I'm new to both pools as well as salt generators. The house we've moved into has both.

I've researched and learned quite a bit about both in the last couple of days (especially from this forum - thank you all).

The pool was opened last Friday and I took a water sample in to be tested on Sunday. Here are the results:

saturation idx: 1
CYA: 25
Tot chlorine: 0
free chlorine: 0
ph: 8.4
demand drops:8
tot alkalinity: 170
tot hardness: 170
minerals: 3000

The mineral springs system was reading 1500ppm at the time of the test.

When opened they added 4lbs of CLC.

They suggested that I add 4 bags of beginnings - 30lbs each (I since have found out I can use regular solar salt), which I did and also I added 2 40lb bags of solar salt.

Now the system reads 1700ppm which according to the calculator I found on this site (thanks again) it should've added 800ppm.

They also suggested that I add 10pts of Muriatic acid - which I did.

I noticed that the "check cell" light was on as well.

Tonight I checked ph and cl - ph was still a little high but chlorine was still 0. So, I checked the main control panel and noticed that the check cell light is on. I cleaned the cell. Now, when I turn it back to the on position the generating light comes on for a short while and then goes off and the check cell light comes back on (along with the mineral light). I added about a half gallon of Clorox (that's all my wife had in the laundry room).

The pool is a 25k gallon gunite. The unit and pool were installed in 2002.

Any thoughts from all of you experts?

Thanks in advance,
Kevin