55lbs or 552lbs? Switching to salt

[Trk3263]

I recently received my RJ45+ but won’t be able to install it for another week or two. In the mean time I want to start getting my salt up in the water. I just received my K-1766 test kit and tested last night. First drop and it turned to the milky red brick color so I am calculating only 200 for my salt level. My calculations and the online pool math show I need 552lbs of salt to get my 20,000 gal pool up to 3500. However in my phone pool math is just tells me I need to add 55lbs. Now I really like the cost of the 55lbs but I am thinking that is not right.
I also understand I should only start with half of what I need and then retest but how long do I need to wait before I retest the salt levels. Also should I put the salt in the shallow end or does it not matter and should be spread out?

 

[Leebo]

Check how many gallons of water your pool is......I suspect you forgot a zero.

 

[Trk3263]

Lol thanks!

 

[JamesW]

Also, don't add the full amount in one go.

Add 75% and retest after full mixing.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I figured around 350 lbs for my 13K pool so 552 lbs sounds right but I agree that you need to add a smaller amount first and readjust for a second pass at it. (350 times [20000/13000] = 538.5 so yeah)

As horrible as that sounds that's 13.5 40# bags... pretty doable in a weekend. So at 75% start with 10 40# bags and expect to add three more.... $70 to $100 at retail prices.

If/when I add a cell I will get whatever dissolves the fastest for the first 7 bags, and the stuff I use in my water softener for the other 3 bags (and expect to use 2)...

 

[PoolGate]

For sure it is not 55lbs! And make sure you buy water softener salt from Home Depot at $5/40lbs. Don't waste your money on "pool" salt! Make sure what you get is 100% salt with NO additives!

 

[ping]

I usually add a bag at a time on my sun shelf and brush it around a bit to help it dissolve. You just don't want it sitting in a pile on the pool floor. Add the first dose and after 24 hours measure the salt level and add the rest. Let the pump run as much as you can.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Remember that you don't want to turn your SWG on for a day or so, to allow full dissolving and mixing of the salt. If a big bolus of salt were to go thru turned-on system is can mess up the device's "brain".

Maddie