New Pool Owner Moving To Salt

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Pbudde

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May 10, 2017
30
GODFREY, IL
Hello Everyone! I could use some words of wisdom here. I purchased a home this past winter and the previous owners left us the pool. Now that it's warming up out, it's time to rectify that mess. It is a 15' Coleman pool. I purchased a new Intex 2500gph filter pump and a intex SWG to go along with it. Plus a surface skimmer and an automatic floor cleaner to run. Here is the links to those:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005QIYMNM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PHWUIL2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have presently drained the pool down to about 16" of water and have been getting as much as I can out of the bottom. It had a serious amount of leafs and debris in it, and not to mention all the frogs that had some fun in it. Now I know that the first thing I need to do is get everything I can out of it debris wise and refill it. What all chemicals should I plan on getting before hand to get the water ready for salting? I want to try and do all of this on Saturday in one swoop if possible since i'll be back there all morning/day/night smoking some pork shoulders. I have already purchased 160lbs of salt and CYA. Any other suggestions or should I just focus on getting it filled first?

Do I need to worry about shocking or is that what the boost mode is for with the SWG?
Do I need to get the levels up to what's mentioned http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/138-water-balance-for-swg-saltwater-chlorine-generator before I connect the SWG? Or should that be connected from the get go even without salt in the pool yet?
 
You'll need a bunch of bleach to a) kill any algae still lingering and b) keep it from coming back until the salt is dissolved and the SWG can take over. Start with about ten gallons. If you don't need it all, don't worry. You'll be using it before and after any big swim parties and it'll get used.

You've done well to remove the organics.
Refill, let it circulate -- maybe even vacuum and backwash if you've got that equipment -- and then test. If you don't have your own proper test kit, order one now. The rest of what I've typed is useless if you don't have any means of testing onsite. Skip the article in pool school and just go to TF test kits and get the TF100 with the XL option and your choice of salt tests.

I'm going to assume the CYA level will be really low as much water as you've replaced. You want to add to get to 30 for now. You need to plug pH and TA into poolmath and do what is needed to get pH to 7.2. Then it's jugs away! Bleach bleach bleach until you pass the three tests and the SLAM Processis complete. All three tests.

After that you let the FC drop down below 10 and retest and fine tune. Get everything balanced, raise CYA, add salt, and lastly, fire up the SWG.

Boost mode on the SWG won't generate enopugh FC fast enough to get ahead of any algae. Don't burn out the cell in a futile attempt. Use bleach.
 
Yikes, thats a lot of money for a testing kit, well over $100 for that is silly. I already have these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PZZFN3Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER so i'll use those for the time being and move up to a more legit kit at a later date.

So i'll refill, and test the water. Get the levels(minus Salt) to where I need them. Run my pump 24/7 with FC in the high 27-28 region, by using bleach, until it drops less than 1ppm overnight and is clear. Then Add salt, Kick on the SWG and let it ride back down to normal FC levels?
 
pooldv said:
Yes, I thought I was. We recommend that you follow this process to kill the algae, SLAM Process, and then this process to balance your saltwater, Pool School - Water Balance for SWGs

I think it is best if you read it for yourself and decide which parts you want to follow and which parts you find silly and will ignore.
Click to expand...

Okay I get what your saying. So just worry about CYA/FC for the slam portion and then worry about everything else once that is complete?
For the Slam I'll treat the CYA/FC as a Non-SWG to since there is no added salt in the system currently correct?
 
$100 for a testing kit (likely just $50 more than strips due to # tests) will probably save you twice that much in one pool season, unless you don't mind letting levels drift around like crazy. My feeling is if it keeps a potential algae bloom at bay, that alone pays for itself three times over. Not to mention equipment wear/corrosion.
 
Pbudde said:
Yikes, thats a lot of money for a testing kit, well over $100 for that is silly. I already have these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PZZFN3Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER so i'll use those for the time being and move up to a more legit kit at a later date.

So i'll refill, and test the water. Get the levels(minus Salt) to where I need them. Run my pump 24/7 with FC in the high 27-28 region, by using bleach, until it drops less than 1ppm overnight and is clear. Then Add salt, Kick on the SWG and let it ride back down to normal FC levels?
Click to expand...
It would be better to target 30 for CYA and maintain 12FC during the SLAM, and then add more to raise it to 70 when the SLAM is done.

But it doesn't really matter, since your test strips won't measure that high in either case.
 
Pbudde said:
Okay I get what your saying. So just worry about CYA/FC for the slam portion and then worry about everything else once that is complete?
For the Slam I'll treat the CYA/FC as a Non-SWG to since there is no added salt in the system currently correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, follow the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] for non-SWG during the SLAM. Be sure to adjust pH first, before starting the SLAM.
 

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drharris said:
$100 for a testing kit (likely just $50 more than strips due to # tests) will probably save you twice that much in one pool season, unless you don't mind letting levels drift around like crazy. My feeling is if it keeps a potential algae bloom at bay, that alone pays for itself three times over. Not to mention equipment wear/corrosion.
Click to expand...

It's something i'll just pick up later to diminish the upfront costs.

Richard320 said:
It would be better to target 30 for CYA and maintain 12FC during the SLAM, and then add more to raise it to 70 when the SLAM is done.

But it doesn't really matter, since your test strips won't measure that high in either case.
Click to expand...
Right yeah, I was looking at the SWG part before I realized I would SLAM it as non-swg.

pooldv said:
Yes, follow the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] for non-SWG during the SLAM. Be sure to adjust pH first, before starting the SLAM.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Pbudde said:
What do you mean the strips only go to 5?
Click to expand...
Actually, it looks like the Clorox strips will read to 10. But it doesn't matter, that's still not high enough. And what if you're trying to calculate a dose and your FC is 8? It's a big jump there from 5 to 10. Also the dyes tend to bleach out at really high FC levels.

clorox.jpg
 
Pbudde said:
It's not a perfect situation, but i'll make it work for the time being.
Click to expand...

:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

Well, frankly, the likelihood of success is very low if you are just going to try to "make it work". Maybe you will get lucky and it will temporarily clean up. But, we will be here to help when it inevitably goes green again due to trying to trust test strips.

Hopefully by then you have not spent more on chemicals than you would have on a good test kit ... not to mention the loss of use while you are dealing with a green pool.

Good Luck :cheers:
 
Darn you people and your logic! So best bang for my buck. TF-100 Kit with the salt test strips would cover all of my testing needs correct? Is there anything comparable on Amazon? That way I can get it hopefully before this weekend.
jblizzle said:
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

Well, frankly, the likelihood of success is very low if you are just going to try to "make it work". Maybe you will get lucky and it will temporarily clean up. But, we will be here to help when it inevitably goes green again due to trying to trust test strips.

Hopefully by then you have not spent more on chemicals than you would have on a good test kit ... not to mention the loss of use while you are dealing with a green pool.

Good Luck :cheers:
Click to expand...
 
I prefer the Taylor drop based salt test, but others have luck with the strips (and still others get wacky results with the strips).

The closest to the TF-100 would be the K-2006C (note the C!!!) ... the basic K-2006 has really small bottles of the reagents you need. The K-2006C has larger bottles for everything, including for the tests that you do not need to have that much. Which is why we recommend the TF-100 which has been tailored to have a better distribution of the reagents which matches real-life use.

And if I have successfully gotten you to spend money :mrgreen: The SpeedStir is well worth it ;)
 

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