dogsport said:
the salt level was around the 9 level on the strips. obviously way too high.
STOP DRAINING!!!!!! What is your salt level in PPM? What is your recommended salt level from the manufacturer of your SWG?
Which strips are you using? The strips should give you a reading in ppm (part per million). If you are using the AquaChek brand strips then there is a chart on the side of the bottle to tell you what the ppm reading is according to the number on the strip. The reason for that is each batch of strips is individually calibrated so you must use the chart on the bottle the strip came out of to get a correct reading.
Please post your salt level in ppm! Thanks!
Saying the reading is 9m 6.5, or 5 tells us nothing. (and certainly does not tell you what your salt level is!)
What is the recommended salt level for your brand of SWG (or which SWG do you have?) Salt levels vary from brand to brand.
You will also have to add CYA after draining and refilling since THIS chemical will get diluted. Many people (INCLUDING builders and pool store employees) do not realize how important the proper CYA level is with a SWG and the level is much higher than for a manually chlorinated pool, often around 80 ppm but never below 50 ppm! (80 is ususally a good starting point)
water-balance-tips-for-a-swg-t3663.html
I suggest you post a full set of test results and also suggest that if you do not have a GOOD test kit you get one. We really only recommend 2 test kits here, the Taylor K-2006 (NOT the K-2005 kit) or the TFTestkits TF100.
pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison
Both these kits use the FAS-DPD chlorine test and not the DPD chlorine test.
A good test kit is a very basic tool for keeping your pool water balanced and is the best investment you can make in pool care. The wrong test kit is nothing but a frustrating experience! A cheap test kit is not going to do the job. When you consider how much you spent on your pool you will realize that a good test kit is a very inexpensive investment.
I know this is a lot of information but just take it a piece at a time and ask any questions you might have. I suggest posting your new test results, including the salt in ppm as a first step, reading the pool school section of the forum (link in the upper right corner of page and in my signature) as your second step, and getting yourself a good test kit and testing your own water as a third step. We are here to help and answer any of your questions.