TA is about 200, and need some help with a brand new install

[Drayken]

Ok, got the pool installed yesterday. I put a 1 lbs bag of shock that said it was for up to 16,000 gallons. I have a 24ft, 54" pool. About 14,000. All I got are the darn test strips and a cheapo OTO and phenol drop test kit for Cl and pH. (Ordering the Taylor kit)

Well, A couple hrs after the shock, I tested.

Cl is between 5 and 10.
pH is 7.5
TA is closer to 240 than 180 color.
stabilizer (I assume this is CYA?) is 0

I read alot of pool school, but want to make sure about the order I do things. I plan to add stabilizer tonight. It is Cyanuric Acid 100%. It says to put 1lbs per 4,000 gallons. How do you suggest I do this. If this raises, CYA, I don't want to do too much. (For now, I will be using the tri-chlor pucks, so it will be going up with that also. Does this Cyanuric acid granules take a long time to dissolve? My pool shop told me to to put it in a sock and hang in pool. But my ladder is not in, so nothing to hand it to, unless on the side of the pool. Will it be ok by the pool liner?

I purchased Muriatic acid, but wanted to check in here first, before using.

Lastly, is it ok to leave the solar cover on when I add any of these chemicals? Obviously, I move it to the sides so I am not splashing, but plan to put back on when done adding. (Water is a chilly 65. (raised 5 degrees today tho. :-D

 

[Richard320]

Re: TA is about 200, and need some help with a brand new ins

Head on over to Pool School. This article, in particular, will guide you through the process with a fresh fill.

If pH is 7.5, it's just fine. Don't add any acid yet.

 

[Drayken]

Re: TA is about 200, and need some help with a brand new ins

I tried to dilute a 1 lb bag of stabilizer in hot water, in a bucket. Those granules take forever! So I dumped 2 lbs in a sock and have it hanging over the edge of the pool, somewhat close to the inlet. The pool calculator said to add 58 oz., So far, I will have 3lbs, so I will wait till I can test it, to see if I need that last bag.

So, as long as my pH does not fluctuate that much, you suggest that I just leave the TA that high? Is there anything else I should worry about, with TA that high, besides it affecting pH?

 

[JasonLion]

Re: TA is about 200, and need some help with a brand new ins

I suspect you will have problems with the PH going up, though it may rise very slowly and then jump up rather than going up uniformly. If the PH increases are not too bad, you can simply lower PH to 7.2 every time it gets to 7.8, until TA gets lower. The only other issue to watch out for with high TA is that high TA plus high CH levels can lead to calcium scaling. You didn't say what your CH level was, so that may or may not be an issue for you.

 

[Drayken]

Re: TA is about 200, and need some help with a brand new ins

No idea what the CH is yet. I am heading to pool shop today to get it tested. Ordering test kit today too. (card number was stolen, so I couldn't order it before) They gave me two lbs of pH "UP" and I already bought a gallon of Muriatic Acid. So once the shop confirms that my TA is that high, I will dump some Muriatic Acid in. But how much do I use? Unless I am doing something wrong, the pool calcutator doesn't tell me how much, only if my pH is off.

 

[Richard320]

Re: TA is about 200, and need some help with a brand new ins

pH up and pH down at the same time....How very Pool Store.

Plug your current numbers into Pool Calculator along with size, and use 7.2 as target pH. It will calculate the acid needed. Then aerate until it goes back up, and repeat the process. The quantity of acid will change each time, slightly, so don't just habitually dump it in.