my friend just bought a house with a salt water pool. Has a ton of algae when opening. His pool guy told him to only use vinegar and salt. Have you ever heard of this and does it work?
Vinegar for salt water pool
- Thread starter Rondanick
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 62,625
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Not sure what the vinegar would do.
Your friend needs to follow the SLAM Process. They need a proper test kit to do that. See Test Kits Compared
Your friend needs to follow the SLAM Process. They need a proper test kit to do that. See Test Kits Compared
If he has algae your friend needs chlorine not vinegar or salt.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,787
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Don't put vinegar in the pool.
Vinegar can be used as an alternate to using a diluted muriatic acid mixture to clean the SWG cell when needed.
The SWG cell needs to be removed from the plumbing and inspected/cleaned from time to time.
Vinegar can be used as an alternate to using a diluted muriatic acid mixture to clean the SWG cell when needed.
The SWG cell needs to be removed from the plumbing and inspected/cleaned from time to time.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 51,999
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Maybe they are making a big salad.
We do hear some interesting things here from pool stores and local techs.
I’m worried they messed with their PH by doing that before getting a PH reading.. do you see that being an issue now?
- Jul 17, 2019
- 4,054
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Wow, most of us would not let a "pool guy" near our pool... but certainly not that one. Is he sure the green stuff is algae, or did Chef Pool Guy add basil and oregano to the pool.
All kidding aside, only chlorine kills algae. In a salt water pool, the equipment makes chlorine from the salt. With that said the equipment is good at maintaining a chlorine level, but if you have visible algae you will need to supplement chlorine (liquid chlorine is preferred) to kill the algae.
All kidding aside, only chlorine kills algae. In a salt water pool, the equipment makes chlorine from the salt. With that said the equipment is good at maintaining a chlorine level, but if you have visible algae you will need to supplement chlorine (liquid chlorine is preferred) to kill the algae.
- Jul 17, 2019
- 4,054
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Do you know how much vinegar they added? They should be able to get an accurate pH reading 30 minutes after adding any chemicals...err other ingredients to the pool.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 15,974
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Unless he put literal gallons of vinegar in to the pool it's unlikely to have done much to budge the pH unless his TA is dangerously low.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,787
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Your best bet is to have your friend join this forum and read up on the TFP method of pool care.
You acting as the go-between isn't going to help either of you.
You acting as the go-between isn't going to help either of you.
Don't add baking soda, it might be like my childhood science volcanos!
The closest vinegar can get to the pool is when the SWCG is out for cleaning to clean the cell while out of the system. Some will use vinegar instead of muratic acid as it's a milder acid and is easier on the plates.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 15,974
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I am hoping the friend just misinterpreted this cell cleaning advice.
@Rondanick
While cleaning the cell & adding adequate salt (if needed) is important for swg operation, it won’t clear up an algae problem.
The SLAM Process is needed for that - a swg is simply not capable of overcoming an algae problem, they are only fc maintainers & are much too slow.
Never add vinegar (Acetic acid) to a pool.
Chloroacetic acid can be produced if vinegar is added, so you might see some CCs until that gets oxidized.
Chloroacetic acid can be produced if vinegar is added, so you might see some CCs until that gets oxidized.
Haloacetic acids (HAAs) including monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid are classified as disinfection by-products (DBPs) along with other disinfection by-products (DBPs) like trihalomethanes, and chloramines.
These are definitely something that you do not want to intentionally introduce to the pool water.
These are definitely something that you do not want to intentionally introduce to the pool water.
Also, never add salt unless the salt level is below the amount required by the SWG.
And to add to ^^^^
Never run the cell for 24 hours when salt is added.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,787
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Nope - I just add liquid chlorine if I need to boost my FC.
All 'super chlorinate' does is run the SWG at 100% for the next 24 hours - and then only when the pump is on.
All 'super chlorinate' does is run the SWG at 100% for the next 24 hours - and then only when the pump is on.
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