Friend with covered pool doesn’t understand salt or other setup issues

dndrich

Silver Supporter
Apr 19, 2015
124
Sebastopol, CA
PoolPals:

I have been happily using my TFP method for years and year with my pool, and all is well.
A good friend had an expensive pool put in with lots of automation. She does not understand her equipment. She has a pool service dumping liquid chlorine in the pool despite having a salt water generator.
So I went down and took a look, and brought my TF-100 test kit. Most is fine, including salt at 3200. But CYA was ZERO (!) and FC was 20! I believe the service had been there the day before and had dumped in chlorine.
So I need to understand the best way to advise them. Here is the setup: Two Jandy pumps, one is variable. There is also a booster for the pool sweep. The pool is about 11,000 gallons plaster and has a built in spa. It has a Pentair 20 salt cell. Cartridge filter. Integrated cover. The pool is in full sun in Northern California. Aqualink RS wired system in the house.

So, It seems strange that there is no CYA in the pool. I understand some indoor pools it is advised against putting in CYA, but with a salt cell and an outdoor pool even with a cover it seems to me the CYA should be 70 as is nice for a SWCG pool like mine. I have advised them to leave the cover open a few days a week during the summer, and close at night to keep in heat. Gas heater.

Now, there are a few pieces of hardware I do not understand. I am including a photo. There is a large black manifold like 5 inches thick with valves to it. I wonder if it is part of the spa aeration? I have no idea what it is. There is a large vertical white PVD pipe that I suspect was for putting in 3 inch dichlor tablets, which with the salt cell should be totally unnecessary. The rest seems pretty straightforward. The Pentair salt cell is controlled from the cell itself on top, and is not part of the Aqualink system. When the pool was built the contractor pushed them hard away from salt and towards dichlor tabs, which I was against, so I am not surprised at how this looks. Once I get a handle on the Aqualink programming and the equipment the pool should be simple to maintain. It does have electronic Jandy valves for the spa diversion etc, and even has a water feature of some kind that may not be working. Any advice appreciated. IMG_1295.jpegIMG_1296.jpeg
 
It's good to have TFP friends. :) Yes, that's a tab feeder that perhaps one day will get removed. That black tube looks to have a small 1/4" line at the end. Perhaps ozone or something? :scratch: Someone else will confirm.

You are correct that the pool should have some CYA. We recommend salt pools have a CYA of 70 which is primarily to help the cell work more efficiently outdoors. In full sun, I would think that would be a must. Also, with no CYA in the water, that FC of 20 is "exponentially" higher. I mean really high and not safe to swim in. I would add granular stabilizer ASAP via the sock pre-soaking method. At a minimum, get it up to 60 and go from there.

Good thing you were looking out for her.
 
If the pool is covered most of the time, a lower CYA is acceptable. 40 ppm give or take would be better.
 
Thanks for the quick responses guys! Yeah, I swam in the thing before I checked the levels. My skin is still on for now. Really curious about the black tube. Ozone. You could be right about that! Another thing they don’t need. I am going down there again soon to start them on their journey. Will leave the tab feeder installed as no need to take it out and it does nothing.
 
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Have them sign up for a forum account and get a test kit (TF-Pro Salt).
Between your help and them coming here to learn for themselves, they can have a trouble free pool.
But they need to be willing to put in a little work. Remind them how easy it really is.
 
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