Question about what to add after refilling pool

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Welcome to TFP!

We need test results in order to say what the pool needs.

What are you planning to use for chlorine from now on? If you want to stay with bleach then you will need to raise the CYA to 30-50 ppm. The CYA will protect the chlorine from burning off due to the sun.

How are you testing your water?

Does your fill water have iron in it?

Look for the Pool Math link in my signature and use that to calculate how much of each chemical to add to the water. You will need to enter 30,000 gallons for your pool size.
 
Mark, welcome! :wave: I would also suggest you add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. It will help us later. This link may also help you: Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post. Also try to give us more of a specific city/area under your user name besides just "TX". As we know, the environmental conditions differ a bit between Longview and El Paso, or Corpus Christi and DFW. :)

Don't forget to hit the Pool School page (link below). The big three when filling: CYA started immediately, FC (regular bleach), and adjust pH. TA and possibly CH will need to be watched as well.

Test kit? What are you using? I would suggest the TF-100 (link below), but the Taylor K-206 will work as well. Nice to have you with us.
 
Just to get started, add enough CYA to bring that to 30 or 40 initially and add enough bleach to hit the target level for which one you pick. Then we can get into details based on GOOD test results. PH is the next most important thing on your 'to do" list. Welcome to the forum.
 
Welcome! :wave:

You're starting with a clean slate, so don't mess up the chemistry adding things you don't need. Testing will tell you what you need.

You can take it for granted that you'll need some chlorine, because it is a consumable item. You will have to add some CYA because tap water has none -- don't bother testing for it because there won't be any; save your reagents. Whether you need to raise or lower pH, TA, and CH depends entirely on test results. If you know from the past that you have hard water and have always had to add acid, have some standing by, but don't add any until you have test results to plug into poolmath.

Fill the pool. Get the water circulating. With no CYA, target FC is 3. For a 30,000 gallon pool, that's 133 oz of 8.25% bleach. A whole jug is close enough. It won't last but a few hours anyway without any CYA. Decide your target for CYA. Aim a little low in case your pool isn't quite as big as you think. You can always add more later. Removing excess involves more draining, and you don't want that. 8 lbs of granular CYA will get you to 32 ppm. 10 will go to 40. Your call. I'd aim for 40 myself. Add the stuff using the sock method. By the time you've finished fumbling with that, the water should be mixed well enough to test the rest. If you have any questions about what else to add, post your test results.

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals will tell you what to add to fix what and how to add it.
Pool School - PoolMath will tell you how to figure out how much to add.
 
Thanks everyone. Until now, I've mainly just taken my water to Leslie's for testing and put in what they said.

I'm ordering a test kit. I want to start doing that myself and also the chemicals. I'll follow the leads here, which seem to focus on bleach and acid. And a few other things. I've read over the starter links and am a little overwhelmed right now. I may know more about what I'm going to do in a week or so.

I ordered the test kit online. Can I get a test done at Leslie's that will work to get started? I've spent a fortune with them, so I don't mind.

I think my pool will be full tomorrow afternoon. I don't believe it has iron in it, or that it's a problem. It's not hard.

I looked at the pool calculator yesterday but didn't know what to put in on starting numbers.

I added some info to my signature. I'll add/change more when I can.
 
markandles said:
Thanks everyone. Until now, I've mainly just taken my water to Leslie's for testing and put in what they said.

I'm ordering a test kit. I want to start doing that myself and also the chemicals. I'll follow the leads here, which seem to focus on bleach and acid. And a few other things. I've read over the starter links and am a little overwhelmed right now. I may know more about what I'm going to do in a week or so.

I ordered the test kit online. Can I get a test done at Leslie's that will work to get started? I've spent a fortune with them, so I don't mind.

I think my pool will be full tomorrow afternoon. I don't believe it has iron in it, or that it's a problem. It's not hard.

I looked at the pool calculator yesterday but didn't know what to put in on starting numbers.

I added some info to my signature. I'll add/change more when I can.
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You can probably trust the Leslie's pH number. Even test strips usually come close on that one. Their TA test might be off a little. Use their numbers in poolmath if you need to adjust pH, but target 7.5 for the pH and leave the TA alone. If they try to sell you something, tell 'em you have acid at home. Unless you don't, in which case by a jug or two. They're usually fairly competitive on that. You can buy the stabilizer there or at Lowes or Walmart or Home Depot. It will come in 4 or 5 lb canisters. Buy two of those. Buy the bleach at a big box store or the grocery store. Plain unscented bleach -- not splashless or anything special. Even the store brand is okay as long as they list the strength on the jug. If they don't tell the concentration % you don't want it. Get yourself a few jugs of that. And then it's like I said above except you won't have the CYA to add, and maybe not the bleach, so you'll just have to let it mix, grab a bottle full to have tested, and head straight for the store to get some results.

Order a test kit now. If you go through tftestkits, it'll probably be shipped Monday and you'll have it before next weekend.
 
Calcium makes your water hard much more so tha iron.. Don't buy anything exotic at the pool store. No algaecide, clarifiers, flocculants, yellow out and such. We'll get u there.
 

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Go ahead and start soaking that granular stabilizer in a white sock. Suspending near a return jet works well, and you can squeeze it often to help it disperse. Once it is totally dissolved, it may take 24-48 hours to full resister, but go ahead and consider the CYA at its projected target. Test again in about a week to confirm.

Increase FC to about 3 ppm for today. Tomorrow slightly higher to about 5, then start matching it everyday as noted on the Chlorine/CYA Chart.

Use acid to lower pH to the mid-7s. If pH tends to rise too fast in any given week, lower a bit more to about 7.2 which will also lower TA, then use aeration to raise pH back to the mid-7s while leaving TA lower. It helps.

With a plaster pool, your CH is low, but I suppose your fill water is quite hard. You might want to increase CH just a little for now and let the fill water increase CH over the summer.

That should get you going. :)
 
markandles said:
OK, I got it tested. Results-
FAC - 1
TAC - 1
CH - 90
CYA - 0
TA - 90
PH - 8.0
Acid - 2

I am about to put 8lbs of CYA in it. How long before I test again?

And I put the values in the calculator. Should I leave the goals at the default?
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Since you have no CYA yet, use 3 as your FC target. For the pH, target 7.5. Your pool may not be as big as you think, so you want to aim for the center of the range just in case. Use 90 as the TA target, no adjustment needed. Go ahead and add the CYA using socks or nylons. The CH target should be at the low end of recommended, because it will slowly climb with evaporation and refilling. The CYA doesn't need to be tested again for a week. It takes a couple days to dissolve, usually. Starting tomorrow, assume it's all there even if it isn't fully dissolved and adjust your target FC to 5.

pH and FC should get checked daily. TA needs to be checked any time you need to adjust pH because it affects the acid dose. The CYA gets checked after a week any time you have added more, otherwise monthly is adequate. CH is also monthly, once you get it set to your target.

You only need to wait half an hour between chemical additions, less if you brush the pool immediately after adding. The exception is the CYA, because it takes so long to dissolve. You don't need to wait to add the next item after adding CYA.

Incidentally, it's real common to burn through test reagents at an alarming rate initially. It will slow down as the novelty of your new toy wears off.
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