Water test showing no chlorine and SWG showing low salt

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A

aztony

Bronze Supporter
Oct 10, 2012
209
Maricopa, Arizona
Pool Size
15000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Hi, just got back last night from being deployed to Houston. Had a relative watch the dog and house. Kept the filters cleaned out but the vacuum was clogged and pool was dirty from a dust storm or two coming through. Don't know how long it's been that way but plenty of leaves, etc. at the bottom of the pool. Did a water test today, the pool water has a slight green tinge to it.

Here are the results of the water test:
Ch - 425
TA -70
CYA - 40
pH - 7.2
FC - 0 Didn't change color
Salt - SWG showing 1700 It was 2900 before I left. Cleaned out the SWG, no build up at all in it.

My question is what should I take care of first. Need to know ASAP as I'm leaving for Fla. in the next day or two.
 
Move aquarite switch to off. Wait one minute. Turn to auto. Check diagnostics. Instant salt will take about 30 to 60 seconds to reach a stable reading.

Add enough liquid chlorine to reach 16 ppm and do a full SLAM.
 
I did reset the SWG. Didn't wait a minute, just waited until I hear the click. I'll give the one minute wait a try. According to Pool Math, it says I should add 104 oz of bleach. As I've never done a full slam, what is that exactly? Thanks for the help.
 
I did the one minute. The salt did go up but only to 2100. It started at over 4000 when I turned it back on. Do you think I should add salt?

I also added one gallon of bleach.

The slam page says I need to have FAS-DPD chlorine test kit. Is that the same one in the TF-100?

The slam page also says to know your cya, which is 40 right now. On the page for the chlorine/cya it stops at 60. Do I need to get the cya up first?

Should the SWG be on super chlorinate?

Sorry for all the questions.
 
The TF-100 is FAS-DPD. That's the best choice. Also, get the k-1766 salt test.

What are all of the diagnostic readings?

What cell do you have?

40 is fine for cya. I would begin SLAM.
 
Okay, I have the TF-100 kit.

Readings are:
1900
87
31.3
0.00
32P
-0
Al-0
r 1.59
T-15

I've added a gallon of bleach. Have to get to the store to buy more.
 
Ok, turn it off for a minute, then back on and recheck readings. We need the instant salt. It's only going to stay on for about a minute because the average salt is below 2400 ppm.
 
It's not going to work unless the salt reading gets above 2,400 ppm.

I suspect that the cell might be failing.

I recommend that you get the TF-100 and k-1766 test kits.

We need to know if the salinity reading is correct before you add salt.
 

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I have the TF-100 kit, not the other. Just ordered it, won't be here until Thursday. I took the cell apart and cleaned it with acid. There really wasn't any build up in it that I could see. Should I take it to the pool store and have them test it?
 
Ok, if you're confident that the salinity is too low, go ahead and add some salt.

It seems that you had a pretty big drop in salinity. Maybe the pool lost a lot of water and was refilled.

Maybe it was left on backwash or waste for too long.

Maybe someone left it filling and forgot.
 
I'm not really confident only because I am thoroughly confused on why the salinity is so low and the chlorine. As far as I know none of those causes you mentioned happened. I don't have a backwash or waste that I know of, don't even know what they are. And the only way to fill the pool is with the hose. The only issue I can think of is the vacuum was clogged for a few days while the pump runs at night and not able to suck anything in. Would that cause the salt level to lower and the chlorine?
 
The chlorine is low because the SWG stopped working.

The salinity drop is a mystery. Some possibilities:
(1) Dilution from water loss and replacement.
(2) Cell failing.
(3) Wrong cell type selected. For example, if you have a T-9 but it's set to T-15, the salt will read low.

Have the salinity retested tomorrow.

Ask the house sitter if they added water to the pool. And, if yes, how much.
 
No. The only way to remove salt from your pool is to take the salt water from your pool and replace it with fresh.

I would suspect your Ace hardware test is wrong. And that your SWCG cell is bad. How old is the SWCG?
 
You do not show what size your SWCG is but after 6 years in Arizona, it is likely to have been expended.

James may have other ideas. Otherwise it may be time to purchase a new one. I would suggest just switch to chlorine for the balance of the year and installing before March of next year when you should be ready to use it again.

Take care.
 

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