Our new AGP is going to be installed in a week or two. We'll be running a SWG system. I'm brand new to pool ownership, but I've read the Pool School documents a time or twenty. My TF-100 kit arrived yesterday. I've got a few questions.
1. Can I go ahead and test for CH using water from the tap? We're on well water, and it's very hard water. The CH level from tap water should be the same as the initial CH level in the pool, yes? I'm thinking that if it's above 400, we may want to consider trucking in some water, or look into a reverse osmosis system, or something?
2. I also suspect we have copper in our water based on toilet bowl stains. Is there a test for this? Is it a problem for a vinyl pool?
3. Is there a test for salt levels? I understand (I think) that just adding the correct weight of salt to the pool based on volume (200-400 ppm above manufacturer recommendations) will give me the right level, and that this level will only change slowly with pool operation. But I haven't seen any information on testing the salt level. Is it necessary?
4. This is really where I'm confused. Sooo ... the pool guys show up and build the pool. Then we fill for a couple of days or however long it takes. Then what? Do I add salt and turn on the SWG first? Or do I balance as for a chlorine pool and only turn on the SWG after the levels are chlorine-pool balanced? I've read both the SWG documents in Pool School, and I understand that balanced water levels are different depending on if it's a chlorine only system or a SWG system. The Water Balance for SWG document seems to lay out the order of adjustments to make, but then I've also seen a few threads that talk about waiting for a month or so to turn on the SWG. Is this dependent on the pool surface (plaster vs vinyl) only?
I'm having a baby soon, and I would like to have everything straight in my head about what needs to happen and in what order, so that when the baby comes and my brain is mushy I will have it all written down. Thanks in advance for the help!
1. Can I go ahead and test for CH using water from the tap? We're on well water, and it's very hard water. The CH level from tap water should be the same as the initial CH level in the pool, yes? I'm thinking that if it's above 400, we may want to consider trucking in some water, or look into a reverse osmosis system, or something?
2. I also suspect we have copper in our water based on toilet bowl stains. Is there a test for this? Is it a problem for a vinyl pool?
3. Is there a test for salt levels? I understand (I think) that just adding the correct weight of salt to the pool based on volume (200-400 ppm above manufacturer recommendations) will give me the right level, and that this level will only change slowly with pool operation. But I haven't seen any information on testing the salt level. Is it necessary?
4. This is really where I'm confused. Sooo ... the pool guys show up and build the pool. Then we fill for a couple of days or however long it takes. Then what? Do I add salt and turn on the SWG first? Or do I balance as for a chlorine pool and only turn on the SWG after the levels are chlorine-pool balanced? I've read both the SWG documents in Pool School, and I understand that balanced water levels are different depending on if it's a chlorine only system or a SWG system. The Water Balance for SWG document seems to lay out the order of adjustments to make, but then I've also seen a few threads that talk about waiting for a month or so to turn on the SWG. Is this dependent on the pool surface (plaster vs vinyl) only?
I'm having a baby soon, and I would like to have everything straight in my head about what needs to happen and in what order, so that when the baby comes and my brain is mushy I will have it all written down. Thanks in advance for the help!