Ready to fire up new SWG- So I thought!

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Flboy44

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2022
137
Central Florida
Pool Size
12000
Surface
Fiberglass
Welp! Bags of salt, aiming low to start, what could go wrong?
Well,
Pool volume and assuming a zero salt level to start!
Since day 1, 1998, I was told my San Juan, Newport pool was 12,000 gallons! So for shooting low, I calculated 10,000 gallons with a target of 3000 ppm salt. So I just added 6 bags-to start— Pool Store reading says 3900! I have no starting point other than, 800 TDS!
This AM, doing google searches on my model pool, I found specs saying it’s 8500 gallons! The SWG hasn’t been brought on line yet, so no harm! Really bad rookie mistake not verifying my starting point!
FYI, my test stuff is in the mail!
 
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44,

Also... Unless this is a new pool with fresh water, it is likely that there is already salt in the pool water.

One of the first rules of SWCG ownership is that you personally need the ability to test the 'actual' salt level in your pool water. You should never trust what the cell reports as the salt level, unless you have the ability to verify it with you own tests.

I use the Taylor K-1766 salt test kit and it works great.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Jimrahbe said:
44,

Also... Unless this is a new pool with fresh water, it is likely that there is already salt in the pool water.


Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
I would love to be able to plead ignorance on this, BUT!
Thinking this through, 15 years ago, my pool had a SWG! But what could be left! 4 major hurricanes, serious pool overflows!
Since I wasn’t seeing any salt measurements in the store testing, I assumed zero! But, it looks at my profile, no SWG- no salt measurements! So I really have no idea of my starting point! And no clear answer on gallonage!
Moving forward, my pool is asking for 20ish lbs of calcium. With a good test kit, Taylor 2006C, I should be able to come to a decent water volume estimate! I will add the calcium in 5lb increments and test! Old San Juan specs, 12000 and an installer’s website, 8500! Most likely answer to the difference is my memory!
 
All manually added forms of chlorine add salt. So does calcium chloride & muriatic acid.
Many manually chlorinated pools end up with the same salinity levels as a swg pool after a few years if no water is exchanged.
 
Mdragger88 said:
All manually added forms of chlorine add salt. So does calcium chloride & muriatic acid.
Many manually chlorinated pools end up with the same salinity levels as a swg pool after a few years if no water is exchanged.
Click to expand...
So we are saying, as I bring my calcium levels up to acceptable levels, my salt level will also increase!?
So I’m looking at a major water exchange to get my salt levels quite low, add calcium to say, the 200 mark, then salt?
Presently:
ph- 7.8
TA- 55
CH- 91 it was 63, but I had 1.5lbs that I added a few days ago
salt 3900
 
Your fiberglass pool does not really need much CH unless you have waterline tile with cement grout. 100 ppm CH is enough to keep from any staining issues.
 
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Flboy44 said:
So we are saying, as I bring my calcium levels up to acceptable levels, my salt level will also increase!?
So I’m looking at a major water exchange to get my salt levels quite low, add calcium to say, the 200 mark, then salt?
Presently:
ph- 7.8
TA- 55
CH- 91 it was 63, but I had 1.5lbs that I added a few days ago
salt 3900
Click to expand...
Your current addition of ch won’t affect the salt levels that much- the point was that the cumulative additions over the years of all those things increase your salt levels which is why you need to test your salt levels before adding more salt.
Depending upon how the pool store tested the salinity the figure could be off by
+/- 500 ppm.
The k1766 has a variance of +/- 200 ppm.
The recommended salt range for your swg is 2700-3400ppm.
If your current figure can be trusted that would mean an exchange of 13% of your water with fresh. Before I drained my pool or likewise fried my new swg with high salt I would get a k1766 to confirm where I really stand.
Its really an invaluable necessity for owning a salt water chlorine generator.
 
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A light bulb moment!
So, TA, CH, and pool salt(sodium chloride) are all salts! Obvious, but easily overlooked! And therefore, also contribute to the water’s conductivity! Base on this, I can see certain assumptions have to be made in using a digital meter for salt levels!

Question: I haven’t seen my new K-2006C kit yet, can I just add the two regents that are in the K-1766? Or am I loosing something to save the $12?
 
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mknauss said:
Your fiberglass pool does not really need much CH unless you have waterline tile with cement grout. 100 ppm CH is enough to keep from any staining issues.
Click to expand...
For now, I am going to go with the manufacture’s recommendations, closer to their minimums!
CH- minimum 150. Ideal 200-400
TA- minimum 60. Ideal 80-100

A question on TFP’s chart, it is scary higher for calcium recommendations! But, yes it doesn’t agree with discussions on the topic, so, my guess, a website upkeep error!
 

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The TFP chart.
Hard to cover all conditions in a chart. You have to use some thought processes to determine what applies to your conditions.
 
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Well, fancy meter says 3,050 salt
Pool store says 2,700
Taylor says 3,400 17 drops, a pronounced color change on drop 17!
Salt cell says 2,200 and is asking for salt!
PH 7.7
TA 81
CH 84
CYA 63

Tomorrow is another day!
 
That SWCG determines the salinity based on amps and volts. Be sure you have the proper cell type input into the controller.
 
Instant Salt should be close to your Taylor test. If not, be sure the pool water is well mixed.
 

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