Adding salt to pool?

[user1]

As suspected, I have very low salt in my pool. The recommended level on the chlorine generator reads between (min) 4,000 PPM - (max) 6,000 PPM. Did a salt test and reads 1990 PPM, so it needs alot of salt.

My pool is 50,000, and on the 'amount salt needed' table says for it to reach 3000 PPM, I need 327 kg.

To get it around 4500 PPM, guess it's around an extra 280 kgs. Does that sound excessive or does it sound right?

 

[BoDarville]

user1:
Welcome to TFP

Using the Pool Calculator for a 50,000 gallon (189,272 liter) pool, it shows that 192 kg of salt is needed to go from 1,990 to 3,000 ppm. To get from 1,990 to 4,500 ppm, it says to add a total of 476 kg of salt (or 284 kg more than the 192 kg needed to reach 3,000 ppm)

 

[UltraIntex]

I think you meant 50,000 litres not gallons so hold back on all that salt as 50,000 litres is 14,000 gallons roughly!
I calculate the salt required to go from 2000ppm to 5200ppm for a 50,000 litre pool to be 160kg or 6.5x25kg bags

Dont dump all the salt in at once. I would try say, 4 bags and then see by how much that has increased the level and then from that you can work out how much more you need if any.
Allow the salt to dissolve/circulate (ie leave the pump on with chlorinator off) overnight, before testing and adding more if you find it is needed.
Also be careful of what you are using to test the salt level as the strips can sometimes be off by a few hundred ppm either way. TFP recommends salt to be just above the manufacturers ideal level, which for you would be around 5200ppm.

Oh and make sure you use proper pool salt not any other kind of salt. If you are in Oz I recommend the Sunray pool salt from Bunnings.

 

[BoDarville]

I think you meant 50,000 litres not gallons so hold back on all that salt as 50,000 litres is 14,000 gallons roughly!

Good point. Always a good idea to specify the units. Whenever I respond to a post involving the Pool Calculator, I always repeat back the OP's parameters so they can check my interpretation. It also serves as a check for me to make sure that I input the OP's numbers into the calculator instead of the default values for my pool. With that said, it looks like we came up with similar figures to go from 3,000 to 4,500 ppm (OP calculated 280 kgs & I got 284 kgs via the Pool Calculator) based on 50,000 gallons.

user1:
Can you confirm whether the 50,000 is gallons or liters? Recommend putting information on your pool & related equipment in your signature as UltraIntex & I have done. That way it will automatically appear in all your posts without having to enter them each time.

Although we came up with similar figures to go from 3,000 - 4,500 ppm, I'm not sure what chart you were referring to that stated 327 kg salt is needed to go from 1,990 to 3,000 ppm. Can you double check?

 

[user1]

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated.

Oops, that would be litres instead. Good thing I posted here to double check I was gonna head out to Bunnings today actually to get salt, so I'll get it there. Gotta look for my pool details though, so I'll get back to you with my pool in more detail. Anyway, I'll follow your steps.

Cheers guys, otherwise would of been a disaster!

 

[UltraIntex]

If you have lost that much salt due to rain dilution over the winter then you will need to check your CYA level as that is
likely to be low too. See the CYA tables on this forum for salt water pools. You should also read the Pool School section.

You probably need to be aware that this forum is primarily populated by people in the USA so for some questions you need to
make it clear you are in Oz so that the replies can be tailored to your particular needs. For instance, whilst we are opening, they are
for the most part, closing their pools.
Perhaps put Australia in your profile location.

 

[user1]

Will do. I've also checked my pH, CYA, TC etc. and all is in the right range. It's the opposite actually, the sun has been draining the pool as I did a refill on two occasions.

Another thing I was meaning to ask on this topic, as aforementioned above - to run pump without chlorinator on - Not too sure about this. I took a pic of my chlorinator as I'm not familiar with the lights/output level.

http://s16.postimage.org/i71x69xlh/001.jpg

Cheers

 

[UltraIntex]

Do you have a separate controller or do you control the pump and chlorinator manually. If manually, can you not just turn off the chlorinator (where it says on/off!) and turn on the pump?
You need to run the pump without the chlorinator on, overnight, to mix the water and salt so that is evenly distributed before you take a reading to see if you have added enough salt.
Sun evaporation would not lower your salt level as salt will not evaporate along with the water.

PS: you can post pics directly on this forum without the need to use outside hosting, that way the pic is displayed within your post.

 

[user1]

Such a newbie at this. I just assumed the on/off was the main power supply. Well, I turned it off and got the pump running for now. Sure know how to embarrass myself.

I tried to upload the pic too but was too big to post.

 

[UltraIntex]

Such a newbie at this. I just assumed the on/off was the main power supply. Well, I turned it off and got the pump running for now. Sure know how to embarrass myself.

I tried to upload the pic too but was too big to post.

No worries mate, and no embarrassment: everyone here has started from scratch at some time. You would do well to stick with this forum as there are loads of incredibly knowledgeable people here to help you: far more knowledgeable than me and a lot of pool shops I might add! Learning from this forum will save you heaps of money and help keep your pool crystal clear.
cheers

 

[UltraIntex]

May I ask, what are you using to test the salt level?
The reason I ask is, if you are going to fine tune the level to 5200ppm you are going to need an accurate method of testing and most of the
home methods are not very reliable.
I got mine double checked at the local Primary Industries office who test water salinity for farmers and their machine is very accurate.

 

[user1]

I bought a salt tester from Bunnings. Think it's called AquaCheck. Probably not the best thing to do but gives me a fair idea of levels.

By the way, are there other occasions where I should turn off the chlorinator and have the pump running?

 

[UltraIntex]

I bought a salt tester from Bunnings. Think it's called AquaCheck. Probably not the best thing to do but gives me a fair idea of levels.

By the way, are there other occasions where I should turn off the chlorinator and have the pump running?

I have found the Aquacheck salt strips can be out by quite a few hundred ppm so this calls into question your original reading.
I did mention that you needed to be careful of the strips :|
You need to have your level checked now before adding any more salt. If you have put in the 4 bags then dont add any more until you have
a more accurate reading done.
Either a pool store or primary industries should be able to do it. But again, the pool store tester may not be that accurate either depending on the quality of the
equipment, but it would probably be better than the strips. Then compare the pool store/primary industries test against a couple of strips and see if the difference is consistent then you will have a better idea of what your strips are really reading.


As for running the pump without the chlorinator. It depends on how much chlorination your pool needs every day as compared with the turnover of the water. If the chlorination time needed
to get the pool up to the required level is less than the time it takes to turn over/filter the water at least once, then yes you will need to run the pump without the chlorinator. I find I have to run the pump for longer/more often than the chlorinator, but my pump is quite small and my chlorinator is quite efficient and my chlorine depletion is usually quite low.
You need to put your equipment specs in your signature.