Hi all. We are new pool owners. We have a Simple Salt pool. Things started out great after opening the pool up this season. The water felt wonderful and smooth. Then summer hit with what is going to go down as the warmest month on record in Buffalo, NY. I have not had a clear pool since mid June. A constant battle of keeping the pool from turning really green or just a bluish green. I learned about Alkalinity and Ph. Finally, though adding dry acid (sounded scary to me) we were able to get those levels down into normal range. I just received my test kit and tested everything. I realize my free chlorine is quite low (less than 0.5 ppm) and my CYA is less than 20. Any suggestions are welcome. Would be nice to see the bottom of our pool again!
SWG pool (simple salt) headaches in WNY.
- Thread starter JAswgpool
- Start date
Hey JA and Welcome !! You need to perform a SLAM Process.
PoolMath will tell you what and how much to add
Read up on ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry to keep it clear once you win the battle.
PoolMath will tell you what and how much to add
Read up on ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry to keep it clear once you win the battle.
Thanks! Reading up on it now. Was nice to.test all the levels to see what we are dealing with!
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,025
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Welcome to tfp 
Great job on getting a great test kit
I believe the “simple salt system” is about like the “perma salt sy” its not really a swg & mostly depends heavily on copper, oxidizers & algecides to keep water “clear” while maintaining a sub par sanitizer level.
Turn it off & remove it if possible.
Like @Newdude said
It’s definitely SLAM Process time for u!
Read it through & follow it exactly.
The more diligent u are the faster it will go.
Great job on getting a great test kit
I believe the “simple salt system” is about like the “perma salt sy” its not really a swg & mostly depends heavily on copper, oxidizers & algecides to keep water “clear” while maintaining a sub par sanitizer level.
Turn it off & remove it if possible.
Like @Newdude said
It’s definitely SLAM Process time for u!
Read it through & follow it exactly.
The more diligent u are the faster it will go.
Back to (pool) school. As I mentioned last year. we have a simple salt system and as of today, we are removing this and going with chlorine. I just did a new round of testing.
Results:
FC 1 ppm
CC 1 ppm
TC 2 ppm
PH 7.5
TA 40
Salt 500 ppm
CYA < 20
Heading toward a SLAM as we have swam only twice this year and have had algae or at best cloudy blue water otherwise. Frustrating to say the least. Thus ditching the simple salt system. Main question is should I increase CYA with Cyratic acid some *before* I start the SLAM?
Results:
FC 1 ppm
CC 1 ppm
TC 2 ppm
PH 7.5
TA 40
Salt 500 ppm
CYA < 20
Heading toward a SLAM as we have swam only twice this year and have had algae or at best cloudy blue water otherwise. Frustrating to say the least. Thus ditching the simple salt system. Main question is should I increase CYA with Cyratic acid some *before* I start the SLAM?
- May 3, 2014
- 62,705
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
First is to see what the copper level is. If higher than 0.2, then a healthy exchange of water to fresh is suggested. Otherwise, when you go to SLAM level FC, the copper could oxidize and stain the pool.
Follow the SLAM Process. Read the article. CYA of 30 ppm and pH of 7.2 is stated to start.
Follow the SLAM Process. Read the article. CYA of 30 ppm and pH of 7.2 is stated to start.
Thank you for the quick reply. What is best way to test copper levels? Do not want to stain the pool when trying to get clear water for swimming.
- May 3, 2014
- 62,705
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Metals test is one thing we recommend you go to the pool store for. They are still not that accurate, but a decent indicator. And a test for metals is expensive to buy.