High salt levels in chlorine pool

[ThankfulFam]

Hello...this is my first post on this site but I have followed the TFP water chem methods on our 15,000 gallon PebbleTec chlorine pool for the past 5+ years without any problems (or so I thought). The pool was finished in October 2019, and last drained/filled in December 2021 due to some plaster issues the builder fixed. I've only used chlorine pucks to keep the CYA at about 50 ppm or when we've gone on vacation, but the majority of the time have used liquid chlorine. The pool is in full sun in Texas, so liquid chlorine use is high during the summer months. I typically bring the FC up to 7 daily (weekly in winter), with the pH around 7.8 and TA between 60 and 80. We've never had a problem with cloudiness or algae, pool always looks sparkling and clear.

The problem is this past summer the pool starting tasting noticeably salty. Since then I started testing the salt levels, and they have gone up from low 3000s to currently around 3700. This number is gradually increasing, I'm guessing since I'm regularly adding liquid chlorine. My builder is recommending we drain the pool and refill, but is this necessary? How high is it safe to allow the salt levels to get before it becomes corrosive to the equipment and coping? Am I doing something wrong to have such high salt levels after only 3 years? We have friends who haven't drained their pool in over 30 years, so draining every 3 years seems like a wasteful (and expensive) hassle. All this time I've been careful to mostly use liquid chlorine because I was trying to avoid too high CYA levels without realizing I was creating a different problem with the salt levels.

Thank you in advance for any advice and help!

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

The salt is not hurting a thing.. Is it just slightly less than what I have in my saltwater pool..

If the 'taste' is the only problem, then you will need to drain some water, but I suspect that over the winter it will get diluted at least somewhat. If you are worried about saltwater damage, that is just a myth and does not happen.

Liquid Chlorine is adding salt to your pool... I would suggest that you just switch from Liquid Chlorine to a Saltwater Chlorine Generator (SWCG), the best possible way to add chlorine to your pool..

I have had three saltwater pools for over the last 12 years or so.. I love them and have had zero damage from the 'evil' saltwater...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Newdude]

Hey TF and Welcome !!!!

How high is it safe to allow the salt levels to get before it becomes corrosive to the equipment and coping?

Right now you are roughly 10% the salinity of seawater @ 35,000 ppm.

Everyone is different but most start tasting it between 2k and 3k. Even if you've had enough of the taste at, say, 5k, you'd only have to drain half to not taste it again. Then you'd start the slow climb with 16 ppm salt per gallon added.

Or get a swg to keep the salt level near 3500, *and* stop lugging gallon jugs. It's heavenly.

 

[Bperry]

Hello...this is my first post on this site but I have followed the TFP water chem methods on our 15,000 gallon PebbleTec chlorine pool for the past 5+ years without any problems (or so I thought). The pool was finished in October 2019, and last drained/filled in December 2021 due to some plaster issues the builder fixed. I've only used chlorine pucks to keep the CYA at about 50 ppm or when we've gone on vacation, but the majority of the time have used liquid chlorine. The pool is in full sun in Texas, so liquid chlorine use is high during the summer months. I typically bring the FC up to 7 daily (weekly in winter), with the pH around 7.8 and TA between 60 and 80. We've never had a problem with cloudiness or algae, pool always looks sparkling and clear.

The problem is this past summer the pool starting tasting noticeably salty. Since then I started testing the salt levels, and they have gone up from low 3000s to currently around 3700. This number is gradually increasing, I'm guessing since I'm regularly adding liquid chlorine. My builder is recommending we drain the pool and refill, but is this necessary? How high is it safe to allow the salt levels to get before it becomes corrosive to the equipment and coping? Am I doing something wrong to have such high salt levels after only 3 years? We have friends who haven't drained their pool in over 30 years, so draining every 3 years seems like a wasteful (and expensive) hassle. All this time I've been careful to mostly use liquid chlorine because I was trying to avoid too high CYA levels without realizing I was creating a different problem with the salt levels.

Thank you in advance for any advice and help!

There’s no need to drain the pool. There’s nothing corrosive about that small amount of sodium. Salt water chlorine pools use about 3500-4000ppm in the US and I hear they use ~6000ppm in Australia?

 

[ThankfulFam]

Thank you so much for your reassuring answers! The taste doesn't really bother us, just the thought that there was a problem with the salt. If the salt levels aren't corrosive then I think we'll just keep up what we've been doing. Btw, we are currently continuing our builder's warranty on our equipment, and they do not support swg which is why we've don't have one. Maybe we'll rethink that in the future!

 

[AUSpool]

Geday ThankfulFam and welcome to TFP and the forum,

It’s true, up till about ten years ago all our chlorinators were manufactured to operate at 6000ppm. My current one has a broad range of 3000-7000ppm with an ideal level of 4000ppm. 7000ppm is still only 20% of full strength sea water and not going to cause any corrosion issues.

Muriatic acid adds a little salt over time. It’s just something to keep in mind but you don’t have to do anything. Dry acid leaves sulfates behind and they can cause corrosion but the greatest risk is from a pH bellow 7 which none ever do but it’s good to know.

 

[AUSpool]

Thank you so much for your reassuring answers! The taste doesn't really bother us, just the thought that there was a problem with the salt. If the salt levels aren't corrosive then I think we'll just keep up what we've been doing. Btw, we are currently continuing our builder's warranty on our equipment, and they do not support swg which is why we've don't have one. Maybe we'll rethink that in the future!

Ooh, no SWG. I wouldn’t have a pool without one.

There is no such thing as set and forget but the benefit from a little automation and not lugging jugs of liquid chlorine is priceless.

It is thought that the lack of a SWG on new build contract all comes down to the competitive nature of the game. The extra cost of a SWG could mean the loss of a client. And then over the years they’ve made up reasons why they don’t include them.

 

[pjt]

liquid chlorine use is high during the summer months

Get a SWCG and never look back, especially considering our Texas climate. It's by far the cheapest, easiest, and most convenient method of chlorination.

Since then I started testing the salt levels, and they have gone up from low 3000s to currently around 3700

That's the perfect salinity to operate most SWCGs.

My builder is recommending we drain the pool and refill, but is this necessary?

Absolutely not. You're getting bad advice from your builder, whether well intentioned or not.

Btw, we are currently continuing our builder's warranty on our equipment

I would think equipment is warrantied by the manufacturer. What equipment do you have? Fill out your signature when you have a minute.

they do not support swg which is why we've don't have one

Why? The salt is already in the water. What possible harm could come from using a SWCG?

This forum has a massive number of SWCG users (probably 100,000+). You would have to search very hard to find anyone that dislikes their SWCG. I would never consider owning a pool without one.

 

[PoolStored]

I must concur. Take my speed stir, robot or SWG away...and I'll fill in my pool.

Get an SWG and don't look back.

 

[BowserB]

Hey San Antonio, you should be convinced already, but let me add a "me to" to what others have said. My pool builder strongly advised against a SWCG, but when the price of liquid chlorine jumped in 2021, I decided to do it. It was the right choice. I still keep a couple gallons of 10% on hand in case of big rain diluting the salt level, but that's it. Mine is a Pentair IntelliChlor IC40, and for my 15k gallons, I run it at 40% most of the summer, and 20-30 in the winter. Recommended salt level for the Pentair is 3600 ppm with an OK range of 3600-4500 ppm. I think our weather here in Katy (just west of Houston on I-10) is probably similar to yours. Two suggestions when you get yours. Get it installed by an authorized dealer-installer. For the Pentair Intellichlor, the warranty for authorized installer is two years, while it's only 90 days for DIY. Mine was installed June 2021 and failed in November 2022, fully covered by the warranty, including labor. Second suggestion, get it installed so that it is easy to take off and on, so you can easily check it and clean it from time to time. My installer also recommended installing it vertically, as he said he's found less calcium formation when it's installed that way (I have no proof of that, but the display panel is oriented such that it looks like vertical was intended.)

 

[pjt]

get it installed so that it is easy to take off and on, so you can easily check it and clean it from time to time.

If you maintain a slightly negative CSI (zero to -0.3) you'll have minimal to no buildup on the cell. Ideally, you should never have to clean the cell during it's service life. My cell is over 4 years old, has zero buildup, and has never been cleaned.

My installer also recommended installing it vertically, as he said he's found less calcium formation when it's installed that way

Pentair's instructions also recommend vertical installation, but horizontal works just fine. I would bet most installations are horizontal (including mine). If you do install vertically, make sure the water is flowing upwards through the cell. Orientation should have no effect on scaling.

 

[ThankfulFam]

Wow, this is great information and I'm definitely intrigued by the "cheapest, easiest, and most convenient" aspect of swg. The warranty we maintain with our builder means they cover any needed equipment repairs including filter, pump, cleaner parts, lights, etc. plus they break down our DE filter once a year and clean/inspect it. As first-time pool owners, this has been great for us as we can call them up anytime something isn't working right and they come fix it "for free." We're nervous at the idea of not having the warranty, but as I said they won't install or support a swg. I'm not sure I could convince my DH to make the change based on that.

So I guess my next question is, how much time/effort/cost is there to maintaining all of your equipment yourself?

I updated my signature so hopefully that helps.

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

Ask your pool builder this.... Since all three major brands of pool equipment use the exact same equipment for regular chlorine pools that they do for saltwater pools, and the equipment warranty is the same for both kinds of pools, why would his warranty be any different???

It makes absolutely no sense..

Does your pool builder also service your pool weekly? If so, what does that cost?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[pjt]

I'm definitely intrigued by the "cheapest, easiest, and most convenient" aspect of swg

I can't overstate the convenience of a SWCG. You'll be very happy once you have one, and then kick yourself for waiting so long to get one.

warranty we maintain with our builder

they come fix it "for free."

Nothing is free. Are you paying for their warranty/services?

they won't install or support a swg

That's bizarre. I would ask for a rational explanation. If you're handy, you can install one yourself. If not, it's not that expensive to hire someone to install it.

how much time/effort/cost is there to maintaining all of your equipment yourself?

Very little equipment maintenance is required. I clean my filter once every 12-18 months, which takes about 90 minutes. While I have everything apart, I clean and lube all the O-ring/gaskets on the pump and filter.

 

[ThankfulFam]

I think I recall them saying the salt issues they had were with stone coping and decking deterioration. Apparently many years ago they stopped new swg installs and removed all existing systems because they were having so many issues.

No, we service the pool ourselves except for the annual filter breakdown and any needed equipment repair. So we do our own chemicals, cleaning, and monthly backwashing.

 

[ThankfulFam]

I can't overstate the convenience of a SWCG. You'll be very happy once you have one, and then kick yourself for waiting so long to get one.



Nothing is free. Are you paying for their warranty/services?


That's bizarre. I would ask for a rational explanation. If you're handy, you can install one yourself. If not, it's not that expensive to hire someone to install it.


Very little equipment maintenance is required. I clean my filter once every 12-18 months, which takes about 90 minutes. While I have everything apart, I clean and lube all the O-ring/gaskets on the pump and filter.

Yes we pay for the warranty, thus the quotes around “for free.” In other words all repairs are included in the cost of the warranty.

 

[Newdude]

I'm definitely intrigued by the "cheapest, easiest, and most convenient" aspect of swg

My SWG produces about 1000 jugs worth of FC. I purchase liquid chlorine at Walmart and 1000 jugs is currently $6160 out the door. I don't care what they charge you to install it, you will barely break half that much.

Replacement cells don't need the $500 controller, or the install and can return 4:1 or even more.

Now. That's all fine and dandy. But as awesome as it is, it can't hold a candle to *not lugging 1000 jugs*. Not by a mile.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I think I recall them saying the salt issues they had were with stone coping and decking deterioration.

T,

How is your stone doing now? Your salt level is about the same as what you would need to have a SWCG. If salt was a problem, why is your stone not falling apart right now??

Thanks,

Jim R.