It's recommended to wait at least 20 minutes to swim after adding salt to your pool. If you're adding calcium chloride to your pool water, it's recommended to wait two to four hours before swimming again.
Use a brush to help the salt dissolve and to prevent the salt from piling up on the bottom of your pool. Run your pump for 24 hours to help distribute the salt evenly throughout your pool.
Brush the salt towards the main drain. The salt should be dissolved within 24 hours. After the salt has dissolved, the salt chlorine generator can be started.
There is no set timeframe of when you need to add salt to your pool. Because salt does not dissipate from your water, the only time you would add salt to your pool is when you add fresh water or after heavy rain that dilutes salinity levels.
As shocking has a tendency to push metals out of solution and salt (even when labeled as pure) can contain trace amounts of metals, it is recommended that you add salt at a different time from shocking.
When you add salt, DO NOT pour it directly into the skimmer. For best results empty the required salt into the shallow end of the pool and let it dissolve and circulate through the main drain. The salt may take about 24 hours to dissolve completely.
Annual booster additions of pool salt are usually required, but only to replace salt lost from backwashing, splashout or lowering the water for winter. If you fully drain the pool for maintenance, you will need to replace all of the pool salt.
The overall cost of salt for a saltwater pool will vary by the type of salt that you use and the size of your pool, but you can expect to pay on average between $10 and $25 per every 40 pounds of salt (or 25¢ to 63¢ per pound of salt). Some brands may even sell a 40-pound bag of pool salt for as much as $40.
Generally it's better to have the level on the high side than low, so 3800 should be fine.
Yes, it's safe to safe to swim since 25k ppm salinity level is still within the recommended range and on the lowest side, unless it reads above 35,000 ppm.
Shocking a saltwater pool is very similar to how you would shock a typical chlorine pool. However you'll need to use Dichlor and not Cal-Hypo. Prepare the pool first by balancing the chemicals and then you can add pool shock like you would in a traditional pool.
It Should Not Be Done Together
Hence, you should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM.
The green is probably iron. Don't add more chlorine. Add a quart or two of good sequestrant. Brush the pool really well multiple times and then add the sequestrant.
And how long do you have to wait before you can swim? You should wait one hour per pound of shock product added, and then test the water to confirm the pH and chlorine are in the proper range before letting anyone enter the pool.
The slimy feel on your pool walls is an early indication of algae growth. To stop algae growth in its tracks, clean the pool filter first. Before adding any chemicals to the pool, make sure you have a clean filter.
Yes, a salt water pool has a reduced cost of operation as compared to a traditional chlorinated pool. This cost savings is primarily because chlorine is generated from salt and there is no need to buy chlorine. Additionally, salt water pools require fewer chemicals to keep the water clean and clear.
The salt cell generators are made to work when pool water temperatures are above 60 degrees. In pool water temperatures that are 60 degrees or below, the salt generators simply shut down and by design do not allow the salt cell to ionize (breakdown) the salt and convert it to chlorine.
Seawater has a salinity of roughly 35,000 ppm, equivalent to 35 grams of salt per one liter (or kilogram) of water.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
While they do cost a bit more on the front end than a chlorine set up, the ongoing maintenance for saltwater pools is typically far less expensive. Generally, you can expect to pay somewhere around $300 to $800 a year on the chemicals you'll need to maintain a chlorine pool.
Saltwater Pools Come With Health and Environmental Concerns
Providers have also linked higher heart mortality risks to sodium absorption through the skin, particularly among people with: High blood pressure.