How many salt bags in a 24k gallon pool?

[BadSpongeBob]

I just had my pool plaster chipped off and re-done with pebble-tec, and finished refilling it today. According to my aquachek tester, my FC is 0, ph is 7.9, TA is 203. Those are the only things it tests, so don't ask about anything else, I don't know. I've already put the only 40 lb bag of salt I had in it. Can anyone tell me about how many more bags I should put in?

It's about 24,000 gallons, I have an Intellichlor IC40 SWG, and water temp is currently 75F.

 

[JasonLion]

Many plaster people say you should wait 30 days after fresh plaster is applied before adding salt.

In any case, you need to know the current salt level before you add salt. The initial salt level is never zero and is sometimes quite high. If you don't test the initial salt level you can end up way to high after you add salt.

You can use my Pool Calculator, see the link in my signature, to figure out how much salt to use. Enter your current salt level, target salt level, and the size of your pool and it will tell you how much salt you need to add.

 

[BadSpongeBob]

I've been using your pool calculator for several months now. Thanks for making it! Even though I don't have any test I can use to measure the salt content, my SWG has a salt indicator on it, and right now it says low salt.

I didn't know about waiting 30 days though. I'll wait until I talk to the pool contractor before I add any more though. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Guest]

Pick up some AquaChek salt test strips to test your salt level. You can usually find them at the local pool store or you can order them from TF Test Kits....see the link in my signature below. While you are at it you might want to consider ordering a TF100 test kit. You won't regret it!

 

[BadSpongeBob]

I still haven't added any more salt to my pool besides that 1 bag. Jason kind of scared me with what he said, and I want to talk to my pool contractor before adding anything else.

If I don't add anything for 30 days, would it be OK to let the kids go swimming in the meantime? Of course, I'll be running the filter overnight, as usual.

Buying the TF100 test kit is on my must-do list, but last I checked it was almost $80, and we're operating on razor thin profit margins. I'll get one when my Aquachek test strips run out. I'll definitely pick up some salt test strips, I can afford a few bucks.

 

[Nasty90]

640 lbs @ 40lbs each = to 16 bags

 

[JasonLion]

As long as the FC level is being maintained one way or another it is fine to swim.

 

[tnthudson]

Keep in mind that it is MUCH easier to add salt than to take it out
I went a couple of bags low (lower than the calculator's results), then added one bag, waited a day or two, added another, etc. until the salt strips and my SWG agreed that I was "good." Now I wait until the SWG tells me I need to add salt, and I double-check with test strips to be sure. The test strips will also give you a reading to put into Jason's calculator so you'll know how much to add each time.