What is needed to run a Salt water pool?

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Thank you so much to everyone who answered on here to help get me started. Is there a difference in bleach and chlorine? I have added bleach and am ordering a test kit listed above today after i get home from work. I was just using regular bleach nothing fancy. I just didn't want to have all the water in there and then put nothing in. Thank you once again EVERYONE... P.S. I will not use the baquacil and they will not take it back so I guess I will throw it or give it to someone or maybe throw it on a garage sale page and see if anyone buys it cheap. I don't want that stuff in my pool after reading this.

So after bleach, I will wait for my test kit and hopefully figure out what should go in next. What usually goes in besides bleach if I don't have a swg? Thanks everyone.
 
Bleach is just a common name for a form of chlorine. Usually, bleach has a concentration of between 5 and 10%. When you get above 10%, then people start calling it "liquid chlorine" or something. It's the same stuff, just in a higher concentration.

The thing to be aware of is that you want just plain unscented bleach - not the outdoor stuff, or the scented stuff.
 
Charlie_R said:
What follows bleach? We won't know until we see trustworthy test results. It may be CYA, or it could be borax, or even muriatic acid. Until your test kit arrives, keep dosing with bleach.
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If you are filling with tap or well water, there will not be any CYA so you can add that right away if you want, to help maintain the chlorine level. It's available in liquid or granular form. I prefer the liquid because it's instant, but it cost more.

You will need the test kit to see where you are at on PH. Total alkalinty is related to PH adjustments so you will need to enter that into the pool calculator when you make PH adjustments. If you got one of the test kits recommended here it'll have the appropriate tests.

Make sure you keep the chlorine level up in the meantime. It gets used up relatively quickly, especially when you haven't got CYA in there yet.
 
BTW I'd add the amount of CYA to get to 30ppm now. Once you get your test kit you can verify your CYA number and add more if you need it. Or if you end up a bit over 30ppm you can determine the correct Chlorine level for the CYA level you're at.

CYA is not critical to be an exact number, just in a general range. Once you have your final CYA level go to the Chlorine/CYA chart in Pool School and determine the chlorine level you should maintain.
 
Thank you all so much for your help. I am adding chlorine and might consider salt as well but this is so new that we are just trying to keep it clear and clean right now. Went in it for the first time last night - HEAVEN is all I can say. My son and I LOVED it. I will post once I get my test kit and let you know the numbers. Thanks once again.
 
rdhetrick said:
Bleach is just a common name for a form of chlorine. Usually, bleach has a concentration of between 5 and 10%. When you get above 10%, then people start calling it "liquid chlorine" or something. It's the same stuff, just in a higher concentration.

The thing to be aware of is that you want just plain unscented bleach - not the outdoor stuff, or the scented stuff.
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It is all liquid chlorine: 3, 5, 6, 8.25, 10. 12.5% :lol:

All bleach you find at stores is "liquid chlorine", provided is has no additives where it is scented or thickened as previously stated. Thickened bleach is referred to as "easy pouring" or some such thing. Don't get those.

Pool and hardware stores will call it liquid shock, or liquid chlorine. All the same, just different strengths.

Welcome Tom and Shannon...Enjoy the forum.
 
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