Compared to conventional pools, a salt water pool is less harmful to the human organism and does not have the same disadvantages as, for example, the chemical chlorine.
Depending on the conditions in the particular pool, it is also possible to convert already installed pools, although by no means all, to a saltwater pool.
In any case, the addition of salt takes on an important role in the initial pool filling, which is why everyone wants to be optimally prepared for it. In the following sections, all the information worth knowing about this will be explained.
Table of Contents
Pool first filling salt: What to consider?
Before you can fill your pool with salt water, some precautions must be taken, respectively, some conditions must be observed.
In a first step, you should acquire the necessary chemical agents for adequate pool maintenance, if they are not already available, because even a pool with salt water relies on a small amount of chemistry. However, the use of chemicals that affect the pH value, as well as an algaecide, is very limited compared to a conventional chorus pool.
Although the use of chlorine to clean the pool after winterization is a good idea, it is not mandatory, but very labor-saving. Furthermore, especially for pool owners who want to upgrade to a salt water pool, it is essential to check the installation parts in terms of materials, because especially steel or iron can be attacked by the salt in the water.
To create the right conditions for proper disinfection of the pool water, you need a salt system, which is installed directly behind the pool pump and develops its disinfecting effect in a process called electrolysis.
Fill saltwater pool in 7 steps (instructions).
Once all the necessary preparations have been made, and in the course of this you have ensured, for example, that all the components of your pool are suitable for a salt water pool, you can fill the pool.
One thing in advance: it will always happen that you need to refill the pool. Therefore, you should memorize the appropriate steps.
The steps are a bit confusing for newcomers at first, especially with regard to the sequence, although here too a certain routine will quickly set in when you refill the pool with salt water when you start it up again after the winter.
The following sections provide detailed information on the activities to be performed during initial saltwater pool filling.
Step 1: Fill with water
The first step is to let the water flow into the pool. It is strongly recommended that you do not use less expensive well water, but rather tap water, which is more expensive in most cases.
However, the latter has the advantage that it is not possibly contaminated with substances such as iron oxide, which, in addition to the appearance, can also negatively affect the material basis of the pool.
Step 2: Switch on the filter system
Next, it is recommended to start the filter system early. This serves, on the one hand, to circulate the water of your pool, whereby any added agent, including salt, is evenly distributed, and, on the other hand, to clean it.
Due to the fact that a filter system can remove even the smallest particles of dirt from the cool water, it contributes significantly to healthy pool hygiene, which is why you should turn it on regularly.
Step 3: Adjust pH value
One of the few pool care chemicals that can also be used on a saltwater pool is a pH level reducer, which brings it to an ideal level between 6.8 and 7.4. There are various possibilities, from simple test strips to digital devices, to determine the value and to correct it in appropriate cases.
The latter is done either with the aid of manual dosing, whereby the individual instructions of the manufacturer should be observed, or with an automatic dosing system, which, depending on the model, also independently determines the pH value for you.
Step 4: Determine the amount of salt
If you want, you can purchase the salt for a saltwater pool at a local hardware store or specialty retailer, and it by no means has to be sea salt.
When dosing the amount of salt, it should be noted that you should always take into account the individual specifications of the corresponding manufacturer. As a guideline, however, you can assume about 40 kilograms of industrial or evaporated salt per 10 cubic meters of pool water.
Step 5: Add salt to the water
Since salt systems only work with a maximum salt content of 0.40 percent, this is far below the concentration of the substance in seawater. There, it is about 3.55 percent, which is why your saltwater pool is more similar in composition to human tears in this regard.
After filling, as well as the above steps, there is nothing to stop you from adding the calculated dosage of salt directly into the water of your pool, where it will serve as a medium in electrolysis, resulting in an ideal disinfecting effect.
Step 6: Wait
It is not beneficial if you turn on the salt system only a few moments after adding the salt. Due to its chemical properties, some time is necessary, as well as the use of the filtering system, so that the added quantity is evenly distributed. A waiting period of about 24 hours, which is the minimum, should be strictly observed.
Step 7: Switch on the salt system
After the salt system has been installed either by you or a professional according to the installation instructions, and at least a day has passed since the salt was added to your pool’s water, it is time to provide the cell with the electricity it needs. The electrolysis production rate is then set, which completes the initial filling of your saltwater pool.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about initial filling of saltwater pools answered
After the initial filling of the salt pool, what needs to be taken care of for maintenance?
Both pH and salinity, as well as other chemical properties of the water, should be measured at regular intervals. In most cases, it takes a few weeks until the respective values are stable and at an optimal level.
Especially in the first few weeks, the pH needs to be adjusted frequently as it increases due to the processes taking place in your pool water, however, this phenomenon usually occurs only in that period after the first filling.
What chemicals are needed for the initial filling of the saltwater pool and thereafter?
First and foremost, when filling your saltwater pool for the first time, in addition to salt, which in most cases does not need to be added during the swimming season, you will need an agent to lower the pH value, because it will rise from time to time over the next three weeks or so.
A chlorine stabilizer, also known as cyanuric acid, is often used, but its use is often discouraged, just as with chlorine, for example, which should only be used for shock chlorination if necessary. Depending on the individual conditions on site, however, the use of an algaecide can make sense in some cases.
Conclusion
A pool with salt water is an effective alternative not only for people who are sensitive to the chemical chlorine, but for anyone who wants to protect their body, if not positively affect it.
Although there are some facts to consider when filling a saltwater pool for the first time, a certain routine quickly develops, although even in this case, or in the further course of use, the small use of chemical agents for pool maintenance is quite reasonable in order to ensure an adequate hygienic standard.
