New to Forum

[pmitchell]

Hi all.
Live in central Florida....pool is in-ground gunite 12,000 gallons...salt chlorinator t-15 cell. I was one to assume that salt system would take care of pool. While getting ready for summer, I realized my salt level was real low from the Aquarite panel, so I added salt, added salt. Of course, my salt cell had died (6 y.o.). I had salt tested and it was over 5000ppm. So I drained, filled, drained, filled and so on. While doing this I shopped around for a replacement cell. Found a Compupool equivalent at a good price. My salt level is still a tab bit high at 3500 ppm but I decided to turn on cell. I was told by my local pool store that the t-15 is much too big for my size pool, so only run it at 20-30% desired output. So I did. It was reading amps and salt level for the first 10-20 minutes but when I would go check back later to see if it was producing, the amps and salt level would read 0. I called Compupool and they referred me to an website for info. I called Goldline Controls and the tech told me that at that desired output, I would only make produce chlorine for about 30 minutes and shut off then start up again. I should either raised the desired output or increase filter time.
Is this right?
I moved the desired output to 70% and it is stayed on for a couple of hours. I did notice my salt level went from 3500 to 3700ppm. My salt strips show about 3500ppm.

I also I purchased a Taylor kit to do my own testing. Here are my results:
Temp 83
pH >8.0 added 1 qt Muriatic acid
FC= .5
TC= .5
CC= 0
TA= 140ppm
CH= 170ppm
CYA probably 0 since I could see the black dot

Any answers or suggestions would be very helpful.
I have been living with this pool for 11 years and I am finally taking charge and being proactive!

Patrick
FL

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

With all your draining, you've lost CYA. Without it to protect the FC from the sun, your SWG will struggle to keep up and fail miserably. There is probably some left over from last year; call it 20 and add enough to raise CYA to 70. After a week, recheck it and add more if needed. Like salt, the only way to get rid of too much is draining, and I'm sure you're tired of that. It's easy to add more.

Until things get stabilized, you need to raise FC manually with bleach, lest your pool start getting cloudy, then murky, then green.

Have you been studying Pool School? The link's in the upper right on every page.

[center:1w6w1i0p]

[/center:1w6w1i0p]

 

[pmitchell]

Thank you, Richard.
Isn't bleach the same as shock from pool store? Bleach would be less expensive. So when I shock the pool do, I add the stabilizer in right afterwards....keep pump on 24 hours...let dissolve...test it a week later.

 

[Richard320]

Thank you, Richard.
Isn't bleach the same as shock from pool store? Bleach would be less expensive. So when I shock the pool do, I add the stabilizer in right afterwards....keep pump on 24 hours...let dissolve...test it a week later.

Same substance, different concentrations. Chlorox is 8.25%. Liquid shock is generally 10 or 12.5%.

Add the stabilizer before or after - the granules take a while to dissolve. That's why we recommend suspending them in an old sock. If you need to backwash, you don;t lose the granules. And they won;t sit on the floor either and mess up the finish.