Hello from Florida

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Flbeachluvr

Flbeachluvr

Bronze Supporter
Mar 19, 2016
445
Port Orange, FL
My husband and I are recent transplants from Northern California to Central Florida (Volusia County). Our new salt pool was just finished on March 21. Neither of us has ever owned a pool before so this is all new. My husband has no interest in doing anything with the pool other than swimming in it so I've been elected to maintain it. We have had our water tested at a local pool store twice just to get a loose idea of where we are but I have a Taylor K-2006 on order. pH did register as 8.4 so I have been adding muriatic acid. Also chlorine shows as zero on the test strips our PB left and the pool store gave me a reading of 1.5ppm but I don't think I'll add any chlorine until my "real" test kit comes next week as the water looks crystal clear at this point (unless someone here thinks I should add some). I'm finding this forum a wealth of information and look forward to learning more and more as I go on.
 

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Welcome to TFP and congrats on the new pool!

Chlorine needs to always be maintained at target level for your CYA, Chlorine CYA Chart. If the chlorine level drops below minimum, even for less than a day, then the pool not be properly sanitized and algae can grow.

Start reading here on you newly assigned duties! :) Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Who is doing the initial start up, first 30 days, for your pool? You or the pool builder?
 
While our PB did a nice job on the pool he has provided no follow up since he added the salt on March 21. He did a quicky pool school with my husband (I was at work) but my husband didn't pay much attention. So I guess I'm doing the start up. :(. I am hesitant to add any chlorine as I'm not sure the numbers my pool store gave me are accurate. My Taylor test won't arrive until the end of next week tho.
 
Hummm.. PB disappears after the pool is complete. Wish I could say that's the first time we heard that one. As Pooldv noted, it's imperative to ask the builder who is responsible for the "start-up" of your pool. It's important for the health and curing of your new plaster. Here's the TFP Pool School - Start-up New Plaster page. Read it ahead of time so you know what you're up against when you call them. Don't make it a debate with the PB, just have it for your own knowledge. :)

Even though salt has been added, typically the SWG won't be started for about 30 days to allow the plaster dust to settle. So until then, you'll probably treat your pool as a "Non-SWG" pool on the Chlorine/CYA chart. Find the best place locally to buy regular (generic) household bleach and ensure you are adding some every day. You'll probably want an FC target of about 4-5 ppm to keep algae away. Acid will be a regular diet for your pool as the plaster continues to cure, so have plenty on-hand to always keep your pH around 7.5-7.8. Don't let it go over 7.8 if you can help it.

After about 30 days, when you get the okay to turn-on the SWG, get back with us and we'll help you with that as well. Oh, did you order a salt test kit also? You can order than from TFTestkits.com as well if needed.

Great to have you with us.
 
Total newbie with a couple questions

Hi everyone,

I did an intro in the "introduce yourself" section but have a couple questions that I thought I'd throw out in a more general forum. Brand new to pool ownership this month on a newly constructed pool. My husband has no interest in maintaining the pool so I've elected myself. I do have a Taylor test kit on order but it won't be arriving until the end of next week. Our PB filled the pool with salt and that's the last we've heard from him so we're on our own. I have had the water tested twice at our local pool store but I know from this forum that the results are probably inaccurate. I don't have the numbers in front of me but the first time I had the test done (Saturday) the chlorine came back at 0.5 and the pH was 8.4 with a CYA of 60. I've been adding muriatic acid per their instructions (3 cups every other day) and turned up the SWG from 40% to 80%. Repeat test on Tuesday came back with 1.5 chlorine and 8.4 pH again with CYA of 100. The cheapo test strips the PB left show 0 chlorine. Water looks totally clear.

My questions are:
1. Should I use the pool math and do what's recommended based on possibly incorrect test results from the pool store or wait until my "real" test kit arrives?
2. Just keep adding the muriatic acid and add some liquid chlorine (per pool math)?
3. Ignore the high CYA reading until my test kit comes arrives?

Frankly I'm so afraid of screwing something up.


Mod note: I merged your two threads to make sure we do not get confused LOL Kim
 
Re: Total newbie with a couple questions

I would stick to the previous thread you posted just to keep everything together: Hello from Florida. You have a couple replies there already, so I'd hate to see you having to go back & forth. It can get confusing. :confused: But yes, definitely use the Poolmath calculator. Practice with it and ask questions. Follow the suggestions on the previous thread and let us know as soon as your test kit arrives. You made the right decision to manage the pool on your own. You'll see. :)
 
I think that the SWG has been started as my Blue Essence display shows 3200 and the switch is in the "on" position. PB just told my husband to take our water in to our local pool store and follow what they say. We just assumed that would be the last we heard from him and that everything was done on his end.

Test results from the pool store (that I can remember off the top of my head):
Saturday
0.5 chlorine
8.4 pH
CYA 60

Tuesday
1.5 chlorine
8.4 pH
CYA 100
 
Uh boy. Others are reading this thread, so stay tuned for more ... but if your pool is a typical plaster/gunite pool, generally there is that 30 day period where in the beginning the plaster requires constant brushing during the curing process. That creates a lot of plaster dust that could disturb your SWG. The builder said nothing about that to you? You might want to ask that question specifically unless they implemented some other type of method to prevent that from happening. As for chemicals, it's good you have the K-2006 on order because the pool store testing is horrible and very inconsistent. New water has no CYA in it, so the key would be to know what the PB added on the first day. If you don't know, I would not use the pool store's reading. CYA is too critical. Wait for your Taylor kit. Until then, just keep the FC at 4-5 ppm with regular bleach. Watch the pH each day as well. The new plaster will require lots of it for a few months.

I would ask your builder specifically, "Are there any startup requirement you (or I) need to maintain to ensure my plaster cures properly and that I do not void any pool warranty." If they walk away from you on this, you have our TFP start-up page now which will help tremendously. But I still think the SWG should be off for now. You can wait for a second opinion though. Others will chime-in soon. Hang in there. We'll walk you through all of this.

Oh, and just in case ...... keep a journal of all the help you receive (or don't receive) from your builder just in case there's a problem later.
 
Well I emailed the PB to ask specifically about the SWG but I'm positive it's on. He also never said anything about when we could swim and my husband has already been in twice. :( Until my Taylor kit comes should I still take the water into the pool store for the chlorine and pH levels or just use the strips the PB left?
 
I wouldn't rely on those strips ever. For the FC and pH you have two choices .... the pool store :grrrr: or pick-up an inexpensive HTH pool testing kit at Wal-Mart for about $6 I think. Now it won't be real specific with FC like your Taylor will, but at least you'll know if it's registering. It will also have the pH comparator view glass to read pH in the water. You can always use that later, so it's not like throwing money away. Those are your two biggest concerns at the moment - maintaining a good FC level and keeping the pH down just under 7.8.
 

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Is the finish plaster? Or Pebble? Or quartz? Brushing may not be required depending on which finish you got. It is more important to keep chlorine in the pool than it is to get algae and have to SLAM the pool in the first 30 days. We swam a couple of days after it was filled and it was OK, again, it depends on what finish your pool has. My PB also added salt and turned on the SWG the day after it was filled and it turned out fine.

Right now, I think your three most important things to do are
1. Maintain chlorine above minimum for your CYA daily, or every 6-8 hours as needed
2. Maintain PH between 7.5 and 7.8 daily, or every 6-8 hours as needed
3. Tell us what your pool finish is
 
Ok, I hate to sound dumb but I'm not sure on the pool finish. I know they came in and sprayed with gunite and then put something over that and that's about it. The PB had a board with different finish colors on it and we chose from that. My husband was also told to brush the pool daily.
 
Ok, I just heard back from my PB who confirmed that the SWG is on. He is also still advising that I just have the pool store check my water. If I went by their numbers I'd be partially draining my pool already as they are telling me my CYA is 100 which would be an increase in three days from 60 to 100. Looks like I'm on my own on this :mad: other than the help I'm hoping to get here.
 
The K-2006 will keep you straight. :) For now, if all is well with the SWG being on, watch your FC level. It should be around 4-5. If it drops below 3, adjust the SWG percentage and/or pump run time, or add some "regular" bleach. You might want to read these two pages:
Pool School - Salt Water Chlorine Generators
Pool School - Water Balance for SWGs
Of course the pH will need to be below 7.8. Once you get the Taylor kit, post a full set of test numbers and we'll get much more specific with you. Have a great weekend with your new pool! :swim:
 
Ok, sounds like you have regular old plaster. Yes, you should be brushing daily for the first month and weekly after that. It is very important to keep your PH between 7.2 and 7.8. It is also very important to keep your chlorine level at target level for your CYA level on this chart, Chlorine CYA Chart. We do not want algae to grow in the pool in the first month.

As soon as you get a test kit and can test your CYA let us know what it is. It is important that we get that right asap.

And as Pat says enjoy the new pool and go for a :paddle:
 
Just tested with the kit I bought today and the chlorine is approx. 2-3ppm. pH is still at 8+. I'll hit it with more muriatic acid tomorrow based on the pool math calculator. How long after adding acid should I test and treat again if needed?


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And if the pH still reads too high I can go ahead and treat again? Pool store tried to tell me I could only treat every 3 hours for a max of 3 treatments per day. Probably more false info on their part [emoji37]


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