New to SWG

[JeremyM]

Hello Everyone!

I am completely new to Saltwater Pools. I currently have an 18' x 4' deep Intex pool. I just sat it up Friday and got the water in it. I drew the water from a nearby creek (yes it is dirty water lol)

I installed the Intex Krystal Clear Saltwater Generator per the instructions to my Sand Filter. I poured the 140 lbs of salt pellets (without any additives) into the pool and watched them quickly dissolve. I could not find any pool salt or even any regular table salt, so I used Water Conditioner salt pellets per the instructions.

I waited the mandatory 24 hours and started my salt generator. Everything went well. There we no codes for Low Salt, Low Flow or anything. I run it 5 hours per day and yet my Chlorine level when tested shows 0 ppm. Is this normal? I mean I guess in total its ran 20 hours and I am still showing 0 ppm.

All of the other levels (ph, etc) are in excellent shape. Am I doing something wrong? I just now turned it on 12 hours to see if maybe running it that much will boost the chlorine.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

A SWG produces chlorine slowly and steadily, which is very nice for day to day operation. But to deal with cleaning up dirty creek water you really need to shock the pool, which requires that chlorine be added rapidly. I suggest you read How To Shock Your Pool.

Also, I didn't see you mention adding CYA/stabilizer. You need to have some CYA in the water, or you will lose all of your chlorine to sunlight. For a SWG, the recommended CYA level is between 70 and 80.

 

[JeremyM]

Thank you so much for answering! So its ok to shock my pool? Also I had no ideal about the stabilizer. Do I just use the same stabilizer that I do for a regular chlorine pool? Sorry for the crazy questions. Unless I missed it (I might have) the owners manual didn't say much about this at all!

 

[subslug]

Yep, just use the same stuff you've always used.

They make liquid or dry stabilizer. The liquid dissolves fast but costs more.
The dry can take a couple of days to dissolve and get full benefit out of.

 

[Butterfly]

Hi JeremyM and welcome to the forum

Have you been to Pool School? Link at top of each page and in my sig.

The information offered there is priceless. :bowdown:

"Water Balance for SWGs" is just one topic that should help you.

 

[YesRushGen]

Side comment...

Converting creek water, or pond, or lake water for that matter, sounds like a deluded sense of "fun" to me! :lol:

Kelly

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Thank you so much for answering! So its ok to shock my pool? Also I had no ideal about the stabilizer. Do I just use the same stabilizer that I do for a regular chlorine pool? Sorry for the crazy questions. Unless I missed it (I might have) the owners manual didn't say much about this at all!

Your pool IS a regular chlorine pool! You just have the SWG to add the chlorine for you, instead of lugging bleach or using tabs.

Welcome to TFP!