Just Plugged in Salt System - HELP!

[Dangler]

We recently had our pool remodeled and as part of it, converted to a Salt System. We did not have it plugged in for the first 45 days as we got new pebble tech as well, and just set it up yesterday. The remodel company came out and added salt and told me to run the system for 24 hours. They also told me I could leave the trichlor tabs I had been floating to maintain my chlorine levels in for that time and then remove them this morning.

My wife tested the water this morning (as I am at work) and came up with the following:

FAC - 9
TAC - 9
Salt - 3000
CYA - 60
TA - 110
PH - 8

So, looks like I need to add another bag of salt and also acid to bring my PH down. Should I be worried about how high the chlorine is (planning an end of the soccer season pool party for 4-year-olds tomorrow)? Temps are around 100 in AZ so I imagine it will come down. But, if I add salt and acid today and run the system, will it become more chlorinated since the salt system in now active? Not sure what my first step should be here.

 

[gilbee]

As others have told me, as long as the Chlorine/CYA ratio is below the shock level according to the table:

FC-CYA Chart

Then you should be fine from a swimmer safety perspective. Since shock level is 24, I think you'd have to add a lot of chlorine either manually or via the SWG to get there...at least 2-3 gallons of 10% bleach if you're manually doing it, and quite a few dissolved trichlor tabs, so I don't think you're at risk of getting there by tomorrow unless you do something drastic.

Based on my readings of the forum, you could definitely add acid to lower the pH, shouldn't have much effect on the FC, though I wonder if your pH is really that number since you're so close to the limits of accuracy for the pH readings (above 10FC and the pH test isn't accurate).

 

[pooldv]

All of that is correct. I would go ahead and lower ph first. FC under 24 and clear water is safe to swim in. Adding salt does not add chlorine or make the water more chlorinated. That is a misconception. If the SWG isn't giving a low salt error I wouldn't add salt.

Did you get to 9 FC on SWG only? Then you need to turn down the percentage on the SWG.

 

[Dangler]

No, the 9 FC is from trichlor tabs + running SWG for 24 hours (I will check the percentage). I will add the acid then to lower the PH and then test from there as the system runs a few more days.