How often do I need to add salt to my pool? 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.
While the average salt cells used in a residential salt water pool will last around 10,000 hours of operation, or around three to five years, there are things you can do to ensure it lasts as long as possible.
When you use a digital water tester to test the salt level in your pool, you'll dip a test strip into your pool water, hold it there, and then insert it into a specified place on the digital water tester.
Bottom Line. A little bit of extra salt in your pool doesn't generally result in any concerning issues. However, putting in excessive amounts of salt, resulting in salt levels 5000 ppm or more, can lead to corrosion of your metal pool equipment. Not to mention, having too much salt will also make the pool saltier.
Just like a chlorine-based pool, saltwater pools turn cloudy when chemicals are not balanced. You need to ensure that all chemicals are balanced all the time to avoid cloudy water and growth of algae. The major causes of cloudiness are chlorine, pH, Salinity, total alkalinity, cyanuric acid, and calcium hardness.
I have the same one and yes it takes about 24 hours to register salt.
To add salt, turn on your filter pump and add the salt directly to your pool water. 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.
Therefore, if you have a 20,000 gallon pool and want to determine how much salt you'll need to buy, you would use the formula “30/1,000 x 20,000”, which equals 600. Meaning, the pool would require approximately 600 lb of salt.
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.
Overall, you need to run your saltwater generator and pool pump for at least 8 hours daily. Not running either of these long enough means not enough chlorine to sanitize the water. Remember, the pool pump needs to be running simultaneously with the chlorine generator for the salt cell to produce chlorine.
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. Have your PH and ALK within range when adding salt, and brush until it is completely dissolved.
Adding salt, without a SWG, gives the water what many people describe as a silky feel, but it doesn't give you any of the other advantages of a SWG. For example you can't use lower FC levels with salt the way you can with a SWG.
3400 is the recomended high limit, but the readings on the panel are notoriously inaccurate. Generally it's better to have the level on the high side than low, so 3800 should be fine.
When pouring the salt into the pool, add it around the deep end to have it circulate through the main drain. 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.
The pool's salt chlorinator creates the right amount of chlorine needed to keep your water clean, according to Hayward. While there are reasons to add extra chlorine to your saltwater pool, you must do so carefully. Too much chlorine with salt water is never a good combination.
So, not only is shocking a saltwater pool okay, but it's actually important to your pool's health. Shocking is the process in which you overload your pool with chlorine (3-5 times the normal amount) to improve your pool's cleanliness and kill off organic matter.
To maintain a salt water pool you'll need to keep your filter, pump, and skimmer clean and in good operating condition. With salt water pools, you must inspect the salt chlorinator cell and replace it when needed. Test regularly for proper water chemistry to maintain clean, clear pool water.
Unlike traditional chlorine pools, which require frequent chemical adjustments, saltwater pools require minimal maintenance and can work for extended periods without modification. This means significantly less time spent maintaining your pool. However, it's not all positives because salt is fundamentally corrosive.
The optimal range for salt in your pool is 2,700-3,400 ppm (parts per million), with 3,200 ppm being ideal.
Hayward Salt Chlorinator Salt Chart
Example: If you have a salt level of 0, in your 8,000 gallon pool, you'll need approximately 213 pounds of salt, or roughly (5) 40 pound bags of salt, to bring your water in proper range.
If the level is low, determine the number of gallons in the pool and add salt according to the chart below. A low salt level will reduce the efficiency of your salt chlorinator and result in low chlorine production. A high salt level can cause your chlorinator to shutdown and may begin to give your water a salty taste.
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.
Insufficient chlorine in your pool
When you add a bag of salt into the water sodium chloride dissolves and splits into two separate parts – sodium and chloride ions. Chloride won't kill algae, it needs to be turned into chlorine to do this.