Got my swg ag pool drained and refilled with well water, how to start out right and what is best test kit for me?
Help with start up for swg vinyl ag pool
- Thread starter geegaw
- Start date
Alright! A TF100 test kit from TFTestkits.net has been my test kit of choice for many years. Then use this sheet, Pool School - Water Balance for SWGs
Have you read this a few times? Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Have you read this a few times? Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Tyvm. Yes i read it a few times but my memory isnt to good..ill definitely be goong back to it..lol..do i need certain salt test strips or will HTC ftom walmart work?
So do I just start by following my INTEX swg instructions for start up plus add little more salt?
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So do I just start by following my INTEX swg instructions for start up plus add little more salt?
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You're working kind of blind here, so hurry up and order a test kit.
You can be sure there's no CYA in your fill water, and no Chlorine either. Your pH, TA, and CH could be anywhere, but you won't know without testing. Incidentally, low CH isn't a problem in a vinyl pool, so you should never waste money buying any Calcium increaser. High CH can be a problem, though, so you will need to test it. Using well water, you might have metals dissolved. Do you suspect it? Iron stains in the toilet tank are a good indicator.
Anyway... on to the nuts-and-bolts. With no CYA in the water, any chlorine you add will disappear in minutes just from the sun. But you don't want algae to start growing while you wait for a test kit. So.... First thing you do once you have water circulating is add 3 ppm FC to the pool using bleach. I'll give you a freebie and tell you that will take 22 fluid ounces of standard 8.25% bleach. In the future, you'll need to use poolmath yourself. Then you measure out 47 ounces by weight of CYA granules into an old sock or nylon without holes. Suspend that in front of a return, dangle it off a pole or something so the water pummels it. That will get you to 70 CYA.
You have some test strips, and they usually get pH close. Adjust pH up or down. You can always post the results of the strip here to get guidance on that. Be prepared to get heckled for using test strips, though.
Day two you add 37 ounces of bleach, a little more than a quart. That should take you up to 5 FC. That corresponds with an intermediate CYA level. Also check the pH again.
Day three and beyond you'll just have to guess how much bleach to add based on the test strips. Figure CYA should be close to target by then, and hopefully all the granules are dissolved. With 70 CYA, your bleach target should be 7 or 8. It'll be lower later when you switch to salt, but it's a bleach pool for now.
When you have a proper test kit and you have everything balanced and ready, then you add the salt. Give it twenty four hours to dissolve and mix and then turn on the SWG.
If the water turns yellow or green but clear after you add bleach, that's Iron reacting. Don't panic! Mild cases can filter out in a day or two. If it suddenly looks like coffee, post about it and we can walk you through.
You can be sure there's no CYA in your fill water, and no Chlorine either. Your pH, TA, and CH could be anywhere, but you won't know without testing. Incidentally, low CH isn't a problem in a vinyl pool, so you should never waste money buying any Calcium increaser. High CH can be a problem, though, so you will need to test it. Using well water, you might have metals dissolved. Do you suspect it? Iron stains in the toilet tank are a good indicator.
Anyway... on to the nuts-and-bolts. With no CYA in the water, any chlorine you add will disappear in minutes just from the sun. But you don't want algae to start growing while you wait for a test kit. So.... First thing you do once you have water circulating is add 3 ppm FC to the pool using bleach. I'll give you a freebie and tell you that will take 22 fluid ounces of standard 8.25% bleach. In the future, you'll need to use poolmath yourself. Then you measure out 47 ounces by weight of CYA granules into an old sock or nylon without holes. Suspend that in front of a return, dangle it off a pole or something so the water pummels it. That will get you to 70 CYA.
You have some test strips, and they usually get pH close. Adjust pH up or down. You can always post the results of the strip here to get guidance on that. Be prepared to get heckled for using test strips, though.
Day two you add 37 ounces of bleach, a little more than a quart. That should take you up to 5 FC. That corresponds with an intermediate CYA level. Also check the pH again.
Day three and beyond you'll just have to guess how much bleach to add based on the test strips. Figure CYA should be close to target by then, and hopefully all the granules are dissolved. With 70 CYA, your bleach target should be 7 or 8. It'll be lower later when you switch to salt, but it's a bleach pool for now.
When you have a proper test kit and you have everything balanced and ready, then you add the salt. Give it twenty four hours to dissolve and mix and then turn on the SWG.
If the water turns yellow or green but clear after you add bleach, that's Iron reacting. Don't panic! Mild cases can filter out in a day or two. If it suddenly looks like coffee, post about it and we can walk you through.
Lots of sulfur for sure but we don't use it in the house .
Raining next few days here so not sure when I can start.
I'll go buy bleach and be ready.
My kit is on the way just ordered it .
Tvm for your help.
And I love the "pool math"
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Raining next few days here so not sure when I can start.
I'll go buy bleach and be ready.
My kit is on the way just ordered it .
Tvm for your help.
And I love the "pool math"
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I have now... HTC stabliser
160lbs salt salt test strips
All from walmart.
That's for now. Until weather clears.
Sent from my SM-G900M using Tapatalk
160lbs salt salt test strips
All from walmart.
That's for now. Until weather clears.
Sent from my SM-G900M using Tapatalk
Yep, plenty of rain here! Looking good so far! I only had to read it 30 or 40 times before I remembered half of it! 
Make sure your bleach is unscented and NOT splashless and NOT easy pour. Just plain old bleach. You don't want your pool to smell flowery and the splashless will make bubbles like dishwashing liquid.
Make sure your bleach is unscented and NOT splashless and NOT easy pour. Just plain old bleach. You don't want your pool to smell flowery and the splashless will make bubbles like dishwashing liquid.
Okiedokie. Thanks so much this helps tremendously! Tfp was so helpful last year that I wanted to start out on the right foot this time.
The test kit will be here 26..
But maybe a while before weather permits me to get it all started.
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The test kit will be here 26..
But maybe a while before weather permits me to get it all started.
Sent from my SM-G900M using Tapatalk
I found last year's 4 way testing kit (hth ) here what my pool tested.
Ph-6.8
TA- 40
Th- 100 (this was test strip)
? Will these change after adding bleach and cya?
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Ph-6.8
TA- 40
Th- 100 (this was test strip)
? Will these change after adding bleach and cya?
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Not much. Your TA (if the strip is right) is high enough that it will drive the pH up in a day or two. Just add the bleach and the CYA and deal with the rest when the good kit arrives.
Ok at 6 am my test after adding recommend bleach and cya yesterday 4-5 pm.
Fc-3
Ph-6.8
Ta-50
Th-100
CYA -0?
So only change was Ta. From 40 to a 50. No change in cya.
Maybe it will take a few days to see cya come up.
Lots of rain may effect it too??
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Fc-3
Ph-6.8
Ta-50
Th-100
CYA -0?
So only change was Ta. From 40 to a 50. No change in cya.
Maybe it will take a few days to see cya come up.
Lots of rain may effect it too??
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Ok I see on pool math that it could take up to a week for cya to disolve after adding. Is this true even though I used a sock?
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Should I clean filter before adding more bleach?
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Water looks pretty good. Slight bluish grenade tint. Oh liner is white since pool is 7 years old.
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CYA dissolves slowly, so it's too soon to test. Besides, you're using test strips, which aren't the most accurate.
A greenish tint is metals reacting with the bleach. It should slowly disappear. Your low pH is actually helping here. You can clean the filter after the water is clear and colorless to be rid of the metals. Otherwise, just watch the pressure gauge and the return flow and clean when the pressure rises 25% or you notice decreased flow.
Just be patient and wait for your test kit to arrive.
A greenish tint is metals reacting with the bleach. It should slowly disappear. Your low pH is actually helping here. You can clean the filter after the water is clear and colorless to be rid of the metals. Otherwise, just watch the pressure gauge and the return flow and clean when the pressure rises 25% or you notice decreased flow.
Just be patient and wait for your test kit to arrive.
Okiedokie.
Oh I have INTEX pump no preasure gauge. But I'll keep a check on flow.
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Oh I have INTEX pump no preasure gauge. But I'll keep a check on flow.
Sent from my SM-G900M using TapatalkView attachment 46761
Do I add the bleach again now or wait until it's 4 pm when I added first bleach?
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