Adding salt to system to an above ground pool

[fredonia033088]

I have built these from the ground up and I’ve done liner changes in them.

I advise everyone not to add salt for the reason that is going to primarily leak around the skimmer and return.

Metal +salt = oxidation

I’m just speaking from what I’ve experienced.

I’m all about quality and not taking short cuts, that’s why I work for a prestigious company in my area.

I look forward to replies with interest if I’m wrong.

 

[Donldson]

Run your calcium up to 800 and tell me it doesn’t

Oh, we've got a real industry "a pool company signs my paycheck so I know what I'm talking about and don't have to back any of it up" guy on our hands. Look out!

I know that you learned everything from your coworkers and take everything they say as indisputable truth, but that's not how it works here. Frankly, seeing the stuff you are pushing you probably should rethink that too.

 

[PoolStored]

Before long you’ll be telling me calcium doesn’t effect vinyl liners

For 99.99% of vinyl pools, it does not.

Run your calcium up to 800 and tell me it doesn’t

Can you have a vinyl pool, CH of 800 without scale? Sure. You need to manage your CSI by lowering pH and manage TA.

I have seen less than a handful of liners with calcium scale. Even those are relegated to those that are committed to using Cal-Hypo for sanitization, or have high CH fill water, with little rainfall, and without a water softener. Don't understand CSI and don't want to manage pH. Scale is possible in a vinyl pool, but exceeding rare.

Can it happen? Yes, absolutely. Is calcium necessary to maintain a vinyl liner. No. It is not necessary. Some CH may be required to address foaming (100-150ppm will correct this), or to maintain a heater (200ppm is sufficient).

 

[fredonia033088]

Oh, we've got a real industry "a pool company signs my paycheck so I know what I'm talking about and don't have to back any of it up" guy on our hands. Look out!

I know that you learned everything from your coworkers and take everything they say as indisputable truth, but that's not how it works here. Frankly, seeing the stuff you are pushing you probably should rethink that to

I’m an installer
I have an app to make sure my chemicals are right

 

[PoolStored]

I have an app to make sure my chemicals are right

Curious...what app is that?

 

[fredonia033088]

Curious...what app is that?

It’s not pool math lol
It’s an app called pool doctor

‎Pool Doctor

‎Thousands of professionals across the world already use Pool Doctor to keep their pools blue... you should too! This app is not for total beginners -- It is a powerful digital tool for professionals or enthusiasts. But don't worry! Instructions are constantly scrolling across the screen. Just...

apps.apple.com

 

[fredonia033088]

Curious...what app is that?

I highly recommend it

 

[Newdude]

I have an app to make sure my chemicals are right

Any app, even our beloved poolmath, is only as good as the person decoding it.

It does not take into account the point of the season, the climate or the fill water.

If it's an industry method based app, it revolves around undersanitizing and over correcting weekly with shock, likely calhypo which is how you've seen 800 CH in Alabama. With soft fill water and about 50 inches of rain each year, for you to find anyone with high CH, means they went buck wild with calhypo.

*edit. You posted the app. Here's a screenshot



You only shock a pool when it was neglected. Your app is telling you to neglect the pool, then over correct your inattentiveness with shock once a week. That roller coaster never ends well, but it makes the pool store a fortune.

 

[fredonia033088]

Any app, even our beloved poolmath, is only as good as the person decoding it.

It does not take into account the point of the season, the climate or the fill water.

If it's an industry method based app, it revolves around undersanitizing and over correcting weekly with shock, likely calhypo which is how you've seen 800 CH in Alabama. With soft fill water and about 50 inches of rain each year, for you to find anyone with high CH, means they went buck wild with calhypo.

*edit. You posted the app. Here's a screenshot

View attachment 526191

You only shock a pool when it was neglected. Your app is telling you to neglect the pool, then over correct your inattentiveness with shock once a week. That roller coaster never ends well, but it makes the pool store a fortune.

We don’t use the app in our stores.
We use spin labs.

 

[sande005]

Kudos to Newdude for spending the $20 to check out Pool Doctor. The developer of record listed in the app store for the app, notes that he only worked on that project for 6 months (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngazzini?original_referer=https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngazzini) His linkedin profile lists a lot of varied software development education/experience, but no chemistry. Given his reference to liking working on it because it gave 5 others their first jobs might indicate a rather light amount of actual expertise being used for the app. Of course, without diving in deeply into the app, I can't accuse them of not knowing the subject they were dealing with, it does raise questions.
While TFP and PoolMath don't follow a lot of the "usual" methodologies for pool care, the strength is the years and huge number of people involved in developing and evaluating what is recommended. Some/many with the very deep understanding of the chemistry. And all willing to detail out the reasoning for the recommendations.

I couldn't find a reference to "spin labs". Perhaps what was meant was LaMottes Water Link Spin Touch water testing machine. That can link to LaMottes WaterLink DataMate for reporting and consolidating customer pool information and make recommendations for chemical additions. A key in their promo literature is: "Customize chemical names, dosage rates, and treatment text to match your chemical products and recommendation methodology." - so it doesn't matter what actually might work best, but most important is it can be configured to push what you want to sell.....

 

[sande005]

Easy for me, as a complete novice in this area, to criticize, but....
Wilbar makes a lot of pools of varying configurations/materials. Installation manuals are hard to come by on-line. But I found one that might apply. (https://www.propools.com/instructions_owners_manuals/OvalPoolInstructions-Yardmore.pdf)

When installing the skimmer, it notes: "You must also periodically inspect the gaskets for leaks to validate warranty. This is a critical step in pool maintenance. The majority of pool problems that we have seen over the past 40 years have been a result of poor skimmer and return gasket maintenance. If you see these areas leaking they MUST be repaired."

And later: "It is essential that there is no leakage of water at either of the openings. If water is allowed to drip down the metal wall of the pool, it will cause the wall to eventually deteriorate and split. At the slightest sign of corrosion, you must sand down this area and paint it."

And again "Quickly wash away any deposits of pool chemicals which land on the frame of your pool. Since metal parts are subject to wear and/or corrosion, a strict periodic inspection schedule should be maintained and followed. If any corrosion is found IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION MUST BE TAKEN" and "The skimmer area is one particular area that must be carefully inspected. If any corrosion is allowed to continue, failure of the pool structure may follow..."

And other such warnings.

No where are there mentions of chemicals to use or not use, except to make sure Chlorine is completely dissolved before adding. (no type called for)

They lay the issue of corrosion either on a faulty install (NOT saying the OP doesn't do it right! He seems to know well that part of it) , or improper inspection/maintenance by the owner. Prevent the leaks, prevent the corrosion. If there was no leak, there would be no issue no matter what the chemistry of the pool was.

 

[woodyp]

"Spin Labs".....that's one of them/thar professional terms I think!