How to Maintain Salt Water Pools
- 1). Using a water testing kit, test the chemical levels of the water at least once a week. You must measure the alkalinity, the calcium hardness of the water and the stabilizer level. If the levels are too low, add additional chemicals to the pool. Chemicals are available year round from pool supply companies. The recommended levels that each chemical should be at are as follows: pH level at 7.4--7.6; alkalinity at 125--150 ppm; calcium hardness at 150--200 ppm, stabilizer level at 60-80 ppm.
- 2). Maintain the salt level of the pool at 2700ppm-3500ppm. Because salt does not evaporate, only add it when some splashes out or when you refill the water levels. Salt water levels do not drop as quickly as the other chemical levels in a salt water pool.
- 3). Clean the cell electrode from one to three times per year. Consider cleaning it in the spring when you open the pool up and again while winterizing it.
- 4). Winterize the pool every year. Although traditional pools don't require winterizing in warmer climates, salt water pools should not be run at less than 55 degrees. This means that virtually everyone must winterize a salt water pool. Winterizing involves draining the water down past the skimmer basket, balancing the chemical levels and covering the pool with a pool cover.