Hello, was a little confused on how to open my pool this year. Had a new liner installed at the end of last season, pool was filled with fresh water then immediately closed. Just purchased a new CircuPool SWG and was going to install it later today (pool is still covered and closed). Wanted to see the correct process for opening and getting it up and running with Salt. Should I just install the SWG, then uncover the pool and get it balanced first? It was fresh water with no chemicals added last year - figured I shock it, add liquid conditioner to get the CYA level up, correct PH, ALK, etc. Then when its looking clean, should I do the test strips to see how much salt is needed, pour it in, circulate, THEN start up the SWG? Little confused here, never had a salt pool before, just want to do the steps correctly. Thanks!
Opening a new SWG Pool - Shock/Balance first?
- Thread starter JD880
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,691
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Open the pool as you would any pool. Sounds like you have done it before. Once the water is clean, passes OCLT, add salt. Start at 2/3rds of what you need based on your testing. Then after 24 hours, brushing, and circulating, test salinity and add what is needed to get to your goal salinity.
MITBeta
Gold Supporter
- May 28, 2020
- 1,235
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,925
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I would very strongly urge you NOT to use liquid conditioner (CYA). It is difficult to work with, as the solid CYA does not stay soluble in the liquid portion. If a clump of it gets away from you, it'll sink to the bottom and very likely stain your brand new liner. It happens almost immediately. I have a permanent stain on my pebble from that very thing happening. I'm pretty sure the same thing can happen to vinyl.
Always use granulated CYA, put it in a sock, and hang the sock in your skimmer. Trap the top of the sock in the skimmer lid, so that it's just hanging in the water over the skimmer basket, instead of clogging up the skimmer by just laying it into the basket. Let it hang there for about half an hour, then come back and knead the sock with your hands. You'll see a big cloud of CYA in the water. Continue to knead the granules until they are gone. It might take about 10 minutes or so. Or you can knead for a few minutes, then let it soak again, then come back and knead some more and repeat that a few times (that's how I do it). This is the safest way to add CYA to your pool. The "A" in CYA is Acid, and you need to respect it and handle it carefully.
If the opening, cleaning process is going to involve cleaning your filter, then you have to finish that first before you add your CYA in this manner. A lot of the CYA will get trapped in the filter for a while, and if you clean the filter, you'll lose the CYA.
When you add the salt, circulate the pool non-stop and come back the next day to test the salt level. I like to wait even longer. Repeat this process, adding less salt than you think you need, and sort of sneak up on the correct level of salt for your SWG. There is no rush. Take as many days as you need. Then wait a day or two more. DO NOT turn on the SWG until the level is correct, and the salt is well mixed in.
I like to pour all the salt into one pile in the shallow end, and then just sweep at it. Keep sweeping the pile onto itself. It'll dissolve pretty quickly. I first tried expressing it evenly across the entire bottom, and then sweeping at that, and that was a heck of a lot more work. Keep sweeping it into the same small pile and you'll get it done faster and easier.
Enjoy your new SWG!
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Thank you everyone for your help, I'll start it up normally and do the CYA with granules, the. Get the salt generator running.