Slow getting salt levels up

[blumsden]

When I opened this year, my AquaChek test strips showed 760 ppm of salt (pool store showed 1000). I have since added 7 bags (20kg each). According to the pool calculator, 140kg should have raised the salt by 2157, so I am thinking I would be around 2900 (or 3150 if the pool store's reading was accurate). My strips are now reading just 2100 ppm.

Is it likely that my strips are inaccurate and I should trust the chemistry/math? Should I try a new package of them? I would like to have the K-1766 , but it is $49 + shipping in Canada (!?!) while only US$17, so I might try a new bottle of AquaChek strips first.


Side note- I don't understand why Taylor lets its exclusive Canadian distributor price gouge so blatantly...

 

[BoDarville]

blumsden:

Welcome to TFP!

It is possible for the strips to go bad, especially if they get damp. To make that assessment even more challenging, it isn't always possible to tell that this has happened after the fact. Is there a chance this might have happened at some point? Were they stored in place that is subject to high humidity/dampness or did some water get sprayed or dripped on them at some point?

Now, onto your SWG. There should be specs on the acceptable salt range in the documentation for your SWG and most will indicate if the salt level is low. Is the SWG producing any FC and, if so, how much? That's really the bottom line. Way too many people spend lots of effort trying to figure out what their salt level "actually is", which really doesn't matter as long as the SWG is happy with it. With that said, there is one instance where nice to have an independent measurement of the salt level and that is when you suspect that the SWG is broken and indicating low salt when you have verified that the salt level is actually high.

If you are still experiencing problems, A full set of tests results would be nice, but in this case FC and CC are of utmost interest.

 

[blumsden]

They didn't get wet, but it's very possible the humidity has affected them. I will try some new ones.

The SWG is not generating yet - I just finished the shock process, so still have FC. My next step is to get the CYA up to 70 and salt up "in range". Plus the water is very cold, which I think is affecting the SWG. When I turn the SWG on, the salt level on the LCD bounces between 2600 and 2700 for a minute or two, and then drops to 2000 and the "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights come on solid. I will chlorinate with bleach for a while, get my CYA up and wait for it to warm up a bit!

Last test results on 2013-06-07 were:

FC 8.0
CC 0
pH 7.3
TA 60
CH 40
CYA 30

 

[blumsden]

New strips report 2740 ppm! These ones were HTH brand - the old ones were AquaChek. The HTH ones specifically say not to get the upper half of the strip wet. The AquaChek ones didn't say that, and I used to pretty much submerse them. Later, I will test the AquaChek ones in an inch of water like the HTH instructions say and compare.