New Pool - Filling it currently

[meow_meow]

Brand new pool/owner in Las Vegas. Saltwater system. Project manager will be here Monday to go thru everything but that will be the end of their work here. He has a couple of recommendations for pool companies, but of course, I’m hoping to do this myself - I have read through some stuff here, but where do I start? I know I shouldn’t add salt for at least 30 days, but what needs to be don’t in the first days, week, month prior to adding salt.

Feeling overwhelmed.

 

[ajw22]

Congratulations on getting to this point.

You have your test kit, pool brush and pole? And liquid chlorine and muriatic acid? Then you have the tools you need.

Pick a startup guide and follow it…

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

https://www.nptpool.com/pdf/npc-start-up-card-lsi.pdf

Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

When Should Salt be Added? In our industry, there seems to be some consensus to wait 30 days before adding salt to new plaster pools, yet some say it is okay to add salt within a couple of days of filling the pool. Who is right? This thread describes why it appears that the recommendation to wait 30 days before adding any salt is appropriate for most plaster pools, including quartz and pebble pools.

Why no heater use for first 30 days? With new plaster there is a lot of plaster dust in the water and the pH is usually very high. When you heat water the potential for scale formation in the heater increases significantly. The actual timeframe for waiting to use the heater has no real merit. As long as the plaster dust is under control and the pH is in range there is no reason not to use it. Your risk of rushing to use the heater is scale clogging up the heater coil.

Why no wheeled cleaner for first 30 days? Plaster is sufficiently hard once the pool is full of water. Pool cleaners can be installed and utilized after about two days if there is no plaster dust forming. The reason that tracks develop is usually from plaster dust being "packed down" by the pool cleaner wheels and then not removed by brushing. So it can look like an "indention" (and discolored) but it is not an indention. Brushing afterwards can help prevent the plaster dust from sticking on the plaster

 

[meow_meow]

Thank you for the links. And yes, I have to brush, kit, pole, and chemicals listed.

Will read up. I appreciate it.

 

[ajw22]

Have you practiced using your test kit on your fill water and know what FC, pH, TA and CH you are starting with?

You have 30-40 ppm of stabilizer on hand to add day 4?

 

[setsailsoon]

The test kit your builder gives you is almost certainly not adequate. Nor are the ones available at retailers. Get a recommended test kit on order while you read Allen's material recommended above. It'll take a couple days to get one and you'll be flying blind 'till it gets there. We don't sell anything here but you can get them at many online outlets. Test Kits Compared

Many new pool owners assume pool store testing is more accurate. We find the opposite to be true most of the time. Be sure to ask any questions you may have here. We have real bonafide experts that volunteer their time to help. Never conflicted by making money on products you don't need.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris

 

[meow_meow]

Have you practiced using your test kit on your fill water and know what FC, pH, TA and CH you are starting with?

You have 30-40 ppm of stabilizer on hand to add day 4?

I have no practiced using the test kit nor know what I’m starting with.

Unsure if I gave the stabilizer on hand. I’ll have to check the chemicals that the builder ordered that are here - I know I have chlorine and MA.

 

[meow_meow]

The test kit your builder gives you is almost certainly not adequate. Nor are the ones available at retailers. Get a recommended test kit on order while you read Allen's material recommended above. It'll take a couple days to get one and you'll be flying blind 'till it gets there. We don't sell anything here but you can get them at many online outlets. Test Kits Compared

Many new pool owners assume pool store testing is more accurate. We find the opposite to be true most of the time. Be sure to ask any questions you may have here. We have real bonafide experts that volunteer their time to help. Never conflicted by making money on products you don't need.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris

Thank you. I ordered the 2006-C and it will be here Tuesday.

 

[Jimrahbe]

mm,

When the builder give you his "pool school" listen very carefully when he is explaining how the equipment works and what all the valves do. Take notes or make sure all the valves are marked.

But... When he starts talking about the chemicals you will need, just smile and nod like you fully understand what he is saying, but let all the bla, bla, just go in one ear and out the other.

We will quickly get you up to speed on what chemicals you need and don't need.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[setsailsoon]

Thank you. I ordered the 2006-C and it will be here Tuesday.

Take some time to get familiar with Pool Math app. It's a superb tool you can use and will help you quickly determine the amounts of chemicals to add. There is a free version or get a paid subscription that has features I liked a lot and well worth the $ in my opinion.

Chris

 

[meow_meow]

mm,

When the builder give you his "pool school" listen very carefully when he is explaining how the equipment works and what all the valves do. Take notes or make sure all the valves are marked.

But... When he starts talking about the chemicals you will need, just smile and nod like you fully understand what he is saying, but let all the bla, bla, just go in one ear and out the other.

We will quickly get you up to speed on what chemicals you need and don't need.

Thanks,

Jim R.

I appreciate it, Jim. I plan on on also recording as he’s talking to me (with his permission, of course). I will make sure to take notes and have valves marked as well.

I really appreciate the help already. Truth be told, it’s hard for me to ask for help in general, but just from the responses so far and reading the forum off and on over the last year, I can tell people here are helpful and genuine. So thanks again to all. I’m sure I’ll have plenty more questions that will make me feel dumb!

Ryan

 

[PoolStored]

I plan on on also recording as he’s talking to me (with his permission, of course)

Might do a video recording so you have visual when he pointing out or moving valves etc...

 

[Newdude]

Brand new pool/owner in Las Vegas.

Congrats !!!!

I’m sure I’ll have plenty more questions that will make me feel dumb!

Keep reminding yourself that the overwhelming majority of the 335k members who beat you here, had to learn also. It was overwhelming and it sucked and we never forgot what it was like. We got you and you got this.

In the end you'll laugh about how stupid easy it all is. For now it's information overload but any little part of it is cake.

 

[Dirk]

Truth be told, it’s hard for me to ask for help

You posted at 7:11am this morning, and in less than an hour you had seven responses. On a Saturday! It's not as though you're putting people out. We like to help people with their pools, simple as that. We all came here in the same way, just like you, looking for help with something we didn't know how to do. And we got helped. So now we're just paying it forward. It's just how it is here. Really, you're helping us out! So don't be shy about asking questions and seeking help. Hey, maybe in a few months it'll be you helping someone else.

 

[an1vrsy]

Welcome to TFP! And, hi neighbor. The one thing all of the members here on TFP really enjoy is to see your pool. So post some photos of the pool. We can also help if you post photos of your pool equipment pad. The advice you can receive when the experts and the mods can also see what you see is priceless.

 

[meow_meow]

The test kit your builder gives you is almost certainly not adequate. Nor are the ones available at retailers. Get a recommended test kit on order while you read Allen's material recommended above. It'll take a couple days to get one and you'll be flying blind 'till it gets there. We don't sell anything here but you can get them at many online outlets. Test Kits Compared

Many new pool owners assume pool store testing is more accurate. We find the opposite to be true most of the time. Be sure to ask any questions you may have here. We have real bonafide experts that volunteer their time to help. Never conflicted by making money on products you don't need.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris

Chris, I ordered a test kit, the Taylor K-2006-C but I’m thinking I ordered the wrong one since I have a SWG? I’m confused. My builder is taking care of the initial chemicals, but he hasn’t tested anything. Do I need the K-2006-SALT? Any help would be appreciated. I did read the article, but a bit lost.

 

[ajw22]

The Taylor K-2006C test kit is fine for you.

If you have a salt pool you need to supplement it with the Taylor K-1766 Salt Test Kit.

Get both test kits and you will have all you need.

 

[aussieta]

you can order the taylor k-1766 salt kit separately

 

[meow_meow]

Well, after a delay in getting the test kit (arrived yesterday) from Amazon, I’m on day 6 of the pool being filled and I haven’t tested the water yet. I will do so today. The builder tested it Thursday and said “all was good” and advised adding liquid chlorine tomorrow (Monday) at a pre-determined amount.

I’m going with…… I should have more information than just toss in XX amount of chlorine. So, I will test this morning. I will post results and look for help via the forum.

 

[Newdude]

I should have more information than just toss in XX amount of chlorine

We advise it also at times like this. There is only so much you can do with no test kit. (Test strips = might as well just guess).

But there is lots of leeway when you add more chlorine than burns off today. There is little to no leeway between how much will burn off today, and where a swamp starts blooming.

Do you know if any CYA has been added ? That will be among your priorities because it takes a while to disolve/mix and is critical to protect the chlorine you are adding.

 

[meow_meow]

We advise it also at times like this. There is only so much you can do with no test kit. (Test strips = might as well just guess).

But there is lots of leeway when you add more chlorine than burns off today. There is little to no leeway between how much will burn off today, and where a swamp starts blooming.

Do you know if any CYA has been added ? That will be among your priorities because it takes a while to disolve/mix and is critical to protect the chlorine you are adding.

I do not know if CYA has been added. I do have the test kit tho - no idea if that will help answer your question.