More salt needed to open pool?

[doncaruana]

This is my first season opening the pool after closing it in equilibrium. What I'm wondering is roughly how much salt I should expect to need to add to my 16K pool (Pentair Intellichlor) for this season. Not as much as when we started it up, right? Or is it the same all over again?

Thanks!
Don

 

[elwood58]

You need to Measure your current salt content and add from there. Use http://poolcalculator.com to figure out how much.

 

[dmanb2b]

It's always a good idea to test your salt level before adding any. The use the pool calculator to determine how much is needed to adjust

 

[doncaruana]

Think I said this wrong...

I'm going to measure and do the math, etc. But when noticing bags of pool salt for 5.98 at Walmart, I figured I'd like to grab a few now (pool not open yet) as opposed to paying $10-15 from a pool store later.

So, let me rephrase my question...

Assuming that the salt levels were all good at close, is there any kind of a ballpark idea on how much new salt I would need to add when re-opening this season? Like I said, I wouldn't expect to need as much as when we first filled it, but I kind of expect I'll need to add at least some salt. I mean am I looking at all of it, half of it, a quarter, 5-10%, nothing? I'm really just looking for an idea to guide how many bags of this to grab before they're gone.

Thanks!

 

[elwood58]

You may not need any. Our salt level was constant over this past winter, although our pool runs during the winter. I have a few neighbors who say they have to add a bag or two, but they have a heavier bather load with a lot of splash out, where we do not.

I notice you have a cartridge filter, so you also lose very little due to not back washing.

 

[heidiho]

My pool is only 12,000 gal. and I have to drain it down 18 inches to winterize and the snow and rain fill it back up
by spring time when I open it.This year I only added 60 lbs of salt and I went to 3200.I did check it before adding and I was around 2600. I always keep 2 or 3 bags in the shed just to have handy.It will cost you more in gas to pick up a bag than you will pay for the bag of salt.

 

[doncaruana]

thanks much folks! Think I'll pick up a bag or two and play it by ear from there!