Results for "salt cell maintenance"

Algae Green Pool Medium 4-6 hours 258 👍 0

Can I Shock Pool After Adding Algaecide? Complete Guide

Spent all morning watching my pool turn green with algae patches and now I'm holding bottles of algaecide and shock with no clue which to use first. But I'm not sure about the timing - can I add both in the same day? Should I put the algaecide in first, or does it matter?

Also, if I can use both, how long should I wait between adding them? Don't want to mess up my water chemistry or waste expensive chemicals by doing this wrong!…more

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Salt Water Medium 8-24 hours 240 👍 0

Should I Turn Off Salt Cell When Shocking Pool? Expert Guide

Staring at my salt cell wondering if I need to turn it off before shocking my pool — can't afford a $200 service call right now.

Should the salt chlorine generator be turned off while administering shock treatment, or can it continue running?

I want to ensure I'm following correct procedures to avoid any potential equipment damage or interference with the shock's effectiveness. What's the standard protocol for salt cell operation during chemical shock applications?…more

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Salt Water Medium 5-10 days with mail-in service 189 👍 0

Can Pool Salt Cells Be Rebuilt? Complete Repair Guide

Woke up to a dead salt cell again — thing works flawlessly when it's under 85 degrees but won't generate a drop of chlorine once we hit the 90s. A local pool tech mentioned that these cells can sometimes be rebuilt by replacing the internal titanium plates, which would cost significantly less than buying a brand new unit.

I'm worried about whether a rebuilt cell would be as reliable and safe for my kids as a new one. The housing on our current cell looks fine, no cracks or damage that I can see. Has anyone had experience with rebuilding salt cells? I want to make sure we're not compromising water quality or safety just to save money. What should I consider before deciding between rebuilding versus replacing entirely?…more

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Best Pool Chemical Starter Kits

4.5 (18,700 reviews)

Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 177 👍 0

How to Know If Your Pool Salt Cell Is Bad - 7 Warning Signs

Opened up my new place's pool equipment for the first time and this salt cell has crusty white buildup everywhere while chlorine levels keep tanking.

What are the telltale signs that a salt cell is actually failing? I don't want to replace it unnecessarily, but I also don't want to keep throwing money at chemicals if the real problem is a dead cell. Are there specific things I should check or test to know for sure?…more

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Maintenance Medium varies by task 163 👍 0

Wrong Question? Pool Maintenance Help Not Airline Miles

I found this weird cloudy film floating all over my pool surface that I can't figure out. I'm a brand new pool owner and honestly have no idea what I'm doing. My water looks cloudy and I'm not sure if my chemicals are right.

The pool store gave me a bunch of products but I'm worried I'll mess something up. Could someone point me toward a good guide for basic pool maintenance? I just want to get my water crystal clear and make sure everything is balanced properly. Any comprehensive resources for beginners would be amazing!…more

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Salt Water Medium 2 hours including testing and adjustment 159 👍 0

Do Saltwater Pools Need Cyanuric Acid? Essential Guide

My saltwater pool opens every spring with the same nagging question about whether I actually need cyanuric acid or not. I know the salt cell generates chlorine automatically, but I'm not sure if that means I can skip the stabilizer. My pool gets tons of sun exposure throughout the day.

What's the ideal CYA level for saltwater pools, and does it work differently than regular chlorine pools? Don't want to waste money on chemicals I don't need, but also don't want my chlorine getting zapped by UV rays!…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 2-3 hours initial setup, ongoing monthly testing 150 👍 0

Do Salt Pools Need Stabilizer? Complete CYA Guide 2024

Called the pool store about my new saltwater system but they keep insisting I need stabilizer — thought I was done with all those chemicals? The pool store told me I need to add stabilizer (cyanuric acid) even though I have a salt generator, but I'm confused because I thought the generator makes its own chlorine.

Do saltwater pools actually need stabilizer? If so, what level should I be targeting? I want to make sure I'm doing this right and not wasting money on chemicals I don't actually need. Any guidance would be really appreciated!…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 30 minutes 147 👍 0

Do Vinyl Pools Need Calcium Hardness? Complete Guide

Finally ready to pull the trigger on a vinyl liner pool but the salesperson won't stop pushing calcium hardness products — legitimate necessity or expensive upsell? Keep seeing different numbers online - some say treat it like any other pool, others say vinyl needs different levels.

What's the right calcium hardness range for vinyl pools? And is it actually different from concrete/plaster pools?…more

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Salt Water Medium 30 minutes 146 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Need Chemicals? Complete Guide

Our saltwater pool area reeks of that sharp chlorine smell every morning, which seems impossible since we were told these systems are basically chemical-free.

But now I'm reading conflicting information online. The pool store told me I'd still need to buy some chemicals, but I'm confused about what exactly. I thought the salt system was supposed to handle everything? What chemicals do salt water pools actually need, and why? I want to make sure I'm taking proper care of the pool and keeping the water safe for my family.…more

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Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 143 👍 0

Do Saltwater Pools Need Chlorine? The Complete Truth

About two weeks into this rental with my first saltwater pool and the generator's been running constantly but the water stays green no matter what I do. I've thrown every chemical I can think of at this thing - algaecide, shock, clarifier - and nothing's working.

Do saltwater pools actually need regular chlorine added, or am I missing something else? I thought the whole point was that the salt system makes its own chlorine automatically. My levels seem off but I'm not sure if I should be manually adding chlorine to a saltwater pool or if that defeats the purpose entirely.…more

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Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 138 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Stay Clean? Complete Maintenance Guide

Already three weeks into this rental with a salt water pool I've never maintained before and getting nasty algae blooms plus cloudy water. My generator is running fine and producing chlorine, but somehow I still have to test chemicals, brush walls, and fight green water.

What am I missing here? Does the salt water system actually keep the pool clean on its own, or is there still a bunch of regular maintenance I need to be doing? I feel like I got sold a bill of goods about how "easy" salt water pools are supposed to be.…more

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Best Above Ground Pools

4.3 (22,100 reviews)

Salt Water Medium 4-6 hours initial setup 134 👍 0

Can Above Ground Pools Be Salt Water? Complete Guide 2024

Tried following my pool manual that says above ground pools can't handle salt water systems, but keep seeing people online who've successfully converted theirs. What equipment do I need and are there any compatibility issues I should know about? Also heard something about different chemical levels for salt pools - is that true?…more

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Salt Water Medium 2-4 hours 133 👍 0

Salt Water Pool Skin Irritation: Causes & Solutions

Finally got my 15,000-gallon saltwater pool dialed in and my kids are still coming out with red, burning skin after every swim. We switched to saltwater specifically because I thought it would be gentler than traditional chlorine pools, but now I'm second-guessing that decision.

Is this normal for saltwater pools? What could be causing the irritation, and more importantly, how can I fix it to make sure the water is safe for my kids to swim in? I really want to understand what's going wrong with our pool chemistry so I can get this resolved quickly.…more

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Salt Water Easy 30 minutes 133 👍 0

Can Salt Water Pools Cause UTI? Pool Safety & Prevention

During my first summer with a salt water pool, I keep getting UTIs and have absolutely no clue if the pool could be causing them. Family swims daily but I'm paranoid about UTIs. Do salt water pools actually cause urinary tract infections or is that just a myth?

What chlorine levels should I maintain to keep everyone safe? Pool store guy said 2-4 ppm but want to double check before letting the kids swim more.…more

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Water Chemistry Easy 30 minutes 131 👍 0

Do Liner Pools Need Calcium? Complete Guide for Vinyl Pools

Nobody at the pool store gives me a straight answer about calcium in vinyl pools — got my test kit ready and I'm done with their upselling games. They keep pushing calcium hardness increaser saying I need to maintain 150-300 ppm, but I've heard that liner pools don't need as much calcium as plaster pools.

I'm trying to figure out what's actually necessary versus what's just upselling. Can I get away with lower calcium levels since I have a vinyl liner, or will this mess up my water balance and damage my equipment? I'd rather handle this myself instead of dropping more money at the pool store if possible.…more

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