Converting to salt- 1500 ppm in pool within 30 days startup

[Tom09]

^^^^^^+1
To add make sure reagent bottles are perfectly vertical.

Yes, I try to do that.

 

[Mdragger88]

I’ve personally have had issues with the following products, so I avoid them;

Aquasalt
Mortons
Diamond Crystal Splash Ready Pool Salt

Though I personally haven’t tried Clorox salt, I’ve read multiple reports about problems, so I avoid it as well.

For some time now I’ve been using the product you linked, Diamond Crystals Solar Naturals for water softeners, without issues, so I stick with it.

I have used mortons regular pool salt, Morton’s professional pool salt & Diamond splash ready over the years & now I have some staining (pretty much the whole pool is lightly stained)- is that the issues you have had?
The Morton’s professional has been dirty & had rocks in it but the others looked fine.

 

[Tom09]

I have used mortons regular pool salt, Morton’s professional pool salt & Diamond splash ready over the years & now I have some staining (pretty much the whole pool is lightly stained)- is that the issues you have had?
The Morton’s professional has been dirty & had rocks in it but the others looked fine.

Do you know which one one caused it.. that’s what I don’t want to happen. A couple of builders mentioned they use Morton pool salt, but based on the comments here I am picking up the regular diamond crystal.

 

[Mdragger88]

Do you know which one one caused it.. that’s what I don’t want to happen. A couple of builders mentioned they use Morton pool salt, but based on the comments here I am picking up the regular diamond crystal.

I have not isolated the reason for my staining. It could possibly be my fill water & trace amounts of iron accumulating.
Although the pool store tests for iron come back at zero for both my fill & pool water so that’s no help
I have never had a pool that kept mostly the same water in it for this long before as my others were all intex style lasting a yr or two each as we upgraded & quite small so even vacuuming to waste 1 time displaced quite alot of water.

 

[PoolStored]

Many, including me, use this exclusively. Have not seen a negative report.

 

[Saturn94]

I have used mortons regular pool salt, Morton’s professional pool salt & Diamond splash ready over the years & now I have some staining (pretty much the whole pool is lightly stained)- is that the issues you have had?
The Morton’s professional has been dirty & had rocks in it but the others looked fine.

My issues with them are based on what I immediately observed when adding them.

Aquasalt - lots of grey scum floated to the surface (yuck!), though it did clear up. Also, I contacted the company and no one knew what “natural stain fighters” are being added to the product (I don’t like adding mystery ingredients to our pool).

Mortons - lots of rocks and dirty.

Diamond Crystal Splash Ready pool salt - very dirty. Left a really nasty “tub ring”, especially on the steps (fortunately I was able to clean it off).

We do have some minor iron staining issues (I use Jack’s Magic Purple Stuff to control it), but I haven’t been able to link this with a particular brand of salt. None of the brands I’ve tried have left obvious stains where dumped in like you see in some of the Clorox salt stain posts. Also, it’s very possible we may have some iron in our city water.

 

[Mdragger88]

My issues with them are based on what I immediately observed when adding them.

Aquasalt - lots of grey scum floated to the surface (yuck!), though it did clear up. Also, I contacted the company and no one knew what “natural stain fighters” are being added to the product (I don’t like adding mystery ingredients to our pool).

Mortons - lots of rocks and dirty.

Diamond Crystal Splash Ready pool salt - very dirty. Left a really nasty “tub ring”, especially on the steps (fortunately I was able to clean it off).

We do have some minor iron staining issues (I use Jack’s Magic Purple Stuff to control it), but I haven’t been able to link this with a particular brand of salt. None of the brands I’ve tried have left obvious stains where dumped in like you see in some of the Clorox salt stain posts. Also, it’s very possible we may have some iron in our city water.

Where i live water softener salt isn’t as readily available & if you find it it’s more expensive than pool salt so I really am not sure what to choose honestly as those 3 are the only ones really available aside from the dreaded clorox. I haven’t noticed anything like you mentioned with the splash ready but I will pay close attention next time!

 

[Saturn94]

I haven’t noticed anything like you mentioned with the splash ready but I will pay close attention next time!

If you had the same issue you would definitely notice it. It was not subtle! Of course it is possible I just got a bad batch, but once was enough to turn me off of it.

 

[Tom09]

Just picked up my diamond crystal , thinking add half which is 1800 ppm and if I have 1200-1600 that would put me close to the 3600, sound good?

 

[Tom09]

I have sc1000 still, wonder if I should be adding some in? Although I had a horrible experience using it at start up, I won’t use as much .

Here’s our city water.

 

[Mdragger88]

I have sc1000 still, wonder if I should be adding some in? Although I had a horrible experience using it at start up, I won’t use as much .

Here’s our city water.

What is sc1000? Do you know its ingredients? If it was horrible why would you use it again? What happened?

 

[Mdragger88]

That’s alot of copper although that was 3 years ago & things can change. Have you noticed any staining?

 

[Tom09]

What is sc1000? Do you know its ingredients? If it was horrible why would you use it again? What happened?

SC-1000 Scale & Metal Control | Orenda Products

Orenda SC-1000 is a natural chelating agent that holds calcium and other metals in solution. Chelation inhibits carbonate scale formation and prevents stains.

www.orendatech.com

Scale and metal control. I used it for startup and I didn’t need to add calcium , so it pretty much did nothing and fought the chlorine when I attempted to add. I had to add quite a bit to get it to read. It will wipe out your chlorine if you add too much.

 

[Tom09]

That’s alot of copper although that was 3 years ago & things can change. Have you noticed any staining?
View attachment 529347

Don’t scare me, I wouldn’t know how to handle it and not sure what options I would have. Not that I’m aware for staining?

 

[Mdragger88]

Don’t scare me, I wouldn’t know how to handle it and not sure what options I would have. Not that I’m aware for staining?

Not trying to scare you
If you haven’t noticed anything then you are probably ok
There’s no telling where they take these samples from.
If it occurs you can deal with it then.
If you don’t have any staining issues or obvious signs of metals you can omit the sequestrant. Most people on municipal water don’t need them.

 

[Tom09]

Not trying to scare you
If you haven’t noticed anything then you are probably ok
There’s no telling where they take these samples from.
If it occurs you can deal with it then.
If you don’t have any staining issues or obvious signs of metals you can omit the sequestrant. Most people on municipal water don’t need them.

I added 6 bags of salt yesterday, what a chore

 

[Tom09]

I am trying to figure this out, I tested about 1500 ppm of salt yesterday which is a new pool startup 30-40 days, only acid and chlorine. I added 6 bags of salt yesterday and according to TFP it’s roughly 1950 ppm + the 1500ish yesterday, I tested today at 3400-3600 so say 3500 ppm. How could I have so much salt from before….am I doing something wrong? The math aligns from yesterdays test too…

 

[Mdragger88]

I am trying to figure this out, I tested about 1500 ppm of salt yesterday which is a new pool startup 30-40 days, only acid and chlorine. I added 6 bags of salt yesterday and according to TFP it’s roughly 1950 ppm + the 1500ish yesterday, I tested today at 3400-3600 so say 3500 ppm. How could I have so much salt from before….am I doing something wrong? The math aligns from yesterdays test too…

Have you tested your fill water?
1950+1500= 3450
Your math is mathing!

 

[Tom09]

Have you tested your fill water?

Funny you say that, I was thinking to do that.. didn’t want to waste my drops, they give such a small bottle

 

[Mdragger88]

Funny you say that, I was thinking to do that.. didn’t want to waste my drops, they give such a small bottle

For the salt test it’s likely to expire before you use it all - at least in my experience.