I just wanted to post that two weeks ago we drained the pool for a tile refinish job for our Marcite pool, 22K gallons, sand filter. The new tile looks great....and I did an acid wash the day before we refilled the pool. I followed all the recommendations on the site and it was a breeze. My pool has never looked better. Just in time for our grand daughter's 2nd birthday party tomorrow with 40 guests!!!
I filled up the new 22,000 gal from municipal water supply delivered in 3 trucks. I was worried about collapsing my 250' well so i bought the water...that was a first... My well water is OK for the pool use but the risk of pulling so much out at one time and loosing the well was mentioned to me by a lot of folks......The water cost me $500 "insurance" here in Southern MD. But boy did my 5 year old grandson get a kick out of the fire hose fill process...which took less than 45 minutes. Very impressive.
Using TF-100...I measured the "truck" water at the start of the fill and it came in at PH=7.4, CH=100, FC=CC=0, CYA=0, TA=70. Borates assumed 0. I have the Lamotte Borates test kit scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.
As soon as I got the pump running with pool 1/5 full (drain suction and returning thru the spa waterfall), I mixed 20 oz of Cal Hypo 68% in about 5 gallons of water and added to the pool water...Then added baking soda per the Pool Math recommendation to get the TA up to 100. Added 20 pounds of calcium chloride to get the CH up to 200. Since I have a lot of Cal-hypo, I plan to use that till I see the CH up at about 300. Added 4 pounds of Cyanuric Acid using the sock skimmer method to get it to about CYA=20. Ran the pump over night.
Next morning ALL the number were exactly where they were supposed to be based upon Pool Math! Awesome.
Since I had 1 pound of the NASTY tri-chlor shock laying around unused....I added it because I wanted the CYA to rise to 30. i added a few 3" tabs in each skimmer basket and lo-behold...a week later my CYA was right at 30. Perfect. Have been in maintenance mode since day 2 of he new water.
So, I just measured all my parameters today and have PH=7.5, FC=4, CC=0, TA=90, CAL=250, CYA=30. The pool water is perfect.
In parallel...I had decided a week ago to use Borates as I like all of the good stuff I read that it brings to the pool experience....and my 8 pound Maltese dog won't get within 5 feet of the pool....so I figured I was safe there. He won't drink pool water for sure.... He will live!!! LOL.....
In pursuit of the Borates advantages....I have added one box of Borax and exactly 37 ounces of Muriatic Acid each day for the last 7 days. Each morning I measure the PH and it was perfect, as one would expect from Pool Math....I decided to stop at what ought to be Borates = 21 (7 boxes in 22000 gal).....and wait for my Borates test kit as I do not want to overshoot 30.
AND A FUNNY STORY TO ADD: I wanted to confirm my TF-100 readings and I needed to buy MA anyway...so I went to the local pool store about 5 days ago. Their numbers were in reasonably close agreement with TF-100 so I was happy. But she then asked "how does your pool look"? To which I replied, "perfect, never better"....to her amazed astonishment. Then she proceeded to tell me I had 500 ppb (0.5 ppm)of the dreaded Phosphates....that I got them from the municipal water pipes....and all heck would break loose very soon unless I dropped $50 on her phosphate removal product, and did this, and did that, and baby sat the pool for three days, ran the pump, back-washed....blah blah blah. Having read about Phosphates on the TFP site I smiled and said "thank you for the advice"....Needless to say: my pool looks and feels perfect today 5 days later.
Anyway...I want to thank all of the TFP folks. Your method is awesome and it works perfectly if you take care and do things slow and right.
Mark
I filled up the new 22,000 gal from municipal water supply delivered in 3 trucks. I was worried about collapsing my 250' well so i bought the water...that was a first... My well water is OK for the pool use but the risk of pulling so much out at one time and loosing the well was mentioned to me by a lot of folks......The water cost me $500 "insurance" here in Southern MD. But boy did my 5 year old grandson get a kick out of the fire hose fill process...which took less than 45 minutes. Very impressive.
Using TF-100...I measured the "truck" water at the start of the fill and it came in at PH=7.4, CH=100, FC=CC=0, CYA=0, TA=70. Borates assumed 0. I have the Lamotte Borates test kit scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.
As soon as I got the pump running with pool 1/5 full (drain suction and returning thru the spa waterfall), I mixed 20 oz of Cal Hypo 68% in about 5 gallons of water and added to the pool water...Then added baking soda per the Pool Math recommendation to get the TA up to 100. Added 20 pounds of calcium chloride to get the CH up to 200. Since I have a lot of Cal-hypo, I plan to use that till I see the CH up at about 300. Added 4 pounds of Cyanuric Acid using the sock skimmer method to get it to about CYA=20. Ran the pump over night.
Next morning ALL the number were exactly where they were supposed to be based upon Pool Math! Awesome.
Since I had 1 pound of the NASTY tri-chlor shock laying around unused....I added it because I wanted the CYA to rise to 30. i added a few 3" tabs in each skimmer basket and lo-behold...a week later my CYA was right at 30. Perfect. Have been in maintenance mode since day 2 of he new water.
So, I just measured all my parameters today and have PH=7.5, FC=4, CC=0, TA=90, CAL=250, CYA=30. The pool water is perfect.
In parallel...I had decided a week ago to use Borates as I like all of the good stuff I read that it brings to the pool experience....and my 8 pound Maltese dog won't get within 5 feet of the pool....so I figured I was safe there. He won't drink pool water for sure.... He will live!!! LOL.....
In pursuit of the Borates advantages....I have added one box of Borax and exactly 37 ounces of Muriatic Acid each day for the last 7 days. Each morning I measure the PH and it was perfect, as one would expect from Pool Math....I decided to stop at what ought to be Borates = 21 (7 boxes in 22000 gal).....and wait for my Borates test kit as I do not want to overshoot 30.
AND A FUNNY STORY TO ADD: I wanted to confirm my TF-100 readings and I needed to buy MA anyway...so I went to the local pool store about 5 days ago. Their numbers were in reasonably close agreement with TF-100 so I was happy. But she then asked "how does your pool look"? To which I replied, "perfect, never better"....to her amazed astonishment. Then she proceeded to tell me I had 500 ppb (0.5 ppm)of the dreaded Phosphates....that I got them from the municipal water pipes....and all heck would break loose very soon unless I dropped $50 on her phosphate removal product, and did this, and did that, and baby sat the pool for three days, ran the pump, back-washed....blah blah blah. Having read about Phosphates on the TFP site I smiled and said "thank you for the advice"....Needless to say: my pool looks and feels perfect today 5 days later.
Anyway...I want to thank all of the TFP folks. Your method is awesome and it works perfectly if you take care and do things slow and right.
Mark
... consider supporting the forum with the money you saved on phosphate remover 
