Salt water pool chemicals
A Hayward AquaRite calls for salt at 3200 ppm (parts per million, the number a salt test shows), while a Pentair IntelliChlor calls for 3600 ppm. Hold pH between 7.2 and 7.8, with total alkalinity sitting at 80 to 120 ppm. Calcium should stay in the 200 to 400 ppm range. According to Hayward's manual, free chlorine belongs at 1.0 to 3.0 ppm.
Which numbers does your chlorinator ask for?
The brand of chlorinator you own sets your salt goal. For a Hayward AquaRite, salt should land between 2700 and 3400 ppm, and 3200 ppm is ideal.
Salt anywhere from 2800 to 4500 ppm keeps a Pentair IntelliChlor running. Aim at 3600 ppm, per Pentair's guide. Free chlorine targets are 1.0 to 3.0 ppm on Hayward units and 2.0 to 4.0 ppm on Pentair units.
Your unit decides the right stabilizer figure. A Pentair calls for 30 to 50 ppm. An outdoor AquaRite 900 asks for the same. Older AquaRite models need 60 to 80 ppm instead. Either way, calcium stays at 200 to 400 ppm.
| Chlorinator | Free chlorine | pH | Alkalinity | Calcium | Stabilizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward AquaRite | 1 to 3 | 7.2 to 7.8 | 80 to 120 | 200 to 400 | 60 to 80 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor | 2 to 4 | 7.2 to 7.8 | 80 to 120 | 200 to 400 | 30 to 50 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor Plus and LT | 2 to 4 | 7.4 to 7.6 | 80 to 120 | 200 to 400 | 0 to 50 |
| Jandy AquaPure | 1 to 3 | 7.4 to 7.6 | 80 to 120 | 200 to 400 | 50 to 75 |
| Jandy TruClear | 1 to 3 | Not given | Not given | Not given | 30 to 50 |
| CircuPool | 1 to 3 | 7.2 to 7.8 | 80 to 120 | 200 to 400 | 30 to 50 |
Every figure is ppm apart from pH. Each manufacturer's manual is the source, linked on its salt level page.
If a number is off, what do you add?
When salt runs low, pour in sodium chloride with purity above 99%. Avoid rock salt, iodized salt and anything containing yellow prussiate of soda or anticaking agents.
Salt above 4500 ppm is high for a Pentair. Draining part of the water and topping up with fresh is the only fix, per Hayward. Is pH too high? Pour in muriatic acid. Too low? Use soda ash, according to Pentair's chemistry article.
See crust building up on the cell? Give it a 15 minute soak in a mix of 4 parts water and 1 part muriatic acid. Running short on chlorine? Set boost to 100% and leave it going for 24 hours. Stay away from trichlor and dichlor.
Which sequence should you correct things in?
Total alkalinity needs to sit at 80 to 120 ppm. Target pH of 7.2 to 7.8; Pentair's Plus manual marks 7.4 through 7.6 as ideal.
Hold calcium hardness between 200 and 400 ppm with stabilizer between 30 and 50 ppm. With new plaster, hold off 10 to 14 days before adding salt. Once salt is in, keep the pump going for 24 hours.
Questions people bring to the counter
Which chemicals does a salt water pool need?
Salt with purity above 99% sodium chloride is what you need. Cyanuric acid stabilizer is another thing you need. You'll need muriatic acid when pH must come down plus soda ash to push it up into 7.2 to 7.8. With a salt chlorine generator, don't ever reach for trichlor or dichlor.
Which order should chemicals go into a saltwater pool?
Set total alkalinity at 80 to 120 ppm; set pH at 7.2 to 7.8. Calcium should sit at 200 to 400 ppm, while stabilizer lands at 30 to 50 ppm. Once salt goes in, leave the pump running for 24 hours.
Which chemical readings count as ideal in a saltwater pool?
Three targets to hold: pH 7.2 to 7.8, total alkalinity 80 to 120 ppm, calcium hardness 200 to 400 ppm. Hayward asks for 2700 to 3400 ppm salt, with free chlorine between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm. Pentair recommends 3600 ppm salt, plus free chlorine spanning 2.0 through 4.0 ppm.
How frequently does a salt water pool need treatment?
Any time you adjust the cell output percentage, hold off 24 hours before you test free chlorine. Let the pump run for 24 hours once the salt is in. Boost mode also goes for 24 hours. Every 3 months, Pentair says to acid clean the cell.