Just installed SWG

[straygecko]

New to pool maintenance and have been monitoring my PB with my TF-Pro test kit: way over chlorinate each week with liquid (ugh) and float a couple of tablets. Decided to install a SWG and take it over. I just installed my SWG yesterday and axed the PB and tablets. Prior to install I brought the salt level up just above the salt cell sweet spot and added some CYA. Here's my current levels:

FC: 6.5
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.2
TA: 50
CH: 300
CYA: 60
SALT: 3400
TEMPERATURE: 86°
CSI: -0.85

My plan is:

• The salt cell @ 50% raised my FC about 1.0 yesterday so I've dialed it back to 25% and will monitor daily to get it dialed in
• Salt cell says 3,000 to 4,000 with 3,500 the sweet spot. So I'll add some salt to get up to around 3,700
• Raise the pH with Borax to around 7.8
• Check the TA after Borax and add baking soda to get it up to around 60-70
• Recheck CYA in a week since I just added it and then add some more to get up to around 70-75

Sound like a good plan?

 

[mknauss]

Raise the TA to 70 ppm. Do not use borax. Monitor pH.

 

[Newdude]

The salt cell @ 50% raised my FC about 1.0 yesterday so I've dialed it back to 25% and will monitor daily to get it dialed in

Careful as it seems you lowered it 25%, but you also cut production in half. If you produced 4 and were up 1, tomorrow you will be down 1. If you produced 2 and were up 1, then half of what you were making is good.

Salt cell says 3,000 to 4,000 with 3,500 the sweet spot. So I'll add some salt to get up to around 3,700

I like the lower end so it tastes less salty. It's not much, and nothkng like the ocean, but it's definitely there.

Raise the pH with Borax to around 7.8

It'll get there on its own soon enough.

Recheck CYA in a week since I just added it and then add some more to get up to around 70-75

It's probably fine for now as the season winds down. You can road test it and go from there.

 

[straygecko]

Careful as it seems you lowered it 25%, but you also cut production in half. If you produced 4 and were up 1, tomorrow you will be down 1. If you produced 2 and were up 1, then half of what you were making is good.

Thanks for the suggestions. PoolMath says my SWG @ 50% will produce 2.4 FC in a day at my 8 hour run time and 1.2 FC @ 25%. If its right I should be about right or it will still creep up a little FC. We'll see.

 

[straygecko]

Raise the TA to 70 ppm. Do not use borax. Monitor pH.

Gotcha. I was planning on raising pH some because I planned on adding more CYA and the last CYA addition dropped my pH quite a bit. I'll just montor the pH instead and hold off on CYA for now.

 

[straygecko]

Got the SWG dialed in and FC is stable. Good call on not raising the PH. Its slowly climbed up to about 8 now. Ready for my first acid addition. I've got a couple of pounds of dry acid I used to test some stains. I know its not recommended when using an SWG but is it OK to use it up before getting some MA?

5.5 FC
0.5 CC
8.0 pH
60 TA
325 CH
70 CYA
3400 SALT
-0.19 CSI

 

[mknauss]

You can use up the sodium bisulfate. Just do not continue to use it. Be sure to dissolve it and pour in the pool at a return with the pump on.

 

[Newdude]

I know its not recommended when using an SWG but is it OK to use it up before getting some MA?

Dry acid adds sulfates which cause problems with repeated use. So long as it's not a 50lb tub, one package shouldn't matter.