salt and pool chemistry

[purplegirl]

I just finished refilling my pool. I have a SWG, should I test my levels before or after adding salt? And if the chemistry is off should I adjust before or after dissolving the salt?

[steveinaz]

Balance your water first, then add salt, then fire up the SWCG. Use bleach for sanitization until you get the water balanced.

[purplegirl]

Thanks a lot. That's what I thought, I'm working on balancing right now.

[steveinaz]

Be patient with CYA. It can take a week to measure properly. With a SWCG, you'll want about 80ppm CYA, take it up slowly. I'm assuming you have a Taylor test kit?

[waterbear]

Purplegirl,

CYA level really varies by manufacturer and I don't remember what Intex (which I believe you said you had) recommends off the top of my head. However put the CYA at the maximum they recommend.

(BTW, Purple is my favorite color also!)

[purplegirl]

I'm working on CYA right now. I added half the recommended dosage and I'm waiting for it to dissolve. Once I put the other half in it should bring CYA upto 30 ppm. I do have an Intex and their recommendations are 30-50 ppm. I had read somewhere on here to keep CYA at 80-100ppm for SWG, I wasn't planning to go that high just yet but would that be wise if Intex says 30-50?

I do have a taylor test kit and I will test levels tomorrow.

I am going to add cal-hypo 65%. I am also going to add a metal chelator. Can I add both of these things at the same time, I want to do it tonight around 9:30, when I get home from work or should I wait on the cal-hypo? I will not add salt until CYA is at least 30ppm and TA rises (currently at 70) and PH rises (currently at 7.2) I'm assuming the CYA will help both rise slightly?

Do you think the chelating agent will introduce phosphates into the water?

[waterbear]

I'm working on CYA right now. I added half the recommended dosage and I'm waiting for it to dissolve. Once I put the other half in it should bring CYA upto 30 ppm. I do have an Intex and their recommendations are 30-50 ppm. I had read somewhere on here to keep CYA at 80-100ppm for SWG, I wasn't planning to go that high just yet but would that be wise if Intex says 30-50?
bring it up to 50 ppm then. The vast majority of SWG manufacturers recommend 80 or 100 ppm. If you find that you are having trouble generating enough chlorine then bring the CYA up to 80 and run the FC at 3-5 ppm.


I do have a taylor test kit and I will test levels tomorrow.

I am going to add cal-hypo 65%. I am also going to add a metal chelator. Can I add both of these things at the same time, I want to do it tonight around 9:30, when I get home from work or should I wait on the cal-hypo? I will not add salt until CYA is at least 30ppm and TA rises (currently at 70) and PH rises (currently at 7.2) I'm assuming the CYA will help both rise slightly?

Do you think the chelating agent will introduce phosphates into the water?

Phosphates are a non issue. Don't worry about them. They are not a problem the very vast majority of the time.

It is not a good idea to shock and add sequestrant at the same time. Leave your TA at 70!!!!! You will have better pH stability with the SWG!
pH will rise on it's own once the SWG goes online. Don't worry about it unless it drops any lower. If so add some borax to bring it up. DO NOT use soda ash (pH up) or baking soda (alkalinity increaser). Both will cause your TA to shoot up and it's really perfect where it is for a SWG.
If you have metals in the water add your sequestrant tonight and shock tomorrow, if you feel you need to. If you are just chlorinating add the sequestrant at night then add the chlorine in the morning.

Salt really wont interfere with any of the other water balancing steps (unless you add too much and have to drain and re-balance) so I don't see any reason why you cannot start adding it now.

[purplegirl]

Thanks waterbear. I have to vacuum the pool a bunch because I have settled oxidized iron and I am hoping I will have more to vacuum in the morning. (My pool is green from biologically sourced iron as Pool Doc tells me. I am adding the Liquid Magnet -chelating/sequestering agent in hopes that it will turn the dark green water to light green water like it did 3 weeks ago before I drained)

I am afraid of vacuuming up salt before it has had a chance to dissolve. The manual says to deposit salt and then wait 24 hours for it to dissolve and then turn on the generator. Is that what you would do? How long will it take to dissolve before I can vacuum?

[waterbear]

In your case I would deal with the metals first then add the salt for precisely the reason you stated. You would vacuum out salt otherwise.