One Year with new pool and SWG and I have learned.........

[iggy]

Hi All,
I have reached my 1st anniversary of my new salt pool and this is what I have learned over the past year.

1. Brush the interior at least once a week.
2. Use the net and take as much leaves out when you sweep it.
3. Keep the automatic water leveler going to keep level half way up the tile.
4. If yu are lucky and get a balanced pool a cup of acid each month during winter.
5. Have at least 2 gallons of acid on hand during hot summer days.
6. Decrease pump run time down to 2 hrs a day during winter and up to 8 hrs during summer.
7. Run pump in early morning when electric rates are lower (for me anyway)
8. Adjust SWG according to season and use.
9. Winter time use a pool cover to keep out air pollutants and leaves.
10. Clean the main filters at least twice a year. During summer maybe monthly.
11. When you think the water temp is warm enough accidentally push your wife in and really see if it is. Actually my wife did it when the pool was only a few months old (March) and she said it was not warm enough. LOL
12. Use the waterfall to reduce ph and rejuvenate the water
13. When water temp hits 82 degrees start having fun and don't look back.
14. Oh don't forget to check the SWG for scale buildup 2 or more times a year.
Anything else?

My pools chemistry
11,000 gallons, present temp 55 degrees
Pump runs 2 hrs now in the morning.
FC 3
TC 3
CC 0
Salt level 3600
CH 250
TA 100
pH 7.8
CYA 100
Copper 0
Iron 0
Phosphates 100 ppb
Crystal clear

Very happy after 1 year of service. The only things I have used is acid and some water clarifier in the spring.

Did I miss anything?

Iggy in the cool part of Arizona

PS I forgot to mention the rattle snake roundup from the pool before swimming and the rattle snake bbq right after. :-D

 

[chem geek]

5. Have at least 2 gallons of acid on hand during hot summer days.
12. Use the waterfall to reduce ph and rejuvenate the water

My pools chemistry
TA 100
CYA 100

You said "Use the waterfall to reduce pH..."? Increasing aeration usually makes the pH rise, not fall.

Your TA of 100 makes any pH rise problem worse, but if you lower it then you may need to raise your CH level or keep the pH high. Did you really mean 2 gallons of acid? Adding that to your 11,000 gallon pool with the numbers you gave would lower the pH from 8.0 to 5.3 which is way, way too low. Even if the pH were rising during the day, the TA would get lowered to 9 ppm -- also way, way too low. Is the 2 gallons for the entire summer season at around 2 cups per week or so? That would make more sense.

I presume that your CYA is higher than recommended because of your Arizona sun. That's OK, but would normally require a minimum FC of at least 5 ppm in an SWG pool. Your phosphate measurement may indicate that you are using a supplemental phosphate remover (at extra cost), is that correct? Though that is one way to prevent algae, keeping your FC at 5 ppm is another way to handle this without the extra cost.

Richard