New Aquatrol

[fajoza45]

Hello everyone,

I just purchased and installed an Aquatrol HP to my 24' AG round pool. I added 320 pounds of salt to the pool and ran the SWG at 100 % till the control unit displayed 3300. At this point, I lowered the percentage to 50% since the reading was above the recommended reading. My question is the following. Should I have left it at 100 % for the 24 hours the pump will be running. Is the reading the control unit displays the correct chlorine ppm? what kind of test strips do I need to measure the chlorine? Salt water test strips or are the regular ones ok? If so, the test for chlorine came back very low and it shows that I have no chlorine in the pool.. Please help in setting this up.. I apologize in advanced for the newbie questions..

Ok guys just realized that I should have let the pump run for 24 hours before turning on the unit. I went outside and turned the unit to the off position... Can anyone tell me what this stupid mistake is going to cost me in regards to cell life or to my water chemistry?



Thank you


Joe

 

[Bama Rambler]

It's hard to say what if any damage was done. Probably none!

320 lbs should have added just less than 3,000 ppm salt. If your water had a small salt level (most do) then what you're seeing is probably correct. This reads like you added the unit to a pool that's been up a while, and if you did you probably had a good bit of salt in there from the chlorine source you were using.

You can get either the salt test strips or a drop salt test kit from tftestkits.net. I like the drop test better but that's just a personal preference.

You also need to add enough bleach to get your FC up to where it needs to be.

Post a full set of test results
pH
FC
CC
TA
CH
CYA
Salt.

The CH won't matter unless it's high.

 

[NWMNMom]

If Dave wasnt clear there, I will repeat our mantra " do NOT use test strips to check chlorine levels or anything else except salt test strips" Test strips are notoriously and completely inaccurate except salt test strips - which are good but not as good as drops based salt tests.

 

[fajoza45]

Thank you for the quick reply guys.. The pool has been up for a few weeks now and I just converted yesterday. I will see if I can find a test Kit at the near by pool store. I will post test results when I get it..

Thank you


Joe

 

[Bama Rambler]

You're much better off ordering a good test kit and the salt test from Tftestkits. There's a link in my sig. However, if nothing else will do you, be sure to get the K-2006 or equivilent. It must have the FAS-DPD chlorine test kit. The pool store has been known to tell people that the DPD kit is the same, but it's not.

As for the salt test, you can go with either strips or the drop test. You can even take a sample to the PS and have them test salt. Don't buy any of the recommended chems they try and sell you.

 

[fajoza45]

Ok. Going to pool store as we speak and will purchase salt test strips for the time being. I will also order the kit from tftestkits , the 100 kit has several options to add, do I need them or can I just use it as is.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The only thing I'd recommend is to get the Speedstir. It's optional but to me, it's well worth the money. You can add the salt test if you'd like but if there's a pool store handy I'd probably just have them test the salt level for me.

I'm a fine one to talk, I have the TF-100xl with borate and salt drop tests and don't have either a swcg or borates in my pool.