Things to be aware of when converting from a traditional chlorine program to Salt or Mineral Springs

1. Before adding salt or Mineral Springs Beginnings check the total minerals present in the water.  As great as this system is, you've got to get off to a proper start.  KNOWING the mineral content is IMPERATIVE.  Why?  You want to avoid OVERDOSING the pool with salt or Mineral Springs Beginnings.  Your local dealer should have a TDS & Minerals meter.  Do a test.

2. Salt is already in your pool water.  Yes it is!  Any time that you increase or decrease the pH or total alkalinity you add a form of sodium (salt's main component) into the water.  Certain chlorinating or shock treatments are also based with a sodium product.

3. Be sure to add a scale inhibiting chemical.  Because you are going to be adding a lot mineral to the pool AND the pH will have a tendency to rise, scale will form on metal surfaces (ladders, heater cores), tile, and other pool surfaces.  Scale formation especially on the heater will dramatically increase your heating costs.  BioGuard Scale Inhibitor is a good product to use.

4. Be sure the pool & its equipment is properly bonded.  If the pool & its equipment is not properly, electrically bonded, there could be "stray" electrical currents that will cause improper & untimely corrosion of the pool & its equipment.

Converting a traditional chlorine pool to Mineral Springs (after checking the above):

1. Balance the water.  Good, successful conversions depend on good water balance.  pH, total alkalinity & calcium hardness.

2. Recheck the parameters above.

3. Install the Mineral Springs control unit & cell.  Check filter system.

3. Add BioGuard Mineral Springs Beginnings pouring the contents of into the deeper parts of the pool.  NOTE: you will have "un-dissolved" product.  Don't worry.  Brush it up.  It will eventually all dissolve (most of that material is the cyanuric acid or stabilizer that is very slow to dissolve).  Add about 80% of the recommended dosage.  Allow to circulate & filter for about 72 hours without backwashing or shutting down the system.

4. Check the controls, you want the system to register between 2800 - 3300 ppm.  Start with the dial set at about 40 to create a chlorine residual.

TIP:  After the first week, you should be able to readjust the initial setting to about 20.  As the water warms (especially over 85 F), you may need to move it up to 30 or so.

5. WEEKLY - put the system on "Boost" to shock the pool.  The Mineral Springs Controller will automatically revert the system to normal operation after this run.

6. WEEKLY - Add 1 bag of BioGuard Mineral Springs Renewal per 20,000 gallons.  This will replenish some of the important minerals, anti scaling agents & water buffering products that are lost due to splash out, backwashing, dilution due to rain, fresh water additions.  Renewal will keep the electrolytic cell dramatically cleaner & running more efficiently.

7. WEEKLY - test the water. Test for Free Available Chlorine, pH, total Alkalinity & calcium Hardness/

8. MONTHLY - Clean & inspect the electrolytic cell.

How to switch from a Salt system to Mineral Springs

General saline chlorination information

Current
Mineral
Level (ppm)

Pool Size - Gallons