Finaly got my Salt system working

Hi, first of all, i want to thank this forum for helping me bring my pool back to life.

So, i spent the summer without my salt system working and used bleach and it worked awesome. I finaly got around to ordering my circuit board because it was to damaged to fix. I must say, i love the salt sytem so far. I haven't had to add bleach for a month now. It works awesome! The only issue that i have is that i have high levels of salt. I've double checked with test strips and the chlorinator is spot on. It was my understanding that my generator wasn't supposed to work when levels were above 4000 and i'm at 4100 to 4400. My high salt level doesn't come on and it keeps my chlorine at 5ppm. It's working so i won't complain. My pH and calcium is on the high side but my pool is sparkling clear. Here are my numbers.

fc-5
pH-7.8
TA-100
ch-500
salt-4300
water temp-70

I have tried to lower the pH but it won't stay down so i have left it between 7.6 and 7.8

As a general statement, the test strips for salt are probably not that reliable. And for what it's worth, the little battery powered testers used by the pool stores also vary. I would also ponder a guess that if your salt level is too high OR too low, the system will in all probability still work, just not as efficiently.

I treat my SWCG kinda like my spouse, she is the only one that I have to satisfy. In other words, as long as the SWCG is producing chlorine and working well, and the high salt and low salt lights are not coming on, you're Golden.

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Originally Posted by DirtRider67

Hi, first of all, i want to thank this forum for helping me bring my pool back to life.

So, i spent the summer without my salt system working and used bleach and it worked awesome. I finaly got around to ordering my circuit board because it was to damaged to fix. I must say, i love the salt sytem so far. I haven't had to add bleach for a month now. It works awesome! The only issue that i have is that i have high levels of salt. I've double checked with test strips and the chlorinator is spot on. It was my understanding that my generator wasn't supposed to work when levels were above 4000 and i'm at 4100 to 4400. My high salt level doesn't come on and it keeps my chlorine at 5ppm. It's working so i won't complain. My pH and calcium is on the high side but my pool is sparkling clear. Here are my numbers.

fc-5
pH-7.8
TA-100
ch-500
salt-4300
water temp-70

I have tried to lower the pH but it won't stay down so i have left it between 7.6 and 7.8

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The Aquarite does not cut off until about 4600 ppm so you are still withing range. Keeping the pH between 7.6 to 7.8 is ideal for a SWCG btw. What is your CYA? With the Aquarite you want to to be 80 ppm. IF you drop your TA down to 70 ppm you will have better pH stability, btw.

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Originally Posted by BigTallGuy

As a general statement, the test strips for salt are probably not that reliable. And for what it's worth, the little battery powered testers used by the pool stores also vary.

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FWIW, the salt test strips are actually titrators and, if used properly (let them sit in the sample for a full 10 minutes) are very good and less prone to operator error than the trickier chromate/silver nitrate titration test. Salt meters range from excellent to terrible and a lot depends on keeping them calibrated against a standard salt solution.

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Originally Posted by waterbear

FWIW, the salt test strips are actually titrators and, if used properly (let them sit in the sample for a full 10 minutes) are very good and less prone to operator error than the trickier chromate/silver nitrate titration test. Salt meters range from excellent to terrible and a lot depends on keeping them calibrated against a standard salt solution.

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HI Evan, thanks for your insight, I love this Forum. Would you please be so kind as to explain the difference between the two, and what to look for when we go to the pool store?

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Originally Posted by BigTallGuy

HI Evan, thanks for your insight, I love this Forum. Would you please be so kind as to explain the difference between the two, and what to look for when we go to the pool store?

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do you mean between salt strips and titration test or salt meters?
For meters I have found the MyronL and the Oakton SaltTestr11 to be reliable AS LONG AS THEY ARE KEPT CALIBRATED WITH STANDARD SOLUTIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS! FWIW, the Hayward/Goldline salt meter is a rebranded Oakton unit (but not sure which model--I think they are using the lower end Ecotestr now--they used to use the SaltTestr).

I'm Sorry Evan, Please forgive me, I misunderstood your post. Is there any difference in Salt strips, or are they all about the same? I thought I read somewhere on this forum that test strips were largely inaccurate, but that may not have been Salt tests.

I guess I'm looking for a "best bang for your buck" break-down on salt testing. Best to worst, and cheapest to most expensive. I need something that is more reliable than the pool store.

Thanks for your help.

Test strips are usless for pH, TA, CH, and CYA. They are about as useful as an OTO test for Chlorine, IMHO. However, there are a few specialty tests where the strips are either precise enough or better. These are salt titrators (less chance of operator error than the 'fussy' salt titration!), borate test strips (here the LaMotte win hands down over the AquaChek! The only drop based borate test still available is from Apollo Pools in Canada and it is an add on for the Taylor K-2006) and Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia (not needed very often but useful in a pool that has a HUGE chlorine demand or persistent algae that just won't go away.) Bad news is that if the problem is nitrate/nitrite all you can really do is replace the water. Ammonia can be dealt with by LARGE amounts of chlorine

So then, As a general statement, Salt Strips are reasonably accurate and "Good Enough" for residential use. Without going into brand names, are there any different types of Salt Strips that are better than others?

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Originally Posted by BigTallGuy

So then, As a general statement, Salt Strips are reasonably accurate and "Good Enough" for residential use. Without going into brand names, are there any different types of Salt Strips that are better than others?

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The only salt strips I have ever seen are made by Hach and retailed under the AquaChek brand for pool/spa use.

Thank you Evan. I'll see if I can find some and post back with the results.

There are quick read and slow read strips. The quick read strips give you results within about 30 seconds. These strips give you a short window of opportunity to compare the test pad to the label... maybe 3 seconds? Even shorter in full sunlight. You dip the strip into the pool, hold it horizontally, and compare the test pad after about 25 seconds. After 30 seconds, the test pad will change rapidly so it's useless after that.
The slow read strip takes a bit longer (3 t0 10 minutes). You place the strip in a sample container with about an inch of water and the strip standing upright, with only the bottom of the strip in the water. There is a yellow strip along the top. When at least half of the strip turns black, your test is done. The strip will turn white along a numbered scale. This number must be compared to the scale on the test bottle that the strip comes in. I make special note of this because the strip is marked specifically to the scale on the bottle. If they are the same batch number, then you can, but they can be very different from bottle to bottle.
Above all, you must keep your hands dry when removing a test strip. Keep the bottle closed tightly. And keep the bottle out of the sun, or heat. Any of these conditions can compromise the rest of the strips and you might as well throw it away.

Electronic meters are, as Evan said, accurate as long as they are regulary calibrated.

Salt water aquarium Hygrometers are not within the range for pools, so are not applicable.

Realize that a chemical test (salt strips or titration) is testing specifically for chloride ions while a meter, whether stand alone or a readout in the SWCG is testing the conductivity of the water, making some assumptions about the makeup of the ionic material in the water so the two will not always agree. Also, temperature does affect conductivity so it will be lower when the water is colder and higher when the water is hotter which is why it sometimes seems that the salt level is dropping in colder weather when measured with a meter or the cell readout. As far as your salt system is concerned it is since the conductivity is lower but if you add more salt you will find that the salt is too high once the weather warms up.

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Originally Posted by Poolsean

There are quick read and slow read strips. The quick read strips give you results within about 30 seconds. These strips give you a short window of opportunity to compare the test pad to the label... maybe 3 seconds? Even shorter in full sunlight. You dip the strip into the pool, hold it horizontally, and compare the test pad after about 25 seconds. After 30 seconds, the test pad will change rapidly so it's useless after that.

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Thanks Sean. I was not aware that LaMotte had come out with a salt test strip. As I said before the Hach strips (the slow ones) are actually a titrator. As the liquid rises up the strip the chloride ions react with the silver nitrate and change color. When the chloride is used up there is no further color change as the liquid rises up the strip.

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Originally Posted by Poolsean

There are quick read and slow read strips. The quick read strips give you results within about 30 seconds. These strips give you a short window of opportunity to compare the test pad to the label... maybe 3 seconds?

The slow read strip takes a bit longer (3 t0 10 minutes). You place the strip in a sample container with about an inch of water and the strip standing upright, with only the bottom of the strip in the water.

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Sean, This is GREAT INFORMATION. Another weapon in the arsenal of not being "Pool Stored", and knowing exactly what to look for while in the pool store.

Thanks a Million, BTG