Am I crazy? (don't answer that)

Rattus Suffocatus · Apr 28, 2020

So when you are starting up a salt pool, is it normal to have mixing issues with the salt in what I would call both directions? I just measured the salt level again, twice, and now my level which shot up unexpectedly to 3000 PPM is down to 2400. My pH finally went up a bit which is good because I want to get the TA down... But this dancing around of salt levels is kinda worrying my obsessive self.

Is this a normal thing? I think I might run the pump a bit longer if so...

Also the scale on the solar cover is now mostly salt which is interesting. Hopefully I won't be fighting salt levels all summer long.. But I highly doubt if I could have even pulled a half pound out of the water..

Hopefully this weekend I will get it installed but I am kind of glad I added the salt a week before now...

ajw22 · Apr 28, 2020

How long has salt been in the pool? What is the water temp?

I give the salt a few days to dissolve and mix before I run a test. And I run my pump 24 hours a day when getting salt mixed in.

Rattus Suffocatus · Apr 28, 2020

Only since the weekend. Even then I was only doing one to two bags at a time (I should need 7, and I have six in but this might force me to go to 7.5 or 8.). I have not yet changed the pump schedule. But I amazed its jumping around so much. I intend on plumbing and wiring the system this weekend but probably running the dummy cell for one more week so I can use up some of the bleach stash... So do you think this is okay, or am I doing something wrong?

Rattus Suffocatus · Apr 28, 2020

Water temp has been from 79°F to 83°F since I started adding salt. I did several tests in the week prior to ordering the SWCG and the salt was a stable 800 when I started.

ajw22 · Apr 28, 2020

I put all the bags of salt I need at once. And that may be 15 40lb bags and brush it around the pool floor until it mostly disappears. Then I let the pump run for a few days.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong expect for over analysis.

JoyfulNoise · Apr 28, 2020

Yes, salt water and fresh water take a long time to homogenize. You should be running the pump 24/7 and brushing the pool or running your robot cleaner until the water is well mixed. I suggest taking water samples from the deep end at a depth of about 3.5-4 ft

ajw22 · Apr 28, 2020

Actually I put in about 2/3 of the bags I calculate and then test after a few days and top it off.

Jimrahbe · Apr 28, 2020

Rat,

I think it takes a while for the salt to become fully mixed with the pool water... I would not worry about it at all.

And... yes you are... :poke:

Thanks,

Jim R.

Rattus Suffocatus · Apr 28, 2020

I am going to have to completely reprogram the pump anyway when this is done, so I will figure that out and then do it. Maybe tomorrow morning before I have to start working. I suppose the water density is different, but I am very surprised that this happened. Honestly I need the family to swim a bit more! They must have mixed it up good because they also brought up the pH by quite a bit.

Up until the last bag it was coming out what I calculated the next morning.... No big deal I suppose and if anything I am still under... No harm no foul.

I suppose I do tend to over analyze stuff but I am a test engineer by trade and you guys wouldn't believe some of the mysteries I have figured out over the years. It does ruin you a little.