Hi,
I recently purchased a new home with a 16,000 gallon salt pool/spa (plaster/pebbletec finish).
FC - 5.0
CC - 0
Salt - 2600
pH - 7.6
TA - 90
CH - 600
CYA - >100
Phosphates - 350ppb
The chlorine generator is a ClevaChlor RP30HD, which recommends a salt level of 2250-2750.
The filter is a Sta-Rite System 3 cartridge filter.
Due to the high CH levels, the pool store guy (as well as the pool company I had inspect the pool prior to buying the house) suggests draining and refilling. The water here is relatively hard, so I had them test my available fill water as well -- 160.
The CYA level is also "too high," but they can't tell me by how much since their test caps out at 100ppm. This was another reason they gave to drain.
The pool was built in 2004, and I have no idea if it has been drained previously (or how well things have been maintained beyond what I can see now).
The first question is whether or not I need to drain. My feeling is yes, since the CH levels are only going to go up from here.
Second, supposing that I do drain and refill, in what order do I need to set things up? What I have surmised so far is something like this:
- Add salt to the high end of the range
- Adjust pH and TA
- Add CYA to ~75ppm
- Start the SWG
- Adjust SWG to achieve FC of 3-5ppm
Do I need to do something to get some chroline built up in the water between the time that I fill it up and the time that I start the salt system (salt, pH, TA, and CYA all at proper levels)? How long should I expect it to take from the time that the water level is good until I can fire up the salt system and let things level out?
I also plan to replace the filter cartridges at the same time -- I scrubbed them last weekend, but it's apparent that they have not been cleaned in a long time.
Lastly, do I need to rent a submersible pump to drain the pool, or can I use the pool pump to do most of the work? The Sta-Rite filter has a drain, which is plumbed to a drain pipe. I "think" there is a main drain at the bottom of the pool, but I am not 100% certain... there are 4 fixtures at the bottom of the pool (identical), all of which look like drains. There's a valve on the return line for the pool that enables "floor heat," so I assume that is what at least some of those fixtures are for. On the supply side, I have a valve to select between pool/spa. On the pool side, there is another valve to select between the cleaner (hayward pool vac ultra) and the skimmer. Those are the only selections I have on the supply side, so I'm not sure if a drain might be tied in with the skimmer or cleaner line.
Thanks,
-Bill
I recently purchased a new home with a 16,000 gallon salt pool/spa (plaster/pebbletec finish).
FC - 5.0
CC - 0
Salt - 2600
pH - 7.6
TA - 90
CH - 600
CYA - >100
Phosphates - 350ppb
The chlorine generator is a ClevaChlor RP30HD, which recommends a salt level of 2250-2750.
The filter is a Sta-Rite System 3 cartridge filter.
Due to the high CH levels, the pool store guy (as well as the pool company I had inspect the pool prior to buying the house) suggests draining and refilling. The water here is relatively hard, so I had them test my available fill water as well -- 160.
The CYA level is also "too high," but they can't tell me by how much since their test caps out at 100ppm. This was another reason they gave to drain.
The pool was built in 2004, and I have no idea if it has been drained previously (or how well things have been maintained beyond what I can see now).
The first question is whether or not I need to drain. My feeling is yes, since the CH levels are only going to go up from here.
Second, supposing that I do drain and refill, in what order do I need to set things up? What I have surmised so far is something like this:
- Add salt to the high end of the range
- Adjust pH and TA
- Add CYA to ~75ppm
- Start the SWG
- Adjust SWG to achieve FC of 3-5ppm
Do I need to do something to get some chroline built up in the water between the time that I fill it up and the time that I start the salt system (salt, pH, TA, and CYA all at proper levels)? How long should I expect it to take from the time that the water level is good until I can fire up the salt system and let things level out?
I also plan to replace the filter cartridges at the same time -- I scrubbed them last weekend, but it's apparent that they have not been cleaned in a long time.
Lastly, do I need to rent a submersible pump to drain the pool, or can I use the pool pump to do most of the work? The Sta-Rite filter has a drain, which is plumbed to a drain pipe. I "think" there is a main drain at the bottom of the pool, but I am not 100% certain... there are 4 fixtures at the bottom of the pool (identical), all of which look like drains. There's a valve on the return line for the pool that enables "floor heat," so I assume that is what at least some of those fixtures are for. On the supply side, I have a valve to select between pool/spa. On the pool side, there is another valve to select between the cleaner (hayward pool vac ultra) and the skimmer. Those are the only selections I have on the supply side, so I'm not sure if a drain might be tied in with the skimmer or cleaner line.
Thanks,
-Bill