SWG and solar cover

[sduda210]

I have an 18,000 gallon inground fiberglass pool with an AutoPilot SWG. I just want to check to see if other members with a SWG and solar cover follow the same procedure.

I run my single speed pump 10 hours a day. While the cover is on I have the salt cell set to 50%. At that setting the chlorine levels seem to maintain 6ppm. Once I pull the cover off and we start swimming in the pool I notice the chlorine gets depleted pretty quickly. I'm still learning the system but it seems like I have to turn the salt cell up to 75% while the cover is off and the pool is being used. The cover usually comes off friday night. At 75% with the cover off the SWG seems to maintain 3ppm chlorine levels. Sunday night I put the cover back on and I leave the salt cell at 75% until the levels reach 6ppm. I have also read that SWG typically result in a pH that slowly rises. My pH actually decreases as time goes on, the decrease is around 0.2 per week.

This is my first year but I haven't noticed any algae growth yet. Is there anything I should change?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Can you provide more detail on your SWCG? There are several different models of the Autopilot Digital.
Are you leaving the solar cover on the pool all the time you are not swimming?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[mguzzy]

Yep, that sounds about right. With the cover off you will start to see the effect of UV reacting with the chlorine as well as bather load. What is your level of CYA? that will help prevent the sun from eating up your FC.

 

[sduda210]

Welcome to the forum!
Can you provide more detail on your SWCG? There are several different models of the Autopilot Digital.
Are you leaving the solar cover on the pool all the time you are not swimming?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Auto Pilot Digital 220 with a PPC1 cell. The cover is on from sunday night to friday afternoon. Now that the water temp is getting into the mid 80s I am thinking about leaving the cover off.

 

[sduda210]

Yep, that sounds about right. With the cover off you will start to see the effect of UV reacting with the chlorine as well as bather load. What is your level of CYA? that will help prevent the sun from eating up your FC.

CYA is 70.

 

[mknauss]

At 75% and 10 hour run time you are creating just under 3 ppm FC. That is an appropriate amount for this time of year. At 50% you are creating 1.8 ppm, that is reasonable for a covered pool this time of year.

I see no issues. pH lowering with the cover on is normal. You are trapping the CO2. When you take the cover off, the CO2 outgasses and the pH will rise.