First time pool owner looking for help getting through mild winter with a SWG

[toddlower]

Hi,

I just moved to a new home with a saltwater pool in Chesapeake, Virginia. I just learned that our saltwater generator doesn't make chlorine when it's cold, and I'm trying to understand how to beat maintain the pool until it's warm enough for the SWG to takeover again. It doesn't get super cold here, but it does get to the low 30s outside pretty often. I have a pump with a thermostat to turn on if the water gets too cold.

I'm trying to learn as much as I can as fast as I can, but I know I have a huge knowledge gap right now. I'm trying not to screw up the pool too badly, so any help is appreciated!

I've attached an image of my current water measurements as taken with a tf pro. know my CYA is way too low (not sure if it's actually zero, but low enough I can't get an good reading).

Happy for any advice, but I have a few specific questions:
1. Should I still try to increase my CYA now? I wasn't sure if there was any advantage to leaving it low until it gets warmer (e.g. If that somehow saves me on adding as much liquid chlorine)
2. Should I start adding liquid chlorine immediately, or try to fix my CYA first?
3. I've never added liquid chlorine before, but it sounds like I should look for bleach that doesn't have cholormax in it based on what Ive been reading in the forums. Is that right?
4. Any other tips on cold water maintenance for a SWG pool?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Bperry]

Hi,

I just moved to a new home with a saltwater pool in Chesapeake, Virginia. I just learned that our saltwater generator doesn't make chlorine when it's cold, and I'm trying to understand how to beat maintain the pool until it's warm enough for the SWG to takeover again. It doesn't get super cold here, but it does get to the low 30s outside pretty often. I have a pump with a thermostat to turn on if the water gets too cold.

I'm trying to learn as much as I can as fast as I can, but I know I have a huge knowledge gap right now. I'm trying not to screw up the pool too badly, so any help is appreciated!

I've attached an image of my current water measurements as taken with a tf pro. know my CYA is way too low (not sure if it's actually zero, but low enough I can't get an good reading).

Happy for any advice, but I have a few specific questions:
1. Should I still try to increase my CYA now? I wasn't sure if there was any advantage to leaving it low until it gets warmer (e.g. If that somehow saves me on adding as much liquid chlorine)
2. Should I start adding liquid chlorine immediately, or try to fix my CYA first?
3. I've never added liquid chlorine before, but it sounds like I should look for bleach that doesn't have cholormax in it based on what Ive been reading in the forums. Is that right?
4. Any other tips on cold water maintenance for a SWG pool?

Thanks for the help!

View attachment 548072

If you plan to keep the pool open over winter than add 30ppm of CYA and then add 5ppm of liquid chlorine and keep it there at a minimum.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Todd,

I suggest that you look around and use Liquid Chlorine at 10% or 12%.. You can find it at Lowes, Home Depot, pool stores, etc...

In the winter, your pool will not use much chlorine, compared to how much the pool will use in the summer.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Preparing Pool for Cooler Months - Further Reading

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