Salt Level Query

[Rexyboy]

Hi,
I have just bought a house in Sydney with a salt pool and have been reading posts in the site to get an understanding of how I need to revive and maintain the pool.

I started doing some quick test strips while I am waiting for my TF100 kit to arrive in the next couple of days.

I have a couple of problems at the moment but feel I am flying blind a little without a test more accurate than the sticks. My problems as I see them are:

1. pH was off the charts 8.2+ ( have been adding muriatic acid to reduce)
2. TA was off the charts 240+ (I will keep the acid up to keep the pH at 7.0 and have a pond fountain aerating at the moment). Need that test kit.
3. The pool is turning green. I imagine I will have to slug it with chlorine soon enough.

My two questions are:

1. What should I fix first, the TA/ pH issue or kill off the algae with Liquid chlorine?
2. I was reading in pool school that the salt level should normally be kept at 3000-3200ppm yet I read the SWG manual (Watermaid QT300) and it says that the ideal level is 6000ppm. This seems quite a bit above. What level should I target?

Thanks
Mitch

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

It is going to be hard until you have the TF100 (as you know). You should really get some FC in the water to hold back the algae and at the same time be adjusting the pH. The issue (even when you get the kit) is that once the FC > 10 ppm, then the pH test is no longer valid (starts to read false high).

So, when you are ready to start the shock process, you need to first get the pH to the low 7s and then you can raise the FC up to shock level and ignore the pH until you finish the process.

For now, keep the FC under 10ppm and keep adjusting the pH and TA to get them both down.

There are different SWG systems, most in the states require the 3000-3200 ppm, but as I have read many of the system down under require the higher salt levels. Thus, I would say you need to follow the recommended levels for salt in your manual.

 

[Rexyboy]

OK. So tonight I dropped in another litre of acid and 1.5 litres of 13% liquid chlorine. The pool calculator indictes that I should raise the FC by 3.4 (to 4.4 ish). I understand from your response that I need to keep it below 10 in the short term but what FC should I target?

I am thinking that I will test again tomorrow night and add another litre of chlorine and acid as required to keep around 7 (ish). Need that test kit.

Thanks again.

 

[jblizzle]

Ultimately your FC shock target is based on what your CYA level is. When the kit comes in, do a full battery of tests and use the chart in Pool School to determine the shock level.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short