Salt water pool tips and secrets?

Question

hello,

I am about to put in an intex saltwater 24' pool. 12k gallons.

Any pool techs out there, I could use any tips you can give me. Like what to do for maintenance and when. What are the levels supposed to be for what tests. use drop testing or strips? links to good info about things like this and more would be nice.

How often do I check what and do what ... what do I do if any of the levels are off ... i don't want to add chemicals, that's why I got a saltwater pool.

How long should I run my 4k gph pump and generator every day.

Do Saltwater pools really need the water changed out every so often? if so how often?

and any other tips, advice or secrets are welcome.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

You are just the kind of person the pool supplier like to see.

Salt water pools have more chemicals in them than chlorinated pools.  Salt pools also have the same amount of chlorine as a 100% chlorinated pool.  Follow your makers instructions on proper water chemistry you will need to maintain for proper operation.

Drops/strips your preference here just store them indoors when not using, they will test more accurately and have a longer life.

12,000gallons/4,000gph=3 hours to turn over once.  That is normal but you might want more if chlorination is not even or pool cloudy.

Shock of super chlorinate your pool bi monthly in summer and monthly rest of year.  13.33oz of 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite is what your pool needs for 1ppm of chlorine, normal levels are 1-3ppm with 5 tops for swimming and 10x measured chlorine to shock.

Your salt pool has a chlorine generator that produces chlorine for the pool.  You are likely to have problems with maintaining the salt level so get a salt test kit like strips and use before changing salt levels since the generators are unreliable here.

Personally, I would save my money and get a fully chlorinated pool since that is what you will have running a salt pool, except for the salt and you will be able to taste it if not then you don't have enough in it.

You're welcome!!

Answer 2

Hi... My saltwater pool is horrible! It has been a royal pain.

We just converted it to saltwater two years ago and bought the best system we could get.. You have to keep a super-close eye on it or it will turn dark green, then black within two days!

I definitely prefer the regular chlorine pools, much easier and much cleaner, less staining, etc.

Our pool is 33,000 gallons so close maintenance is a must but this saltwater stuff has been a bad deal for me :o)

The saltwater pools still require chemicals.. you have to put stabilizer, PH balancers, algae inhibitors, etc... Just not the actual chlorine, although I still need the chlorinator tablets from time to time.

I also have to run my pump 24/7, unless it's closed down of course.

You will also have to add a bunch of shock to your pool to open it and close it of course.

As far as water testing, your local pool store sells the testing strips for that and it's super simple, instructions on the bottle.

If the strips show your levels/chemicals are not in the correct range, you will then grab your "water bottle" with a lid to bring a water sample into the actual store. For free, they will check the water and tell you exactly what chemicals you need to add and how much exactly.  That part's a breeze...

In my very humble opinion, in my case the saltwater pools are a load of crapola and I assume they work for some people, and hope it works for you :o)

Answer 3

Saltwater IS the easiest way to look after a pool, As long as the equipment is sized correctly to the demands of the pool. If the pool is going to be heated, then a larger model chlorinator is required.

Ideally you would like to "turn over" the volume of the pool twice every day, so at 4K gph you would start off running the equipment 3 hours in the early morning and 3 hours afternoon.

Make sure the filter you are getting is suited to that flow rate. Sand filters are the easiest to look after (28").

I would use a chlorinator with a 20 gram/hour output rating.

On the days the pool is heated it will require a lot more chlorine than normal and you can either make more chlorine by running the chlorinator longer, or adding a bit extra chlorine.

The guy above had a big pool, and if the equipment is undersized, if the pool is constantly used, and heated, and if he not prepared to run the equipment long enough to do what its got to do - your gonna have probs