GOOD thing! The not asking is what is not so smart. If you don't know or even if you are unsure ASK!!!
I say we let it ride like it is and see what you SWG does with what you have so far. All of the numbers look spot on for a TFP!!! We might have you go up with the CYA if your pool is not holding FC.
Kim
I say we let it ride like it is and see what you SWG does with what you have so far. All of the numbers look spot on for a TFP!!! We might have you go up with the CYA if your pool is not holding FC.
Kim