Need help with Salt System & Stabilizer...

[Akitas4me]

Yes, we test the water ourselves with a water test kit (Pentair) given to us by our pool builder. They gave us the recommended numbers to stay within for our pool size (23,513 gallons), so we know how much and when to add chems (Chlorine/PH/Acid/Alk)....nothing about stabilizer values in this test kit.

The last water test, done by the pool company on Monday, 7/24, showed the following:
Salt 3200
Stabilizer 20
Chlorine 0 (Our Aquapure circuit board had been out for a week, hence the reason our pool co. guy was there - we had been manually adding Chlorine for a week and our testing didn't ever say 0 chlorine, but that is what the pool guys test said)
PH 8.0
ALK 70
Calcium 250

Thanks again for your help.

[KurtV]

Yes, we test the water ourselves with a water test kit (Pentair) given to us by our pool builder. They gave us the recommended numbers to stay within for our pool size (23,513 gallons), so we know how much and when to add chems (Chlorine/PH/Acid/Alk)....nothing about stabilizer values in this test kit.

The last water test, done by the pool company on Monday, 7/24, showed the following:
Salt 3200
Stabilizer 20
Chlorine 0 (Our Aquapure circuit board had been out for a week, hence the reason our pool co. guy was there - we had been manually adding Chlorine for a week and our testing didn't ever say 0 chlorine, but that is what the pool guys test said)
PH 8.0
ALK 70
Calcium 250

Thanks again for your help.

Akitas,
3200 ppm is probably in the correct range for your SWG (check the manual). Many can't taste the salt at that level or find the taste very slight. You must just have a better sense of taste than most.

Your pH is high at 8.0. Most people recommend 7.2 to 7.6 (or 7.8). High pH will limit the ability of your SWG to produce chlorine and negatively affect the performance of the chlorine you do have.

Check the SWG manual on the recommended level of stabiliser (CYA). Most want you to have 60-80 ppm. BleachCalc, a piece of software written by one of the members here, will help you determine how much CYA to add. A link to download the program is in the signature line of every post by mwsmith2.

Until you get your SWG repaired you need to get some chlorine in your pool. Bleach is probably the easiest and cheapest form with the fewest side effects (again, the sticky threads in the chlorine forum will give you some background).

[biker2]

I have the Aquarite system and the salt readings I take from the control unit. First the unit has worked for 4 years now without incident. I do taste a small amount of salt but It's not considered a salty taste. Every year I add at least 200+ lbs of salt to my 45k gallon IG vinyl liner pool. I always find it amazing how much salt you need to add to get the level to 3200 ppm when its first opened for the season.

No one has ever complained about the taste. I am lucky that my pool ph & chemistry is always very steady throughout the season and unless it rains for several days I don't have a lot to do except empty the skimmers and make periodic water quality checks.

GB