New Pool Owner - Constantly High PH

[wireform]

You're going to add salt in batches so not to overshoot and keep the liquid chlorine going until you have the salinity in the water that matches the manufacturer requirements. At that point make sure you bring the CYA up to 60-70 and turn on the swcg 24 hours after the last salt was put into the water. Run your FC hot so you have 3 ppm over the target level for the CYA ratio. This way you won't end up with surprise algae.

 

[sumy08]

You're going to add salt in batches so not to overshoot and keep the liquid chlorine going until you have the salinity in the water that matches the manufacturer requirements. At that point make sure you bring the CYA up to 60-70 and turn on the swcg 24 hours after the last salt was put into the water. Run your FC hot so you have 3 ppm over the target level for the CYA ratio. This way you won't end up with surprise algae.

Thanks, so keep adding liquid chlorine to maintain 6ppm as per CYA/FC chart and then add salt as we at same time?

Won't that overshoot FC in water?

 

[wireform]

Salt will not change the FC. Salt only converts to chlorine when the salt cell is ON.

 

[sumy08]

Salt will not change the FC. Salt only converts to chlorine when the salt cell is ON.

That helps mate. So when I start the cell, then see how much FC I am having, add more salt if needed and maintain as per FC/CYA chart correct? At that stage I can stop liquid chlorine right?

Also, what is a good reference point to calculate salt required for my pool size? Say 3500ppm

 

[wireform]

No, get all done with the salt and make sure you have the salinity in the parameters the manufacturer recommends. Forgot to mention earlier salt strips and the controller readout aren't reliable for salinity levels. We recommend the Taylor K-1766 but not sure what's available down under. After the water has the fixed amount salinity then you can switch on the SWCG. Make sure the FC is at the correct level and try to maintain that level with the cell. It'll be dependent on the hours you run the pump and the percentage the cell is set at. Read the instructions that came with the cell.

 

[PoolStored]

Hello All,

Not sure if I ask in same thread but I have another question regarding adding salt to pool. My pool will be 4 weeks old soon and I need to add salt, until now I am adding liquid chlorine daily to maintain it. So the questions are:

1. When should I stop adding chlorine, is it a day before adding salt?
2. The existing chlorine levels, would they have any impact on adding salt?
3. If FAS DPD for FC give a value when I add salt, does that matter and how should it be taken into consideration when adding salt?

Hope these questions make sense

In general Salt and FC levels are not dependent on each other.
1) Test your salt level, if you are using LC, you WILL have some salt in the pool already. Add salt. You should add maybe 2 or 3 bags less than what PoolMath tells you to get from current to target (protects you from adding too much if your pool volume isn't accurate. Might take up to 24 hours to get it to be accurate test. Follow your LC schedule while adding salt. Test again after 24 hours, add more if necessary to get to target.
2) Nope.
3) Don't understand the question.

 

[PoolStored]

Also, what is a good reference point to calculate salt required for my pool size? Say 3500ppm

Go get PoolMath and use "effects of adding." It will give you an answer. Please test your salt level before adding salt. I have been using LC for 1 year, my salt level is 1100. Use your test result as the starting point for "effects of adding" in pool math. Use 3500 as your target. Then add 2 bags less than recommendation, wait 24 hours, test again. Add more as necessary.

 

[aussieta]

make sure to sweep the salt around until it is dissolved as it can stain if dumped in a pile and then left

 

[sumy08]

In general Salt and FC levels are not dependent on each other.
1) Test your salt level, if you are using LC, you WILL have some salt in the pool already. Add salt. You should add maybe 2 or 3 bags less than what PoolMath tells you to get from current to target (protects you from adding too much if your pool volume isn't accurate. Might take up to 24 hours to get it to be accurate test. Follow your LC schedule while adding salt. Test again after 24 hours, add more if necessary to get to target.
2) Nope.
3) Don't understand the question.

Thank you, your 1st line answered my Q3.
Very helpful

 

[sumy08]

make sure to sweep the salt around until it is dissolved as it can stain if dumped in a pile and then left

Will do mate, thanks for reminding!
Also how long will it take to dissolve salt on average?

 

[sumy08]

In general Salt and FC levels are not dependent on each other.
1) Test your salt level, if you are using LC, you WILL have some salt in the pool already. Add salt. You should add maybe 2 or 3 bags less than what PoolMath tells you to get from current to target (protects you from adding too much if your pool volume isn't accurate. Might take up to 24 hours to get it to be accurate test. Follow your LC schedule while adding salt. Test again after 24 hours, add more if necessary to get to target.
2) Nope.
3) Don't understand the question.

Also, at what stage should I stop with LC?
Once I reach my target say 3500 PPM with SWG cell working, stop LC then?

 

[aussieta]

no hurry
wait 24 hours after salt has dissolved to turn on swg
even if adding liquid chlorine and swg is running fc will be a little high
which is much better than a little low
so if you turn swg on, on friday and still add liquid chlorine friday
your fc will be a little high
then test over the next few days and adjust swg to suit
if fc is climbing turn swg down
if fc drops a large amount turn swg up
always best to be a little over

 

[aussieta]

Also how long will it take to dissolve salt on average?

generally 5-10 minutes per bag constantly sweeping

 

[PoolGate]

Hello All,

Not sure if I ask in same thread but I have another question regarding adding salt to pool. My pool will be 4 weeks old soon and I need to add salt, until now I am adding liquid chlorine daily to maintain it. So the questions are:

1. When should I stop adding chlorine, is it a day before adding salt?
2. The existing chlorine levels, would they have any impact on adding salt?
3. If FAS DPD for FC give a value when I add salt, does that matter and how should it be taken into consideration when adding salt?

Hope these questions make sense

None of this matters. There is no relationship between salt and chlorine level. Add salt to the appropriate level and continue adding liquid chlorine until your SWG is up and running and producing enough chlorine that you can stop manually adding it.

 

[6XSBChamps]

So I should focus on lowering TA by adding more acid and then try and keep PH balance?

Curious if you have anything that aerates your water, like waterfalls or fountain. I battle high Ph as well and I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with my high aeration running 3 waterfalls, fountain, and SPA spillover.

 

[TexasEd]

I'm a newbie but I just went through this a few weeks ago so here is what worked for me.
1. Know your pool capacity and how much salt is in it now. For me it was 18,500 gal and 390 ppm salt. I used an electronic salt tester that I calibrated using a known test sample.
2. I guessed based on volume I was going to need between 10-12 bags. I added 4 bags and ran the pump heavily and came back to test the next day and it was 1500. The net change was 390 to 1500 = 1110 so about 275 ppm per bag and I needed to get to 3000. So 1500 more. 1500/275=5.5
3. Next day I added 5 bags and then we had a huge rain So after the draining I retested and it was at 2400.
4. I added 2 more bags and got to 2900 and then my generator started creating chlorine. Up until this point you need to add liquid chlorine.
5. I waited a few more days for circulation and then added one more bag to bring it up to 3185. This was good because when we had the next big rain my SWG stayed happy with the dilution.

As far as Chlorine production I ran it at 80% for 18 hours a day at first and that was way too high. I switched to 24 hours at 50% and stayed there a month keeping the FC at 6-8 and then it got cooler and spiked to 10. I've been lowering it 10% at a time to get back to the 6-8 range. I'm now also lowering pump time as leaves and acorns have stopped falling as bad as they were in Sept.

 

[wireform]

You don't have to guess the cell output. In the "effects of adding" in the app you can plug in all the info and it'll spit out loads of info you didn't realize was at your finger tips. You can play with run time and percent to see approx what it can do.

 

[sumy08]

Curious if you have anything that aerates your water, like waterfalls or fountain. I battle high Ph as well and I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with my high aeration running 3 waterfalls, fountain, and SPA spillover.

I have water feature that I hardly use but it's been very windy here in Brisbane since start of summer. Not sure if that affects

 

[sumy08]

Hi All,

I have had encountered another trouble after adding salt. I added 4 20Kg bags of salt this morning and water have turned 50% greenish. It was crystal clear blue before adding salt. I measured salt and it was 600ppm before adding salt. All other parameters were in acceptable range. What did I do wrong and how to fix this now please?

 

[Bperry]

Hi All,

I have had encountered another trouble after adding salt. I added 4 20Kg bags of salt this morning and water have turned 50% greenish. It was crystal clear blue before adding salt. I measured salt and it was 600ppm before adding salt. All other parameters were in acceptable range. What did I do wrong and how to fix this now please?

What brand of salt? It’s 100% sodium chloride?