Considering Salt - Have questions

Jump to latest Follow Reply
setsailsoon said:
Lively,

Once you confirm salt is correct with the K1766 test I would run FC, CC, and pH daily until you have your new swg lined out. You really need all 3 readings to know what's going on with the pool. After you get to know the pool you'll be able to drop back to a couple times per week.

One of the really nice things about a salt pool is it can be almost "set it and forget it". I just test to verify a couple times per week to be sure everything's OK. I've been at constant 40% with the same runtime now for over a year. Beginning of spring FC started to drop down so I did some further testing and found CYA was way low at 30 and salt was also low. I corrected these and FC jumped right up to 8. It now runs between 6-8 depending on amount of sun, rain, swimmers etc. One of our experts, @Jimrahbe posted once that he just runs a little above target. Since he's got several pools and been doing this for years longer than me I just started doing the same thing. Works great for me too!

Chris
Click to expand...


5 Days ago I had a small amount of FC TC difference, less than 1, I want to say it was .2 but can't recall at this time.

Today FC was 4 with a TC of 4. No CC showing on my TF-100 test.
 
That doesn't sound like the fas-dpd test. It measures FC and CC separately not TC. It's the one that turns clear to test FC.
 
Last edited:
LivelyOasis said:
I added enough salt to bring the pool to 3600.
As for the test, forgive my wording, I meant to say, I don't have any CC to change value for TC.

FC + CC = TC unless I've been doing numbers wrong?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I may not have been clear. Yes you've got the equation right. What I'm asking is what test are you using to get the result? FAS-DPD is the most accurate and it's included in the TF100. It's the one that tests FC first and then you add 5 drops of reagent to see if you have any CC. Is this the test you are using?

Chris
 
setsailsoon said:
Sorry, I may not have been clear. Yes you've got the equation right. What I'm asking is what test are you using to get the result? FAS-DPD is the most accurate and it's included in the TF100. It's the one that tests FC first and then you add 5 drops of reagent to see if you have any CC. Is this the test you are using?

Chris
Click to expand...

Yes it is. I have the full tf100 with autostir. I was using the fasdpd with the scoop of powder. I plan to retest tomorrow after I verify where my salt level is again as well.

I will post results here and poolmath app, sometimes I forget to log them there.

I will run the full gambit and post all results.
 
OK thanks for clarifying... just important to get the details straight. I would confirm an OCLT test and if you pass it sounds like you should contact Circupool support. You may indeed have a weak cell and if that's the case the sooner you contact them the better.

Chris
 
Ok, Yesterday was a bust due to medical reasons. Sorry for the delay. I waited until the evening today as I was planning to do the OCLT - well - I am in worse trouble than I thought:

Full Gambit:

CL: 0 no pink after scoop of power from my deep end or shallow end of pool, and I have two things of powder, tried one with deep end water - no result, the other with shallow end water - no result
CH: 475 (19 drops)
CYA: middle of 60 & 70 in cylinder
Alk: 90 (9 drops)
Salinity: RJ60+ Says 3850 - Sodium Chloride test shows 19 - 19x200 = 3800, so adding salt the other day I must have misjudged the last bag further than I thought - I knew I did a little expecting more rain but went over.

I just went out and manually turned on my pump, set the RJ60+ to Super Chlorinate - since it was already at 100%. It ran 8hrs yesterday and today at 100%. I know Super CL bumps it to 100% but maybe the 100% it's been on hasn't been right due to a flaw, figured I'd try it. I'll check again in the morning to see if I have any chlorine readible.

One thing I don't get, my water is crystal clear. I'm worried to type that as I may curse myself.
 
Last edited:
Lively,

Sorry to hear about your medical problems, hope all is OK.

How much and what is "a thing of powder"? Have you ever put any algaecide or other chemical in your pool other than liquid chlorine, CYA, or MA? Something is chewing up your chlorine. It's either algae, or a chemical that was added. Any possibility you have used an ammonia based cleaner near or in the pool?

Chris
 
setsailsoon said:
Lively,

Sorry to hear about your medical problems, hope all is OK.

How much and what is "a thing of powder"? Have you ever put any algaecide or other chemical in your pool other than liquid chlorine, CYA, or MA? Something is chewing up your chlorine. It's either algae, or a chemical that was added. Any possibility you have used an ammonia based cleaner near or in the pool?

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks, the medical is with my wife - she had complications from anesthesia right before all the Covid stuff went crazy here in Houston. Short story, coma - major weakness insued. She is doing better, but has good and bad days. She is home and the pool is honestly one of the only things that works for helping her get better (AquaTherapy) so I hope to get this sorted and the pool safe for her to enter asap again.

As for the pool, the DPD scoop. When I put 10ml of pool water, the next step is to add a "heaping scoop" from the DPD vial using the tiny blue spoon. I get no reaction this time.

From the time I converted to salt, which was recently, I have only added Cal-Hypo once when mentioned here, MA to reduce PH, and several weeks ago did a Ascorbic Acid clean on some rust stains a piece of metal fell in the pool and AquaBot drug it around creating rust circles where it would drop. I cleaned those with the natural science ascorbic acid. Nothing else other than the rain has gone in the pool except my wife. The deck is built to drain away from the pool, so no land run off enters, just the rainfall.
 
Lively,

Wow! That's very difficult situation and I see the urgency in getting the pool straightened out. Hopefully we can help in that area. Aqua therapy has been helpful for us and older friends with injuries.

The FAS-DPD test is extremely sensitive and if it does not turn pink you definitely have no FC. If your pool is crystal clear I highly suspect you have a chemical that's reacting with your chlorine. If that's the case you'll need to add chlorine 'till it's consumed. When you did the AA procedure did you use any sequestrants or anything like metal magic or Jack's etc? These are known to eat up chlorine 'till removed. I'm not extremely experience with AA treatment so I'm going to ask somebody I know has that expertise to comment. @JoyfulNoise @Swampwoman can you please help?

Chris
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Hi Chris,

Thank you for continuing to dedicate time to this. It means a lot to me.

I did not use any other products at all other than specified. I try my best to keep it minimal, and since I had removed the source of the metal, the Ascorbic Acid was all I used.

After running the pump all night at 100% with Super CL set to try it: I have the following results this morning:

FC: 5 PPM - (10 Drops to clear from bright pink)
CC: Extremely hard to detect pink tinge following the 5 drops of reagent - 1 drop and it was back to crystal clear. so ~.5?

I did not test the other chemicals but can if advised. I am going to leave the pool pump on all day and turn it off 1 hour before sunset, check FC/CC then. If no CC but still FC - leave off and OCLT. If no FC - Im back to confused and will run the pump overnight on 100% again instead of OCLT.

Attached a pic of the pool last night, you can see how clear the water is in it pretty well I think. I could count white pebbles on the bottom of the deep end for sure and the plaster is white.
 

Attachments

  • Pool-Night.jpg
    Pool-Night.jpg
    104.8 KB · Views: 21
Last edited:
LivelyOasis said:
Hi Chris,

Thank you for continuing to dedicate time to this. It means a lot to me.

I did not use any other products at all other than specified. I try my best to keep it minimal, and since I had removed the source of the metal, the Ascorbic Acid was all I used.

After running the pump all night at 100% with Super CL set to try it: I have the following results this morning:

FC: 5 PPM - (10 Drops to clear from bright pink)
CC: Extremely hard to detect pink tinge following the 5 drops of reagent - 1 drop and it was back to crystal clear. so ~.5?

I did not test the other chemicals but can if advised. I am going to leave the pool pump on all day and turn it off 1 hour before sunset, check FC/CC then. If no CC but still FC - leave off and OCLT. If no FC - Im back to confused and will run the pump overnight on 100% again instead of OCLT.

Attached a pic of the pool last night, you can see how clear the water is in it pretty well I think. I could count white pebbles on the bottom of the deep end for sure and the plaster is white.
Click to expand...
Lively,

That's a really gorgeous pool!
LivelyOasis said:
Hi Chris,

Thank you for continuing to dedicate time to this. It means a lot to me.

I did not use any other products at all other than specified. I try my best to keep it minimal, and since I had removed the source of the metal, the Ascorbic Acid was all I used.

After running the pump all night at 100% with Super CL set to try it: I have the following results this morning:

FC: 5 PPM - (10 Drops to clear from bright pink)
CC: Extremely hard to detect pink tinge following the 5 drops of reagent - 1 drop and it was back to crystal clear. so ~.5?

I did not test the other chemicals but can if advised. I am going to leave the pool pump on all day and turn it off 1 hour before sunset, check FC/CC then. If no CC but still FC - leave off and OCLT. If no FC - Im back to confused and will run the pump overnight on 100% again instead of OCLT.

Attached a pic of the pool last night, you can see how clear the water is in it pretty well I think. I could count white pebbles on the bottom of the deep end for sure and the plaster is white.
Click to expand...
Lively,

No problem and glad to help. If you started with zero FC last night and ran at 100% 5 ppm is exactly what you should have had this morning with 100% power overnight (12 hr production would be 5.3 ppm). So I'd say your swg is working exactly as it should. Your interpretation of CC is correct. .5 ppm cc is treated exactly the same way as zero. It's only when you have 1 ppm or greater that action is needed.

No need to be confused. You're results are easy to explain from last night to now. Please post your test results this evening and if you enter them in Pool Math it's easier to see the trends. If you keep the unit running all day you should put in another 5 ppm FC from your swg so that should read 10 ppm later this evening minus the daily sun and sanitation loss. I'm guessing normal loss could be 3 ppm so you should read around 7 this evening. You don't show an enclosure and what I recall about Spring TX is there are a LOT of trees that can drop leaves and needles plus plenty of bug and bird droppings. This could easily consume more FC per day than I assumed.

Chris
 
setsailsoon said:
Lively,

That's a really gorgeous pool!

No need to be confused. You're results are easy to explain from last night to now. Please post your test results this evening and if you enter them in Pool Math it's easier to see the trends. If you keep the unit running all day you should put in another 5 ppm FC from your swg so that should read 10 ppm later this evening minus the daily sun and sanitation loss. I'm guessing normal loss could be 3 ppm so you should read around 7 this evening. You don't show an enclosure and what I recall about Spring TX is there are a LOT of trees that can drop leaves and needles plus plenty of bug and bird droppings. This could easily consume more FC per day than I assumed.

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks, I try my best to keep it clean, and despise sediment. Lots of work.

My pool is open to the elements, but my back yard has minimal foilage that can drop in the pool except during the fall. We really only ever have sediment tracked in and the flying ants daily, however I have it timed almost right now where the ants are raked out within an hour of their daily swarm (days that are really sunny - cloudy days do not have this issue. I have also began installation on a peppermint oil misting system on my fence line, which should keep them from coming altogether and cut down on mosquitos.

We have banana trees directly around the pool that dont drop leaves - we trim them (me), and shrubs with non-shedding. Neighbors have pine but they hit the roof 99% of the time. The main things that hit our pool is Sun, Rain, and People. (right now me and the wife) mainly her.

She did ask, is she ok to enter the pool today, she's a week behind her therapy and honestly the water takes a lot of pain and pressure away while she is in it. Given the numbers, I feel pretty sure the pool is safe to enter, thoughts?
 
LivelyOasis said:
Thanks, I try my best to keep it clean, and despise sediment. Lots of work.

My pool is open to the elements, but my back yard has minimal foilage that can drop in the pool except during the fall. We really only ever have sediment tracked in and the flying ants daily, however I have it timed almost right now where the ants are raked out within an hour of their daily swarm (days that are really sunny - cloudy days do not have this issue. I have also began installation on a peppermint oil misting system on my fence line, which should keep them from coming altogether and cut down on mosquitos.

We have banana trees directly around the pool that dont drop leaves - we trim them (me), and shrubs with non-shedding. Neighbors have pine but they hit the roof 99% of the time. The main things that hit our pool is Sun, Rain, and People. (right now me and the wife) mainly her.

She did ask, is she ok to enter the pool today, she's a week behind her therapy and honestly the water takes a lot of pain and pressure away while she is in it. Given the numbers, I feel pretty sure the pool is safe to enter, thoughts?
Click to expand...

My wife has asked me the same thing when we have our grand kids here. I'm always comfortable with safety of the pool so long as it's in compliance with min FC level show in the FC/CYA chart FC/CYA Levels and below the SLAM level shown.

Chris
 
So I turned the pump and swg off at 7:30. Just now at 8:30 I got the following result:

FC: 1 (2 drops)
CC: still .5 or less

Not going to OCLT, going to run the pool all night again at 100% then re-evaluate tomorrow. The Chlorine is going somewhere and even though it's in direct sunlight, it shouldn't eat that much chlorine in an hour.
 
One of your last posts you've mentioned FCof 0 which tells me something in the water is burning it up. The 5 from last night was luck because the SWCG was running heavy and no sun otherwise it would have disappeared too. I would quit using the SWCG and slam with liquid chlorine till you get through it.
 
I plan on getting Liquid Chlorine tomorrow - with my wife's condition, its hard for me to get out and its not easy to get delivered.

I did not test when I shut off the pump, I waited the time for OCLT. Pump has been running all night and right now I am at:

FC: 4
CC: 0 no tinge at all when reagent added super clear.

I think the SWG is not doing like it should.
 
I called CircuPool and after all their troubleshooting, they advised this:

Run the pump 24hrs and cell at 50%
or
Run the pump 12hrs and cell at 100%.

They said since my pool is 35k gallons the RJ60+ is a great system for it, but 75% at 8hrs is not enough generation and even though my turnover is ~2x in 8hr, they want it ran 12 hours and MAYBE I could bump back to 10 hours if not very sunny etc.

Cant say I wanted to do either, but it makes kinda sense.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply