Converting to salt/opening questions

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Florida-Chevy

Florida-Chevy

0
Jun 14, 2017
24
Florida
Hey everyone,

after having a great first season with our "intex-typ" pool thanks to your help and recommendations we are back and need to open up.

But I need help please:bounce:

We didn't want to open up until late March or even April and convert to salt before even starting back up with liquid bleach BUT the weather in NW FL is so constant in the high 70s that we somewhat need to open up since we noticed the liner to start showing green alge spots under the cover.

So my question number one is...Can we open up like last year, balance and do regular liquid bleach and then suddenly change to salt?:confused:
I was always under the impression after winter would be the only way to switch. Please let me know what you think. We won't be able to add the SWGs until late March or April.

The other 2 questions are regarding SWGs.
Can I still use my balance chemicals as I did while using liquid bleach?:confused:
I see "special" salt water pool PH and so on at the big box stores. Is there a difference or is that just marketing?

And regarding test kit. I have thanks to you invested a little to get a decent kit. I have a Taylor K 2006 (actually got 2) and was wondering if I understand it properly that I can use the same kit as usual but need to add a Taylor K-1766 for testing salt content? Is that all I need?:confused:

Thanks in advance. Just want to get ready before doing anything. Last year we just bought a pool and started without knowing anything or coming on here which cost me tons of $$$ and weeks to get it right.

Thanks everyone:wave:
 
A Saltwater is a chlorine pool and a chlorine pool is a saltwater pool. The only conversion is to add salt to your water in enough concentration to make your SWCG happy and generate chlorine.

So, start off using liquid chlorine. Follow [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. When you are able to install your SWCG. Add the salt. Wait a couple days after adding and then start the SWCG. Adjust as necessary to follow [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

That's it.

Take care.
 
fc,

Welcome to TFP.. a great place to find the answers to all your saltwater pool conversation questions... :shark:

You can add a SWCG to your pool at anytime.. I would want to make sure that any algae is long gone before converting however, as salt cells are designed to 'maintain' an FC level and not SLAM a pool.

Special salt is just a total waste of money.. Use either regular big box pool salt or water softener salt... needs to be 99% pure salt. I like the pool salt (about $7 bucks a bag) because it dissolves quickly, but either will work just fine.

I have never heard of special saltwater pool pH, but it is just not needed.. What you will need is a case (two bottles) of 31% Muriatic Acid (MA).. this is what you will use to lower your pH when necessary.

You will continue to use your K-2006, just like you did with your pool before.. The cell just makes your chlorine, everything else is the same..

Getting the K-1766 is a good idea... You really need to know the salt level in the pool now, so that you can determine how much to add...

One last thing.. Make sure you get a salt system that is rated for at least 2 x the volume of your pool.. The smaller the cell the more you will have to run your pool pump... The bigger the cell the better.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.
 
Florida-Chevy said:
Hey everyone,

after having a great first season with our "intex-typ" pool thanks to your help and recommendations we are back and need to open up.

But I need help please:bounce:

We didn't want to open up until late March or even April and convert to salt before even starting back up with liquid bleach BUT the weather in NW FL is so constant in the high 70s that we somewhat need to open up since we noticed the liner to start showing green alge spots under the cover.

So my question number one is...Can we open up like last year, balance and do regular liquid bleach and then suddenly change to salt?:confused:
I was always under the impression after winter would be the only way to switch. Please let me know what you think. We won't be able to add the SWGs until late March or April.

The other 2 questions are regarding SWGs.
Can I still use my balance chemicals as I did while using liquid bleach?:confused:
I see "special" salt water pool PH and so on at the big box stores. Is there a difference or is that just marketing?

And regarding test kit. I have thanks to you invested a little to get a decent kit. I have a Taylor K 2006 (actually got 2) and was wondering if I understand it properly that I can use the same kit as usual but need to add a Taylor K-1766 for testing salt content? Is that all I need?:confused:

Thanks in advance. Just want to get ready before doing anything. Last year we just bought a pool and started without knowing anything or coming on here which cost me tons of $$$ and weeks to get it right.

Thanks everyone:wave:
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum!

If you have algae, you will need to clear that before going to a SWG- it will never be able to keep up with the increasing chlorine demand as the algae reproduces.

To completely kill the algae, you will need to follow our SLAM Process procedure. To properly complete a SLAM, you need the correct test kit as mentioned.

Thanks for posting, nice to have you with us.
 
Thanks everyone.
Happy to hear that it is as easy as I hoped. I guess I'm overthinking.
But we wasted so much $$$ last season simply because we didn't know better.

Jimrahbe I wondered but wasn't sure about "special" salt pool products. Lowes has them from Chlorox. They have the regular line up and one in yellow packaging called my SaltPool. PH, shock etc. The whole line. As a newbie I'm still easily irritated.


domct203 I just looked at your setup which is somewhat what I want to go for. I have the SandPro 50D.
How far is your setup from the pool? I wonder if it would harm the system to pipe about 15ft away from the pool? Right now I have all next to the pool but run extensions cords. I would rather run pipe instead of power cords.
Do you know if this would be any issues for that little pump?
Thx
 
There are NO special 'chemical' for salt pools. The pretty packaging adds profit.

See Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

We use basic, available, standard, household products for pool care. Bleach, muriatic acid, baking soda, salt, cyanuric powder. Thats about it.

You have one of the most important items -- a quality test kit!

Take care.
 
I would hold off buying two gallons of muriatic acid until you see how much you need. Many SWG pool owners do find their pool pH raises, but many of us don't. I've used about 1 gallon in a year. My pH is incredibly stable, maybe yours will be also?

New plaster pools need a lot of MA as the plaster cures the pH climb quickly at times. An established pool doesn't tend to have that same problem.

Muriatic acid needs to be stored away from metals, other chemicals (particularly away from bleach!) so until you know you need much of it why not let the hardware store hang on to it?

Maddie :flower:
 
I also recommend you wait on the muriatic acid. I bought a gallon when I installed the SWG last season, used it once to lower initial pH, which remained stable at 7.4 all season.
 
Since you have algae, you need to take care of killing that off first by slamming to completion. The SWG wont do it for you. The SWG will indeed make it infinitely easier to keep your FC up to the levels needed to prevent algae in the 1st place though, provided you follow the FC/CYA TFP recommended ratio.

After you've slammed to completion, then get your CYA level correct thenget your SWG up and going, and it's pretty much that simple.
 

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