trouble with new startup

[terriolsen]

I have a pool that has been remodeled with the pebble fina finish. It was completed last week, they fill it with water Friday, Saturday they added 12 gals of muriatic in the pool and left two suspended pumps to switch it around until their return on Monday when he added a bunch of soda ash to neutralize it. Monday night another guy showed up to show us how to run the new pool equipment, which we've been doing every since. Literally. Its a two-speed pump and I've had it on high now for 5 days, 24-7. Okay to turn it to low and then perhaps Monday put it on this run schedule: 2 hrs at high, 6 low speed for the summer; then transitioning to 1 hrs high and 3 hrs low in winter. 10k gal pool, no special effects, just a pump, DE filter, Intelibrite light, skimmer, 2 drains, dedicated line for the pool sweeper, 4 returns.

Now, my problem is getting the chemical levels right. Per the pebble fina startup instructions, I'm just starting with pH and Alkilinity before moving on to CYA, chlorine, CH, etc. But I'm having trouble getting my numbers down: Alk started at 330 and is now 270, pH went from 7.2. to 7.8. to 7.6. I keep adding 2 to 3 qts at a time of muriatic, once in the morning and once at night, and its not working. Now what? Should I not wait so long in between doses of acid? I'm starting to think I need to move on the the chlorine, but the paperwork keeps telling me to the the pH and Alt stable first.

Any suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lbridges]

Put the test numbers into the pool calculator and use that as a general guideline.

With a new/resurfaced pool you will not get the pH to be stable (can take up to a year) - I don't know specifics about your start-up routine, but I would be adding chlorine by now, probably through the use of tri-chlor type tablets (until the CYA gets to a good value).