New to salt: Install of Hayward AquaRite Pro AQR15-PRO-SD

[PullJunkie]

Hey Folks, new to salt water pools, but have had an approx. ~16k gal inground fiberglass pool for about 6 years that I am converting to salt water. I purchased the Hayward AquaRite Pro AQR15-PRO-SD sense and dispense system with a 40k cell and the AQL-CHEM2 regulator for CO2 dispensing. Any advice, tips, tricks, or otherwise comments on what I am about to get into? Once the system is up and running, will it be fairly easy to control pH and chlorine levels with the unit "sensing and dispensing" what the pool needs?

Any recommendations on a 3rd party salinity tester (digital preferred) and water softener salt to begin with? How about Morton Pure and Natural water softener salt?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mknauss]

Good choice on adding the SWCG. The Sense and Dispense, not so much. Hopefully you can disable the use of it to control the SWCG. The ORP sensors do not work well with CYA above about 20 ppm.

Remember that CO2 does control pH, but not TA. So you will have to add muriatic acid if you need to reduce TA.

The K1766 salinity test kit is the most economical. It is a drop based kit. I have a Hayward GLX- Saltmeter. It was given to me. They cost $170. It does OK. Any brand plain water softener salt is fine.

 

[PullJunkie]

Thanks, I will need to look into the sense and dispense and how it controls the SWCG, after-all, that was the purpose of it, to control it by reading the levels. How much acid is normally used? I went with the CO2 kit so I wouldn't need to go with the 15gal acid kit. I am sure my TA is high, at least I remember it being so last year.

 

[mknauss]

How much acid depends on how much your TA rises and how big your pool is.

Can you fill out your signature? See Create Your Signature - Further Reading

 

[PullJunkie]

Thanks, I think I got the sig right.

 

[mknauss]

Thanks, I think I got the sig right.

Can you add the SWCG and sense and dispense with CO2. That will matter to members as they answer questions.

 

[PullJunkie]

Can you add the SWCG and sense and dispense with CO2. That will matter to members as they answer questions.

Sure, I added them but have not taken delivery of them yet. Once the parts come in and as soon as these asinine low temps leave PA I can get to it.

I am pretty handy, is it as "simple" (I use that term loosely, I know its not that simple) as I think it is? Add the parts, put the salt in and get the chemistry right?

 

[mknauss]

For the SWCG, it is not complicated. You do need a way to control power to it so it is powered off when the pump is off.
The sense thing, that is up to you.

 

[PullJunkie]

I think the "brains" of the Aquarite Pro can control everything - pump, heat, & swcg.