Adding a salt water generator to a green pool

[tobypine2]

So struggled last summer with our 24’ pool, had things peachy until end of summer. Fought the green stuff and won just in time to close the pool. Have had a sand filter for two years now that works good. Put the cover on after draining about a third of the water. Not long after a storm sank the cover and by the time I noticed, it’s at the bottom and green stuff started growing again.
This year we decided to try a salt water system along with the sand filter.
I guess my real question is, do I shock the daylights out of it and scrub and clean all the green out first before adding the generator? Or add it first and some salt before I fight the algae?
The salt part is totally new to me.

 

[Newdude]

The SWG and adding salt is entirely independent of the SLAM Process needed. You can install it first, or after, at your convienence. I'd wait on adding salt because you'll be backwashing a bunch and there's no reason to remove any of the salt you just added.

 

[woodyp]

How are you testing?

 

[tobypine2]

How are you testing?

I’ve got two different brands of test strips. After one got damp a few years ago, we have used two different ones in case results from one are skewed. I know the one is Clorox brand strips

 

[Newdude]

You are playing blind darts my friend. Let's ignore the terrible accuracy for a moment. They are simply too vague. Take the all important CYA level. 0, 30-50, 100, 200, 350 doesn't tell you squat when we need to know it to a 10 in order to set the proper FC level.

As the CYA increases, the FC must do so proportionately to match it. All levels on this chart are equal for sanitizing.




Failing to maintain proper levels from vague testing is why you've been green. We'd love to show you the way, on the cheap and easy.

Pool Care Basics
Test Kits Compared
PoolMath
FC/CYA Levels

 

[woodyp]

Newdude has you covered.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

The sand filter does nothing to stop the green, it's the chlorine that does. The sand filter will clean up the pool once the algae is dead. I haven't had a pool cleanup yet with my sand filter but I have read that it can take a while to clear up a pool. One thing you can try once the green is gone is to add a little DE powder to the sand to help it filter a little more finely. If you do that you need to watch the pressure to make sure you backwash the sand once the pressure goes up to where you need to backwash. Here's a link to the procedure: Add DE to a Sand Filter

As @Newdude said you need to get a handle on the water chemistry, I'm new to salt water pools and I completely screwed up last year with the salt chemistry!