Just had a 24x48 above ground pool installed this past Tuesday 6/21/11. Used water hose to fill so it was finally full yesterday around 6pm. Poured 6 bags of 40lbs pool salt in. I think it needed 7 but didnt want to risk it being to high. I was curious at 11pm and used a salt test strip to test the salt level. It read "5" which was a little low. I beleive it needs to be at "5.4" some one correct me here? Also, what else do I need to put in the pool? Do I use shock, do I need to buy acid? algaecide? ph? anything? I have no clue what Im doing. Im just taking it day by day, but would really like to swim in my new pool this weekend. just really scared Im going to mess it all up. PLEASE HELP.. :idea:
HELP PLEASE! WITH SALTWATER, NEW POOL, NEW EVERYTHING
- Thread starter lilgalfromin
- Start date
Did you fill from a well or public water?
Your salt level will depend on your swcg requirement. They're usually around 3,000 ppm but different units have slightly different requirements.
You need to test at least pH and chlorine, and adjust pH first if it needs it then get some chlorine in there.
Then you need to add enough CYA (stabilizer) to get to about 70 ppm.
Your salt level will depend on your swcg requirement. They're usually around 3,000 ppm but different units have slightly different requirements.
You need to test at least pH and chlorine, and adjust pH first if it needs it then get some chlorine in there.
Then you need to add enough CYA (stabilizer) to get to about 70 ppm.
Welcome to TFP 
Salt is measured in ppm and a saltwater pool will usually operate in the 2800-3500ppm range, although there are some models that require higher concentrations.
Can you tell us what type of SWG you have? The brand of salt test strips and what the 5 on the strip translates to? Also, water test results would be helpful. If you do not have a test kit, perhaps you could get your water tested at the pool store and post back the results here.
Readings that will help us help you are
FC
CC
PH
TA
CH
CYA
Also, take a read through pool school (link in my sig) especially water balance for SWG pools.
Please note that a SW pool is a chlorine pool, so until you can get the swg working, you should be adding chlorine to the water each evening until we can help you get the water balanced
Salt is measured in ppm and a saltwater pool will usually operate in the 2800-3500ppm range, although there are some models that require higher concentrations.
Can you tell us what type of SWG you have? The brand of salt test strips and what the 5 on the strip translates to? Also, water test results would be helpful. If you do not have a test kit, perhaps you could get your water tested at the pool store and post back the results here.
Readings that will help us help you are
FC
CC
PH
TA
CH
CYA
Also, take a read through pool school (link in my sig) especially water balance for SWG pools.
Please note that a SW pool is a chlorine pool, so until you can get the swg working, you should be adding chlorine to the water each evening until we can help you get the water balanced
Hi there, thank you for replying. My saltwater thingy is made my Intex. Its new frmo target online. It has the "boost" button, whatever that is. I did not know I was supposed to be adding chlorine. Ugh.. I plan on turning on my chlorinator tonight, so should I still add chlorine or should I add shock treatment? What about acid? and what do the initials stand for when you say cya, etc.. I know SWG means saltwater generator, but beyond that.. no clue. Going to walmart after work, tell me what I should buy to put in my pool tonight before I run the chlorinator for the first time. This will be after i take my water to a pool store for testing.
Without test results we can't tell you what you should add. If you haven't added any chlorine I'd add 2 quarts of bleach. Don't worry about adding shock at all.
Once your swg is running and making chlorine, and your pool is balanced, you won't have to add chlorine unless something happens.
When you go by Walmart get 2 containers (6 lbs) of stabilizer or conditioner. It'll say Cyanuric Acid in the ingredients.
Once you get the test results post them back here. Don't buy anything at the pool store. Just tell them you need to see what you already have at home.
Once your swg is running and making chlorine, and your pool is balanced, you won't have to add chlorine unless something happens.
When you go by Walmart get 2 containers (6 lbs) of stabilizer or conditioner. It'll say Cyanuric Acid in the ingredients.
Once you get the test results post them back here. Don't buy anything at the pool store. Just tell them you need to see what you already have at home.
thank you very much, that helps. So does bleach replace chlorine? Should i use two of the big containers of bleach?
Also, should I add the chlorine before I take the pool water for testing or after? if after, how long after?
Bleach IS chlorine. It's 6%. Not two big containers, just two quarts out of a container. If you buy a big container, you'll have enough to add a few times until you get the swg running.
I'd add it first, then after a half an hour I'd take the sample.
I'd add it first, then after a half an hour I'd take the sample.
Once you get the tests back from the pool store, if the salt level is ok you can turn it on. Don't expect it to keep up until the stabilizer is dissolved in the pool for a couple of days. But if the tests are good, you can swim while the stabilizer is dissolving.
does the stabilizer come in tablets and take awhile to dissolve? what does the stabilizer do? and do i add the stabilizer after i do the pool test? im sorry for all the questions.. but this is great info you are giving me. I need it explained in black and white.. lol..
No problem, I'm glad to help. Stabilizer is in granular form. It takes it a while to dissolve and even longer to fully show up on the test. It protects the chlorine from being completely burned off by the sun. So it keeps some FC (free chlorine) in your pool. without it, all your chlorine will be burned off in a few minutes and the swg can't keep up.
You should start reading through Pool School. It will clear up a lot of questions. You should also consider ordering a good test kit. You're going to need one. I suggest the TF-100 from tftestkits. It's not cheap but it's a lot cheaper than one trip to the Pool Store.
You should start reading through Pool School. It will clear up a lot of questions. You should also consider ordering a good test kit. You're going to need one. I suggest the TF-100 from tftestkits. It's not cheap but it's a lot cheaper than one trip to the Pool Store.
lilgalfromin said:
Stabilizer is like sunscreen for your chlorine. If your pool is "stabilized" less of your chlorine produced by the SWCG will be burned off by the sun.
You can buy it in a 3 lb jug at walmart. I went through 6lbs of the stuff to get enough stablizer into my pool. I found using some panty hose and dangling it over the water outlet worked really well. It was all dissolved in about 4 hours.
lilgalfromin said:
Just unplug it. It's the cord on the left side of the Intex SWCG as you are looking at it from the front. Some users have noticed staining of their pools and also some swimmers hair turning green. Unplugging it stops any production of copper.
lilgalfromin said:
There are two power cords going into the area where the water flows through. The one on the right is the chlorine generator, the one of the left is the copper producer. Just unplug the copper one on the left. If your not comfortable with doingthat, just leave it alone until you do a little more reading on these forums about the pros and cons to doing that.
will try. I am at work and i dont remember my chlorinator having two cords, but i will look. thanks
Your swg has a section that has copper bars. You can simply unplug them but there's some confusion as to whether it adds any copper unless you use boost mode. That's not something you need to worry about immediately.