leave salt high to counteract high CA/ balance CSI?

[BuckeyeChris]

I got my first test strips for salt (I don't have a SWG). It was becoming easier to taste in the pool. All my pool math calculations just had the default salt level of 1000 or whatever, and because I have high CA my CSI is always trending high ( I also fight high pH).

The test strip shows around 3400 level for salt. I haven't seen any particular thread about the negative effects of high salt, besides taste, but I did notice that once I put that in pool math, my CSI went to 0.01 (assuming my pH is controlled).

I don't want to drain due to high CYA (hence the TFP method). I don't want to drain due to high CA/scaling issues (auto fill is already post-water softener, but still 800 is kinda high). I don't want to drain due high salt.

So, just kinda checking to make sure this will keep in balance, to leave the higher salt to help reduce scaling due to high CA. And if the water is kinda salty tasting oh well I guess..

 

[BuckeyeChris]

so CH is calcium? that would make more sense as CA for calcium and CH for Chlorine, but I guess I have that wrong...

 

[pooldv]

CH is Calcium Hardness. FC, CC or TC is chlorine. Free chlorine, total chlorine, combine chlorine.

3400 salt is not high from a pool salt standpoint. My SWG does not report high salt error until 4500 ppm. But, csi doesn't need to be 0 it needs to be between -0.6 and +0.6. It seems like you are aiming for 0.

 

[chem geek]

The effect of salt on the CSI is relatively small as you've found out. Though it does somewhat balance out the higher CH, the pH and TA parameters are much easier to move and adjust and besides your CSI is close enough to not worry about it. Usually one doesn't see scaling problems until the CSI is much higher -- usually at +0.7 or more in pools (except in a saltwater chlorine generator it is seen even near +0.0 or more).

Higher salt levels corrode metal faster and splash-out can damage soft stone or concrete if there are many evaporation and refill cycles. Those are the only significant downsides to the higher salt level. On the plus side you'll be able to keep your eyes open longer underwater and not get eye irritation.