SWG Texas Summer Questions

[lardo5150]

One of these questions is really dumb, but I will explain why I am asking it.

1. My FC when testing, has been at a constant 3. Range is 3-5 so I have been wanting to keep it at 4. But I never get there.
My pool runs from 8am till 10pm. It is now 3000 degrees here in Dallas. Do I need to let it run longer now that it is hotter and the sun is burning off the chlorine? I changed the schedule to 8am till 2am. Everything I have should be in my details below.
It was running at 60% in May, and I have slowly been kicking it up. I now have it 90%.
Also, side question, this thing only moves up 10. I thought I could bump it up 1 at a time (for example, 60, 61, 62, then 63, etc.). I also thought I could bump it up by 5, but it is 10. Is that normal, can I and should I change that?

2. I have swam in salt pools before. I could have sworn I never tasted the salt. My wife says she can really taste it this year. This is the dumb question, but I can't remember if I did taste it in the pool I swam in before, or if this is just normal. Again, I am asking if you can taste the salt in a salt pool, I know

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Lardo, what's your CYA level? You don't list any test results.... are you sure you don't have any algae?

Some folks just seem able to taste the salt... I guess they're more sensitive " Supertasters" (<--real term!)...and the rest of us just don't at these levels. I dunno why?

Maddie

 

[mknauss]

What amount of FC is the SWCG adding to your pool with your settings? Your signature does not show what model SWCG you have.

Some can taste salt at the levels of salinity needed for your SWCG. I cannot at the 3200 ppm ours is at. Some can.

 

[lardo5150]

no algae. Pool is crystal clear.
Thanks for the clarification on the "supertasters" LOL. I will let my wife know (she was the one asking).
Just ran my tests again. We did just get done swimming FYI...

FC = 3
CC = 0
TA = 60
PH = 7.6
Salt = 3200

CYA - now I am not good at this yet. based on the test 50pmm bottle I bout from TFP and how it looks compared to my pool, I will say I am at 30. The picture of the CYA test is WITH THE 50PPM TEST BOTTLE I bought. My 30 looked just like that.

I have my SWG set at 90%. You can see it in the pics below. Again, I have slowly been increasing this. My pool as of yesterday is now running 8am till 2am. It WAS 8am till 10pm.

I have a Jandy True Clear. Nest image of the family swimming for attention

 

[Jimrahbe]

Lardo,

Your cell produces .95 lbs of FC per day, when running at 100% and 24/7.. In a 14.5K pool that should add 7.7 ppm of FC to your pool each day..

But.. you are only running 14 hours a day at 60%, so that means you are only adding about 2.7 ppm a day.. Even when you increased the output to 90% you are only adding 4 ppm per day..

If your FC is not going up then your pool is using more than 4 ppm of FC each day. This means your CYA is not high enough, or you have an algae bloom which is consuming your FC.

Your mistake was trying to have too low of an FC and then trying to increase it, rather than starting too high and decreasing it.

If this were my pool, I would run the SWCG at 100% and run the pump long enough to generate 5 ppm of FC per day. (About 16 hours a day) I would then bump the CYA up to 70 and see how that works.. If you overshoot on the FC, who cares, it will not hurt anything.. If you keep running at 3, you will soon be throwing an "algae party"...

I find that I can start tasting the salt when it is around 3500 ppm, or so. But the taste only lasts for the first few minutes I am in the pool..

If you are just adding salt based on what the cell reports, it could be a lot higher than 3500.. I have the Taylor K-1766 and never trust what the cell reports. What is your actual salt level??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mknauss]

I forget the Truclear is one size. It will add 0.3 ppm FC to your pool each hour if run at 100%. So at 90% and 16 hours you are adding 4.6 ppm FC per day. That is no doubt because of your low CYA. Add 30 ppm CYA via the sock method. Once fully dissolved, test the CYA a day or two after. Add more if needed to get to 70 ppm CYA total in the pool water.

 

[lardo5150]

Jim, I think you replied the same time I did, see my reply above yours.

 

[lardo5150]

Check my reply guys, let me know what you think.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jim, I think you replied the same time I did, see my reply above yours.

Yes.. It appears to me your whole problem is that your CYA is criminally too low... Are you using the saltwater portion of this chart?? FC/CYA Levels

The whole key to the TFP process is to never, ever run your FC too low.. Think of the lower limit as the empty in your gas tank.. Do you really wait until you are out of gas, so you can push your car to the gas station to fill up?? Or, do you stop by before hitting the empty mark??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[lardo5150]

Thanks Jim.
I will take yours and MKNauss advice and add some CYA.

Guys this is my first full summer with this pool, doing it myself, so I appreciate the assistance.
For today, I have the SWG set to 90% and running for 18hours (8am till 2am).
Tomorrow I will pick up some granular CYA.

Can you guys recommend what to get and where?

 

[mknauss]

CYA aka stabilizer aka conditioner. Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Pool Stores, Amazon ........

 

[espejo]

Thanks Jim.
I will take yours and MKNauss advice and add some CYA.

Guys this is my first full summer with this pool, doing it myself, so I appreciate the assistance.
For today, I have the SWG set to 90% and running for 18hours (8am till 2am).
Tomorrow I will pick up some granular CYA.

Can you guys recommend what to get and where?

lardo5051:

I'm in Houston and at this time of year I bump my CYA to 80 and starting mid July bump it up to 90 through mid September. It requires you to monitor FC very closely with the FC/CYA chart with higher CYA you will need to bump up your FC levels (I switch from 1 time a week to about every 3rd day). Once you get use to your pool you can just tell based on appearance and space testing out a little. Once way I add CYA now and during the winter months with rains, etc. is with tabs. I know folks don't generally like them but they will add CYA to your pool along with FC. For those of us that need to bump up CYA, because at times a SWG cannot keep up with direct Texas sun, the tabs work just fine. Again, just be sure to test your pool more often to ensure it stays within parameters. You will also need to check pH rise under this scenario until such time you have it all ready with just the SWG. My pool is 20,000 gallons and I have the Pentair IC40 but my replacement cell will be the IC60 and that may help with keeping the FC at the proper level.

 

[Jimrahbe]

is with tabs. I know folks don't generally like them

E,

We don't have a problem with tabs if they are being used in an educated manner.. What you are doing makes perfect sense to me.

Jim R.

 

[lardo5150]

I got the sock in the skimmer and have adjusted the schedule.
Are my kids allowed to swim tomorrow while that stuff is in the skimmer?

 

[mknauss]

Absolutely! Let them squeeze that sock. Best to keep it out of their eyes and mouths.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Absolutely! Its safe to swim when the FC is up to SLAM process level.

Maddie

 

[lardo5150]

So quick update.
I THINK my CYA is now at 60. I will check again tomorrow to make sure I am getting same results.
I have been running that SWG at 90% for 24 hours while adding the stabilizer.
My FC is now at 8! LOL. Got it to move.

Any ways, I will be checking the FC every day, check the CYA again tomorrow. I have put the SWG 14 hour run time at 80%. Will monitor and see how things go.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Will continue to update as I go.