New pool, new water...getting started

[labhaven]

Hi, my new AGP was installed Monday. :-D I started filling it with the hose (municipal water) so they could set the liner. I had a water company fill it yesterday with water from a hydrant up the road. I started up the pump/filtration system last night around 7:30 and let it run on high. I switched it to low speed before I left for work this morning. I can see the bottom of the pool but the water is cloudy. Tons of pollen in the air. The pool gets direct sun almost the entire day. Last night I added 3 gallons of Chlorox slowly into the return flow. I added a 2 lb container of granulated stablizer slowly to the skimmer. The stabilizer bottle states that 2 lb will treat 10k gallons so I know I'll need to build that up. This morning before I left for work, I used the test strips again and here are my #'s:
PH 7.8
FC 5
TA 120-180
CYA ~0
Water temp: 56 degrees brrr!

My plan tonite is to test with the TFT Test kit recommended on here. I ordered it ahead of time so I would be prepared. I'm also going to run a sample to the pool store. I want to use the BBB method and not be at the mercy of the pool store chemical sales people. Any advice on how to proceed from here? Do I need to shock a new pool? I've been reading this forum and Pool School as much as I can lately. So much great information!

 

[NWMNMom]

Shocking won't hurt if it's not needed and will dissipate, but you probably need to know for sure what all the chemical levels are before you proceed with additional steps beyond that. Get the TFP test kit and move forward. BTW, it will take a bit of time for the CYA to actually dissolve and show up correctly on your tests. Welcome to TFP and good luck with the new pool.

 

[257WbyMag]

You may need to shock but lets see how your numbers are this evening.

2 pounds of CYA will raise it to 10 ppm. You are going to need more than that, enough to get you to 30 or 40.

You should get familiar with the Pool Calculator. It will be an important tool for you to have at your disposal during the course of your pool ownership. It makes calculating chemical dosages a snap. I have a link to it in my signature line. Go to it and bookmark the page.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Hi ... sounds like you have a handle on things - when you get your test kit we'll need a full set of numbers - but don't test for CYA. 2 lbs would only raise your pool's CYA to about 7. You need to add another 6 lbs or so to reach the 30s. We recommend using the "sock method" for adding CYA. Then it takes about 5-7 days to fully dissolve and register on tests.

You may or may not need to shock - when you get your kit, we'll check it for CCs - but mainly the key is if your FC is holding overnight. IF it's not then you'll need to shock.

The cloudiness could be from several reasons. Time will tell. Each evening you should need about 1.5 small jugs of clorox to raise your FC by 2ppm - that's the average daily FC loss. So you may need a little less or a little more- every pool is different.

Do you know how to use the Pool Calculator?

everyones typing at the same time....

 

[labhaven]

Thanks for the quick replies! I have the good TFP test kit at home waiting for me to try out this evening. I was just too bushed to use it last night. The pool co. left me with two containers of 3" stabilized chlorine pucks. Two pucks per container. They said to place these one at a time in the skimmer. I have not done so. They look like they are leftovers from last years stock as the labels are almost unreadable now. I'll post numbers tonite from the TFP test kit and plug them into the calculator as well. Again, thank you!

 

[257WbyMag]

The pool co. left me with two containers of 3" stabilized chlorine pucks. Two pucks per container. They said to place these one at a time in the skimmer.

Save those for when you go out of town or something. We also don't recommend placing them in a skimmer as this can create a harsh chemical environment in the skimmer when the pump as off and may damage things. The best way to use tablets when you do use them is to place them in a floater in the pool.

 

[labhaven]

Ok, I used the TF test kit and came up with these values:
FC 7.5
CC 0
TC 7.5
pH 7.5
T/A 240
CYA ~0

Pool Store test results:
FC 2.6
CC 0.7
TC 3.3
TA 123
PH 7.8
CH 124
CYA 8
Copper 0.3
Iron 0
Total Dissolved Solids 0
Saturation Index 0.10

I followed the directions in the TF Test kit carefully. Should I be that far off from the store results? The only thing I noticed on the paperwork was that they have me listed as an IG vinyl pool and I have an ABG vinyl.

So their recommendations:
Step 1: add 32 oz GLB Sequa Sol for the copper
Step 2: 2 hours after adding the Sequa Sol, shock the pool with 5 gallons of 12% liquid chlorine
Step 3: 4 hours after shocking the pool, add 5 lbs of pH Down
Step 4: 8 hours after adding pH Down, add 20 lbs of calcium hardness

What are your thoughts? My understanding from what I've read on here is to not worry about the CH because its a vinyl liner. The water is cloudy with a greenish tint to the water. I can see the bottom. Thanks!

 

[Melt In The Sun]

You'll have to give the CYA time to dissolve, that's why you're still reading zero. It sounds like you need to shock, since your water is cloudy and greenish. Adjust the pH to 7.2-7.4 before shocking, since you won't be able to get a good reading when FC is high.

You are correct; CH is not important for vinyl pools. Having it low is good; less risk of calcium scale. Adding it would be a complete waste of money.

After you get it clear, you will need to watch the pH closely since your TA is 240, which will cause it to rise quickly.

 

[JasonLion]

One minor pet issue: Low CH is fine with a vinyl liner. High CH is a problem for any pool. You don't need to worry about adding CH, but you do need to make sure CH doesn't get too high. Alright, now that is out of the way you can go back to whatever you were doing.

 

[labhaven]

What are your thoughts on the copper level? Is .3 ppm a serious concern?

 

[JasonLion]

Copper at 0.3 is on the edge. With a vinyl liner and a little care to make sure your PH doesn't go wildly high you should be alright, though you might want to replace a little water to be completely sure. The main thing is to figure out where the copper came from so you can be sure no more copper gets into the water.

The most common source of copper is copper based algaecides. Copper can also be leached out of copper heat exchange coils if the PH is too low for long enough.

 

[labhaven]

The copper must have come from the fill water. The water guy filled from a hydrant up the street but he decided it was too cloudy to use in the pool so he dumped it and went to a hydrant near a turf farm that draws alot of water. The water in the poly tank on the truck definitely appeared much clearer. I live in a rural area so there isn't a heavy draw on the water lines in a lot of the areas.

 

[labhaven]

So I've done the following:
Added 32 oz GLB Sequa Sol for the copper
2 hours after adding the Sequa Sol, shocked the pool with 5 gallons of 12% liquid chlorine
12 hours after shocking the pool, added 5 lbs of pH Down
I did not add the CH

I did a chlorine test and came up with the following results:
FC 17.5
CC 1
TC 18.5

The water is looking clearer tonight. I'm thinking I should run another full set of tests this weekend. Am I on the right track?
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[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, you are doing well. I would advise you to use muratic acid instead of PH down when needed, and remember to adjust PH down before raising chlorine to shock levels. High levels of chlorine can make the PH read false high, so it's better to adjust it before hand.

Also, retest your TA - and wipe the tip of the R0009 dropper bottle with a damp cloth in between drops. Static builds up and can make the test read higher than it really is - since the pool store's tests were so different I wonder if that's why yours was higher.

 

[labhaven]

I think I'm getting there with my numbers and BBB :-D

This mornings TFP test kit results:
FC 7
CC 0
TC 7
PH 7.2
TA 140
CH 220
CYA <20 (tube was full, could still see the black dot)
Water temp: 62

I think the water is looking much much better after the shocking and addition of the Sequa Sol. Took some new pics last night. Definitely have gotten rid of the greenish tint to the water.
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I'm thinking of taking a new sample to the pool store this morning to compare my numbers and see if the copper test result is similar. I have a feeling they are going to recommend adding more of the Sequa Sol. Any advice on how I should proceed from here?

 

[JasonLion]

You need to raise your CYA level up to the 40-50 range at some point. You will also need ongoing doses of sequestrant. Other than that, things are looking good.

 

[labhaven]

Interestingly, the pool stores figures are quite a bit different than mine were with the TFP test kit. I also tested the chlorine and pH with strips and my results were the same so I'm not having much faith in the stores tests! Here are what the pool stores results were in comparison to mine mentioned above.
FC 2.9
CC .1
TC 3.0
TA 123
PH 7.9
CH 145
CYA 8
Copper 0
Iron 0

In regards to the copper, does adding the Sequa Sol lead to the test results showing 0? It was .3 ppm the other day so I added the sequestrant. I understand that the copper will not leave the water and the level can only be brought down by draining/adding water. Or...hmmm...maybe the pool stores copper test was bad to begin with?

Anyways, its a great day. Pool is looking great and I had a new nephew come into this world last night!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Pool store testing is notoriously innaccurate. I wouldn't rely on their numbers at all. The copper is not removed by sequesterant.

 

[labhaven]

Thanks poolmom. I'm going to start relying on my own test results now. Today should be a fun day. We had severe sustained winds all day yesterday and pretty heavy winds again today. I turned the pump off last night because of all the wind-shredded leaves making it into the pool and filling up the skimmer basket. And today..well, it is snowing.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

SNOW? :grrrr: