NEWBE! Salt Question

[nolan1123]

Hello, I just had a indoor inground pool installed. We have not used the pool yet due to waiting for the climate control to be finished.

But we are nearing the time we can use it but I wanted to get the water sanitized.

So I bought a Jandy salt system and everything is hooked up. We had a lot of dirt and bacteria in the water due to the pool being outside while the room around it was being built.

I added a gallon of Walmart Bleach which in testing the water today I am at acceptable levels. So my question is...

Since my chlorine and pH are at the levels they should be, how do I go about getting the correct amount of salt in the pool so the SWG starts to work? It is a 10800 gallon pool with a Hayward super pump, hayward sand filter, and hayward pool heater.

I want to add salt which has not ever been added to the pool yet. I read the recommended dosage on another website but it was for a pool that was clear of chemicals...Since mine now has bleach in it to get chlorine levels up. What kind of salt and how much should I add?

Thanks,

Bruce

 

[Patrick_B]

First, if this is a plaster/pebble/quartz finish pool, you need to wait until it has cured for 28 days before adding salt.

You can use SOLAR brand, or other water softener salt found at hardware stores or "big box" stores. Just make sure the softener salt has no additives in it like "Iron cleaner" or other such things.

The amount to add can be determined, by using the Pool Match calc at the top of the forum page. You'll need to consult your manual for the exact amount required, but SWGs generally need about 3000-4000 PPM.

The amount of Chlorine in the pool wont come into play with the salt addition, so don't worry about that.

Welcome to the forum! Glad you found us and hope you stick around.

 

[nolan1123]

First, if this is a plaster/pebble/quartz finish pool, you need to wait until it has cured for 28 days before adding salt.

You can use SOLAR brand, or other water softener salt found at hardware stores or "big box" stores. Just make sure the softener salt has no additives in it like "Iron cleaner" or other such things.

The amount to add can be determined, by using the Pool Match calc at the top of the forum page. You'll need to consult your manual for the exact amount required, but SWGs generally need about 3000-4000 PPM.

The amount of Chlorine in the pool wont come into play with the salt addition, so don't worry about that.

Welcome to the forum! Glad you found us and hope you stick around.

Hello and thanks for your info, I will be sticking around for a very long time...I am new to pools and have a lot of questions. The pool is made by Radiant Pool. The walls are made of Steel and foam and has a vinyl liner.

So what you are suggesting is wait 28 days or so before I add the salt to the pool? Can I get salt from anywhere as long as it has no additives? I assume I will need a lot of it so Whats the best way to pour it into the pool? Spread it around by tossing it or put it directly into the skimmer? Or even pour it near the return so it spreads out.

Also can we swim in it now or have to wait the 28 days for the bleach to cure?

Thanks again

 

[Patrick_B]

Sorry, I didn't know it was vinyl and assumed plaster to be on the safe side. You can add salt right away. Plaster pools need time for the plaster to cure before adding salt. It is only plaster that I am talking about. Nothing to do with bleach. Cure time is irrelevant with vinyl. Bleach has no cure time. Bleach is something that will have to be added only once in a while for special circumstances once your SWG is up and running.

You can use any of the softener salt, as long as it is additive free. It will be plainly marked with Iron Roemover or resin cleaner type launguage if it has additives. I'd stick with the softner varieties since it is clean.

They do make and sell "Pool Salt" along side softener salt at places like Walmart. It usually a dollar or two higher per bag. Waste of money. Pool Stores sell some salt with other additives, but these are VERY expensive relatively speaking. No need for those. Even additive free "Pool Salt" from Pool Stores is rediculously high priced sometimes.

The varities I am suggesting will list the purity at 99+ percent, just as the "Pool Salt". I suggest the SOLAR crystals since they are small and will dissolve rapidly. They are just like the Rock Salt you use when making Ice Cream.

Braodcast the salt throughout the pool and it will dissolve in a few hours. Don't put it in the skimmers.

As I said there is no bleach cure time or 28 days to wait. I would suggest getting the SWG up and going, then dialed in to start generating Chlorine before swimming. Do you have a good test kit for measuring Free Chlorine?

Lastly, since you are new, please begin checking out Pool School and start with the ABC's. Knowledge will be the most important tool in your kit, so start building on that as much as you can.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

I have always just used Solar Salt from any box hardware store ... same as the pool salt, but just not as ground up. Still dissolves in a matter of minutes.

I also want to add that you should put about 30ppm of stabilizer (CYA) in your water. This will help to buffer the harshness of the chlorine in the pool.

Do you have one of the Recommended Test Kits yet?

Please continue to ask questions as they come up

 

[nolan1123]

OK great, so my next question even though I thunk it may have been answered but just want to make sure..

I added a gallon of bleach to the pool a few days ago. That DOES NOT effect the amount of salt I add to the pool right. I have never had any other chemicals in this pool since it is a newly installed pool. So other then the gallon of bleach, nothing was ever added. Its a 10800 gallon pool so I should add about 250-300 pounds of Solar Salt right?

 

[jblizzle]

Bleach does add a small amount of salt, but since it is new water, there should not be much in there. That said, it is always best to sneak up on things. I would probably start with 240 pounds (6 bags) which should add 2650 ppm of salt, circulate for a day and test the salt level ... then add more as required.

For the CYA, since this is a new fill, your starting with 0ppm of CYA ... so I would add about 2.5 pounds (in a sock and put it in the skimmer) which would get you up almost to 30ppm. Then just maintain a FC around 2ppm.

Being indoors, with less (none?) sun exposure and a SWG, your pools does not really fall in our normal recommendation levels seen in the FC/CYA Chart.

BTW, what makes you think there was bacteria in the pool?

 

[bobodaclown]

Just an "Oh by the way". Not sure what kind of vehicle you have but careful on how many bags of salt you put into your trunk. I needed 12 bags, and needed to make 2 trips.

 

[nolan1123]

Thanks again for all the info. I will get some CYA today and start using it after I get the salt in the pool. Not sure if any of you know since this isn't related to my original question. But My Hayward Super Pump with a sand filter seems to lose pressure.

If I turn the pump on, its around 20psi which creates a very strong return flow. after about 2 hours or so the pressure gage reads 30psi and the return doesn't have as much flow. Its still strong, but jut not strong as it was when it was at 20psi.

Is this a concern? I looked for leaks and air getting in the pump but couldn't find anything.

Also whats the best chem to use to get nice clear blue water?

 

[jblizzle]

Pressure rises and the flow reduces when the filter gets dirty ... and then you need to backwash. We recommend cleaning the filter when the pressure rises 20-25% over your clean pressure. So if clean it is 20psi, you should backwash by 25psi.

To get nice clear water, all you need is adequate chlorine.

 

[nolan1123]

Pressure rises and the flow reduces when the filter gets dirty ... and then you need to backwash. We recommend cleaning the filter when the pressure rises 20-25% over your clean pressure. So if clean it is 20psi, you should backwash by 25psi.

To get nice clear water, all you need is adequate chlorine.

How often should the sand be changed in the sand filter? Whats the best way and chemicals to clean the filter?

 

[jblizzle]

The sand should never need to be replaced. It is a good idea to "clean/rinse" the sand every year or so. See this post for how:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...ot-how-to-fix-it?p=58929&viewfull=1#post58929

 

[nolan1123]

What do I use and the best way to clean the pump filter?

 

[jblizzle]

What do you mean by "pump filter"? Those are 2 different pieces of equipment.
And what do you mean by "clean" it?

Did you read the link I posted about washing the filter sand out with a hose?

 

[nolan1123]

The little filter right before the water gets sucked in through the pump.

 

[jblizzle]

That is usually called the pump or strainer basket. You just take it out and dump out the debris ... I will spray it with a hose if there are little things stuck in it.

 

[nolan1123]

Thanks again everyone, now I just got to figure out how to fix my leak. I am 99% sure the leak is around the pool steps gaskets. We knew it had a leak from the beginning due to the water level dropping about 1 inch per day. It stopped dropping at the bottom step gasket. I had since tightened the screws on the faceplate and though it was fixed as it was holding water but now as of yesterday it is dropping again about 2 inches every 24 hours. I bought a new gasket but have to figure out the best way to replace it.

 

[nolan1123]

Bleach does add a small amount of salt, but since it is new water, there should not be much in there. That said, it is always best to sneak up on things. I would probably start with 240 pounds (6 bags) which should add 2650 ppm of salt, circulate for a day and test the salt level ... then add more as required.

For the CYA, since this is a new fill, your starting with 0ppm of CYA ... so I would add about 2.5 pounds (in a sock and put it in the skimmer) which would get you up almost to 30ppm. Then just maintain a FC around 2ppm.

Being indoors, with less (none?) sun exposure and a SWG, your pools does not really fall in our normal recommendation levels seen in the FC/CYA Chart.

BTW, what makes you think there was bacteria in the pool?

When putting the CYA in a sock in the skimmer, will it dissolve ? If not how do I know when to take it out?

 

[jblizzle]

You weigh out the amount you want to add and then leave it in the skimmer until is all dissolves. Squeezing it a few times whenever you walk by can help.