Holy Cow, boy did I screw up the salt level last year! 🤣

[VinnyinNJ]

Since I made owning a SWG into rocket science last year, I screwed up totally!

To recap ... we had a lot of rain last year, left the salt alone and when I took a reading it was very low, so I added salt per " pool math instructions " and measured still low 24 hours later. Rinse and repeat! The suspect was maybe bad chemicals. I had enough LC that by the time I received new reagents it was closing time.

Tested my salt yesterday and it was at 4000 PPM. That's after dropping about a foot of water to winterize and refilling back to proper levels. Assuming the new reagents are good, I screwed up last year big time!

Pool math says to empty 25% of the water to bring it down ... probably not going to do that drastic amount, I'll just do little amounts when it rains and/or drain a little and refill. I guess we'll see next year!!!

 

[Texas Splash]

I've had those moments.

 

[Newdude]

Pool math says to empty 25% of the water to bring it down .

12.5% would be perfect at 3500. (roughly with a wide test error variance).

6.25% would be still pretty good at 3750, and the eventual rains would finish the job

 

[VinnyinNJ]

I've had those moments.

I have a feeling that as I get older I will have more of them!

 

[VinnyinNJ]

12.5% would be perfect at 3500. (roughly with a wide test error variance).

6.25% would be still pretty good at 3750, and the eventual rains would finish the job

Now that the pool is getting to the temp my wife likes ~ 86 degrees I don't want to drain and refill too much. The plan is to utilize our pool a lot being we're both home now. I am hoping for rain so it gets diluted, backwash a little more often (and longer) to get the salt down a little. Maybe it'll rain a lot and taking from my stupidity from last year the salt will just go away!

 

[VinnyinNJ]

BTW for all the U.S. TFPers - Happy 4th of July! Although everyone can celebrate it if you'd like!

 

[VinnyinNJ]

I reviving this thread ... tested salt and it was in the 3000 - 3200 PPM area. I tested it 3X today - once in the morning with the filter off which gave me a 3200 PPM reading and twice this afternoon with the filter on once using my old reagents (still within date) and once with new reagents and I got 3000 PPM on both tests. It looks to be I'm good to go with using my SWG! YAY!!

The only thing I did is sometime last week I lowered the water level about 2 inches due to a higher water due to rain. I officially have to say the salt testing is kicking my ! It's almost like I haven't tested my water for 20+ years using these kits. Of course I just started using salt so maybe I am a newbie ...

 

[Newdude]

Are you using the smart stir ? It's almost a requirement for the salt test. Many drops make a momentary change but it's not there yet once it mixes. It's SO much nicer watching the machine go at it.

Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
BOOM. Ok phew.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Are you using the smart stir ? It's almost a requirement for the salt test. Many drops make a momentary change but it's not there yet once it mixes. It's SO much nicer watching the machine go at it.

Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
Mmmmmm nope
BOOM. Ok phew.

Yes, I have been using the smart stir! I actually have been using it exclusively for testing; I figured I bought it so I should use it... I'm starting to like it! Kind of hard to fit that pill into the pH part of the testing block!!!