New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet?

[jimmymustang06]

I just grabbed an HTH oto kit at Rural King.. it says my PH is around 8.2... I checked it at all different depths, many times cuz it didn't sound right, but I kept getting that... I have not had the filter on yet as the pump was cracked and my new pump comes in tomorrow... The pool is clear, albeit a little on the dirty side since no filter yet, other than my net...

I used the (forgot the user's name) android app and it said to add 2 ounces of Muriatic acid... added... tested an hour later.. PH seemed to be down to high 7's...

By the way... the chlorine reading was 1-2.. which didn't sound right either...

It isn't a difficult test to do... add 5 drops...

but could these levels be right?

 

[linen]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

Hey jimmymustang,

I assume you are saying you haven't added chlorine yet? If that is the case, you must have city water and that is the chlorine they put in it. You really need to get a number of tests done and the OTO/ph kit you got will not be enough of a test tool. Read pool school (link at upper right of page) especially: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/temporary_pool_guide.

Your ph is high, so I would add the muratic acid.

Please put your pool (volume, type, etc.) and equipment specs in your signature, it will help us help you.

 

[fsteve65]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

It would help if you put what type of pool and size in your signature . Also we need readings to help you such as.

FC
CC
PH
CY
CYA
TA

What have you added to your pool so far ? Also you really should consider a good test kit. and please read pool school everyone on here will be more than glad to help you but without accurate #s we can't.

 

[jimmymustang06]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

yes I have to get a better test kit.. I just bought the small one cuz they were out of the 6-way test kit... I'll try to get one soon that is listed in the test kit comparison page... I did read poolschool and I'm sure I'll visit it again many times..
I have a 27' round agp.. so 17100 gal.well not quite yet as I'm still 2" below skimmer waiting on the pump tomorrow.
the only thing I've added so far is 2 oz of muriatic acid.

I'll get another test kit and post more numbers... I just thought the numbers sounded high since the water came straight from our hose.

 

[woodyp]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

Something isn't quite right. 2oz. of MA isn't enough to change your PH that much on that many gallons.

 

[linen]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

I get 17100 if you fill to 4 ft depth, but if your pool is 48 inches, you will only fill to about 3.5 ft. With that volume and assuming 7.9 ph with a target of 7.5 ph, poolcalculator gives me 51 ounces of 31.45% MA.

If you haven't, read the link I posted. It is important you get some FC in the pool soon to prevent organics (step 3 of guide suggests 6 ppm).

You will not regret the test kit. I have 2 tf100 kits (if one is good, 2 must be better right) with a speed stir and love it!

 

[frogabog]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

You will not regret the test kit. I have 2 tf100 kits (if one is good, 2 must be better right) with a speed stir and love it!

Oh Linen... you're killin me... LOLOL that's freakin hillarious. A spare gift perhaps?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

So if I'm reading this right you had a pH of 8.2 and you fixed that, and you had a TC of 1-2 ppm and you didn't believe that.
A TC of 1-2 is easy to believe. However with the kit you have you don't know if it's FC or CC or a combination.
A good kit is definitely called for.

You need some chlorine in there now! Add enough to get to about 4 ppm.
You're also going to need some CYA in there. How do you plan on chlorinating your pool? If your pump isn't runing yet you need to manually stir it up good.

 

[linen]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

Oh Linen... you're killin me... LOLOL that's freakin hillarious. A spare gift perhaps?

I got it as a "loaner" kit (been helping a number of people locally here), but I am finding that I can't sleep at night when both kits are not at home. I may have to name them.

 

[frogabog]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

Oh Linen... you're killin me... LOLOL that's freakin hillarious. A spare gift perhaps?

I got it as a "loaner" kit (been helping a number of people locally here), but I am finding that I can't sleep at night when both kits are not at home. I may have to name them.

I knew there was something odd about you...

I'm thinkin "Sham" and "Bedskirt" will do nicely.

(awful kind of you btw)

 

[linen]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

I knew there was something odd about you...

Took you awile

I'm thinkin "Sham" and "Bedskirt" will do nicely.

so be it

(awful kind of you btw)

Its funny...I have had a pool for 1 year now, though in Minnesota that is more like 3 months(in human years). People sort of know me as DIY/jack-of-all-trades so when they heard I was doing pools, I started hearing their pool problems. I am a born problem solver, so this hearing of problems and the subsequent solving is like a drug for me. I quickly learned the hard way that unless people take responsibility for their pool, I do not have enough hours in the day to help them/do it for them. Just like on this board, it is hard to convince people to spend $80 on a test kit...so my typical method is to suggest a proper test kit, have the suggestion rejected, I offer to come over and bring my kit (I usually bring Bedshirt...I think), I show them the tests, I suggest they get a kit, they decline, I give them advice on how to "fix" there pool, some (most) do what I suggest, I suggest they get a kit and offer them the use of mine with this caveat: Get a tf100 on order, you can use mine in the meantime.
A couple have done it, a couple haven't. I am a rookie at this, but I have found some see the light and some need to get some more before they are ready.

 

[frogabog]

Re: New pool, up 3 days and I don't have to add chlorine yet

As this gets OT... and slightly hijacky... Sorry mods! Should prolly be moved.


Linnen,

Sounds like you need to start charging for service calls and rental fees. That might add a few hours a day back to your life. Oh, and loaner kits only when there's a TFTestkits order number/receipt.

I'm not necessarily a jack of much... but dad is and he taught me well. I end up being the go to for my friends who haven't a clue about mechanics/machinery/puters. Shhhh don't tell him I have any confidence... he wouldn't fix my stuff if he knew I remembered all that he taught me. When he asks me why I don't fix it myself I just give the dumb stare and shrug... and he gets right to work, I'm sure wondering why his daughter's brains seems to have fallen out. He's WAY faster than me anyway.

However, with that said... I'm the one teaching him about water, we've drained his spa two and a half times so far getting him set up properly. (high CYA) I had to hide his dichlor and bring him a bottle of bleach :~}

I was actually considering doing similar as you earlier this summer after seeing all the backyard green pools as we drove around this spring. But I don't know those people so I figured a website would/might lure some in and created a subdomain and a quickie site (gave me a chance to work w/a new MODx boilerplate). But I didn't follow through or actually buy a real domain for it. Plan was to take kit to client, test, advise, adjust w/BBB chems, recommend kit, show calculator, show forum, give my phone number for all summer assistance... and be done. Big problem w/that... between time and gas for the 'burb I couldn't see charging less than $30 for a one time visit. The metro area here is rather large... I could end up spending most of that on gas if I had to drive 30 miles and then I loose my Rear on "time". The reality is that all the info is free and available right here and $30 is about half a test kit. Hard to tell those who plunk down that much on an advice service call to buck up twice that as their next step.

I loose my "time" here already. May as well save the gas. Plus summer hasn't really arrived yet, I doubt most have bothered with their pool this year, and even less have purchased a new one. If the clouds ever clear off it's supposed to be... 79 today. Slightly underwhelming...