6.0 GENERAL OPERATION/POOL CHEMISTRY
6.1 Setting the Right Chlorine Output and Filtration Time
Your Viron series chlorinator must be run every day to ensure that your pool is correctly sanitised. As the sun dissipates
chlorine, running times are higher in the summer compared to the winter. AstralPool recommend that you initially run your
chlorinator at maximum output on level 8.
Summer
You should set your chlorinator to operate for 8 to 10 hours per day. Ideally, run it for 4-5 hours in the morning (say 8-12pm)
and 4-5 hours in the evening (say 6.00-11pm).
In extremely hot weather it may be necessary to extend the running time if you find that the free chlorine level is too low.
Winter
You should set your chlorinator to operate for 6 to 8 hours per day. Again, running it in the morning and evening is
preferable. A lower chlorine output level may be selected.
Checking Chlorine Level.
Ideally, check your chlorine level after the morning operating period. The free chlorine residual level should be somewhere
between 1 and 3 parts per million. Increase or decrease the output of the chlorinator to get the right residual chlorine level.
It may also be necessary to adjust the operating period if you are running at minimum or maximum output.
6.2 Stabiliser
Sunlight rapidly dissipates the amount of free chlorine in your pool. Chlorine stabiliser greatly reduces this effect.
Without stabiliser, you may need to run your chlorinator and filtration system up to 16 hours per day or longer.
Keep the Stabiliser reading between 30 and 60ppm.
6.3 pH Level
You should keep you pH level between 7.0 and 7.4 for fibreglass pools and 7.2 to 7.8 for other pools.
6.4 Total Alkalinity
The ideal range is between 80 and 120 ppm.
6.5 Salt Level
Salt level should be maintained around 4,000ppm but should never be allowed to fall below 3,000ppm. Although salt is
not consumed by the chlorinator, salt is lost during backwashing, and when your pool overflows due to rain or splashing.
The correct salt level is important to cell life and the effective operation of your chlorinator.
A typical pool of around 50,000 litres requires 200kg of salt to initially set-up the pool to 4,000ppm.
A low salt level warning is indicated on your Viron chlorinator if the salt level drops. If Low Salt is indicated, check again in
24 hours and then if it is still indicated, add two 25kg bags of salt to the shallow end of your pool. Run the filtration system
for approx. 6 hours to help mix the salt in the pool. It can take up to a day for the salt to fully dissolve.
If the low salt light is still on, then you should get your pool water tested. If the Salinity is above 4000ppm then you may
need to have your Chlorinator checked.
Warning: Some people recommend that you put salt directly in the skimmer box. This is a very bad practice as it allows
very high concentrations of salt to be passed through your filtration and other pool equipment.
