new pool owner trying to balance swg pool

[mas985]

Cathy,

The unit will shut down if the salt level is too high so if the diagnostic menu shows it generating chlorine when you first turn the pump on, then I would say it is ok. If the display shows a high salt warning, then the unit has shut itself down and you will have to replace some of the water to get the salt level down. Also, higher salt levels will generate more chlorine.

[waterbear]

IMHO, Mineral springs by Bioguard and SaltWater Magic by NaturalChemisty(enzymes and other stuff) are unnecessary and expensive. They are a mix of plain salt and other (unknown for the most part) additives that supposidly 'balance' your water. For a SWG properly to operate you need to balance your water ( using a drop based test kit!) with baking soda for alkalinity, calcium chloride (DowFlake is MUCH cheaper than the pool store stuff and is what Dow recommends for pool/spa use on their website--check your local hardware store) IF you need calcium for a plaster pool, and borax or muriatic acid to ajust pH. Since SWG's cause a pH drift upwared in normal operation you will probably just need the acid. You also need to put stablilzer (CYA) in for an outdoor pool. Most SWG maufacturers recommend between 60-80 ppm but even that amount has come under question in this forum and I believe that some members are operating sucessfully at lower levels.

As far as salt goes, PLAIN solar or water softener salt or pool salt is fine. Just make sure it has no additives for iron or for keeping the water softener clean and it is at least 99.5% pure salt (and no anti-caking additives either). I buy pool salt at the grocery store becuase they are cheaper than other places I have looked! (both the Winn Dixie and Publix chains carry it here in N. FL--Morton Pool Salt at about $5.00/40 lb. bag). Keep a check on your salt level. Slighly higher is better for extending cell life than running on the low side from what I have been able to determine. I try to run mine at about 3200-3400 ppm. Check with your maufacturer. Some units will cut off at high salt levels, others will operate with salt levels up to 6000 ppm.

Also, in the rare event that you have to shock your pool it is better to do it with bleach than with the superchlorinate setting. The cell's life is measured in hours of use and running it for 24 hours to shock will shorten it's life! Many of the people on the forum have reported that they have had no need to shock (no significant Combined Chlorine) since their SWG's have become operational...myself included!

Goldline Controls manufactures the Mineral Springs unit for Bioguard. I own a Goldline Aqualogic PS-8 and one of the settings on mine is to read ether salt or minerals. I called Goldline tech support to ask about it when I was setting up my system and they told me that was for people using Mineral Springs so they would see a 'mineral' reading instead of a "salt' reading but it only changes the words on the display! Interesting, no?

[Guido]

I’m running the Mineral Springs now since view weeks without adding any renewal into the pool and my water is in a very good shape. I test daily and beside the PH rising and a bit high TA everything is OK. I’m in the process to find the right output setting on the unit to get my CL into good levels and I’m getting better.
A friend of mine never added renewal in he just adds salt in the spring and if the level goes down he add some more. I will see how my season goes but I don’t think I have to add anything if my figures are correct.

[waterbear]

You will most likely need to be adding muriatic acid on a regular basis. SWGs cause the pH to creep upward. If you bring your pH down to about 7.2-7.4 you will possibly find that your TA falls into line as well.