Salt not mixing...?

[mculik5]

Recently installed a Crystal Pure PL7703 SWG. My pool's volume is about 27K gallons at the current water level based on my calculations, but I err on the high side for Pool Math purposes because I'm not 100% confident in my math. So, according to Pool Math, to take 30K gallons of water from 0 ppm of salt to 3400 ppm of salt requires 854 pounds of salt. I put in 900 pounds, so between the extra salt, the lower actual volume, and the possibility that there was some salt in the water to begin with, I should be easily above 3400 ppm.

After adding the salt, brushing it until it was completely dissolved, and waiting a few days due to a misunderstanding about the salinity readings from the SWG, I turned it on for the first time (pool had been running on bleach with the cell installed for about a week prior to this). I checked it a few minutes later and found the "low salt" (continuous red light) and "check cell" (continuous orange light) lights illuminated, along with a "SLo" message on the screen.

Based on the recommendations from another TFP thread, I purchased the Taylor K-1766 test kit. It came today and I immediately tested the water. 1200 ppm. WHAT...HOW...?

Then I put the vacuum in the pool and turned it on. The water coming out of the vacuums discharge port had an oil-like sheen to it - kind of like when you look at a car hood that's been sitting in the sun and you can "see the heat in the air." I saw a similar thing when I was brushing the salt to dissolve it.

Thinking that the salt might be stratified at the bottom of the pool, I cranked up the pump. Retested the water after 1.5 hours. 2000 ppm. Better, but nowhere near 3400+.

FYI, I run my pump 24x7 at sufficient speed to turn the pool over once every 24 hours.

Any ideas? Does the salty water become stratified if circulation isn't good?

Thanks.

 

[Jimrahbe]

mc,

When you add the salt, you are supposed to brush it around a little to help it dissolve and of course have the pump running.. It should dissolve into the water in a few minutes.. Something is wrong!! It is best to wait 24 hours before testing..

What kind of salt did you use??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jblizzle]

Same question as Jim, what kind of salt?
Most will dissolve on its own in a few minutes will not brushing required.

Do you have a floor drain? Is the pump pulling any water from it?

It would be very surprising that your circulation would be bad enough for it to stratify.

Also, why are you rounding everything up so much? You could have easily put in WAY too much salt and require draining off some of the water. Always aim low, test and adjust as needed.

 

[mculik5]

This is the salt I used - Diamond Crystal® Solar Naturals® Water Softener Salt Crystals | Diamond Crystal® Salt.

I added the salt on Sunday morning, and the pump has been running 24x7 since then, albeit at low speed (~20GPM).

No floor drain. Pump is pulling water from the skimmer.

In hindsight, I hear you on the rounding up. I've been fortunate the past few seasons and have only had to add bleach to the pool, so other than possibly hurting my wallet a bit, the rounding up hasn't been an issue.

 

[jblizzle]

At that low flow rate and no suction from the floor and no cleaner running in the pool and no brushing I suppose it's possible that your circulation is really just that bad

You should probably try to point your eyeballs down more so that you're mixing water at the bottom because if that is truly what's happening you're going to have chemistry issues where your chlorine is not going to properly mix through the entire volume of water

 

[JamesW]

It's unusual, but it can stratify like you are experiencing. Brushing helps quite a bit. Get a 24" brush for best results.

You should brush the pool regularly in any case.