New Pool, no electrical yet

[embryjim]

Long time lurker, first time poster. First let me say thanks to all who have given their time and efforts to help people like me who want to become self-sufficient, and just need the good baseline start from professionals they can trust. A BIG thank you.

Last Friday I filled a ~30K vinyl IG L shape pool with city water, no patio, no electrical, just pool filled with water last Friday. Builder finished a retaining wall yesterday and can begin forming up patio and digging/connecting electrical next week, so it will be at least until NEXT Friday before I have any real filtration, and its supposed to rain like crazy here in Alabama next week so who knows? Anyway, we swam in the pool starting Saturday August 27th, I added 3 gallons of 5.25% bleach Tuesday, August 30th AM just because I thought it needed something, we had been swimming every day and not noticed any slime or anything that would let me believe something was wrong, I just knew I had to add something (no test kit at that time), then found slimy walls and floor on Thursday, Sept 1. Added 3 Gallons bleach again Thursday night, added the 1/2 HP pump and cartridge filter for some filtration and water movement. Slime gone Friday. Got test kit (TF100) Saturday, Sept 3, results below

FC - 0
CC - 0
TC - 0
PH - 7.0
TA - 40
CH - 80
CYA - 0 Test liquids were always clear, is that right? Could clearly see the dot with full tube

Added 4.5 more gal of 6% bleach. Will have to use the makeshift pump until at least the end of next week, possibly longer. Should I continue to dump bleach until I get a FC reading? Worry about the CYA? Try to raise TA? Water looks pretty clear, maybe just a little cloudy, I can definitely see the bottom and the main drains clearly. I can see wall to wall across the shallow end under water (24 ft), but not wall to wall under water from shallow to deep (42 ft). Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[embryjim]

Forgot to mention, have return out of the water for some aeration (may raise PH?) and temp is 88 degrees

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

For right now, while CYA is zero, you should be adding 2 ppm of chlorine each evening after sunset. Your PH and TA are also low. I suggest raising TA to around 80 and then adjusting PH to at least 7.2 if it isn't up to 7.2 from the TA increase.

You won't be able to maintain an FC level during the day until you get some CYA in the water. You can start adding CYA right now or wait until the electrical is in.

 

[embryjim]

Welcome to TFP!

For right now, while CYA is zero, you should be adding 2 ppm of chlorine each evening after sunset. Your PH and TA are also low. I suggest raising TA to around 80 and then adjusting PH to at least 7.2 if it isn't up to 7.2 from the TA increase.

You won't be able to maintain an FC level during the day until you get some CYA in the water. You can start adding CYA right now or wait until the electrical is in.

Thanks Jason, I got two 12 lb bags of baking soda on the way home today, your poolcalc says 17.625 lbs to get TA to 80, so I'll try one bag and see where I am tomorrow, PH was about 7.2 this evening (aerating? or I just read it wrong the first time). I may get some CYA Tuesday, or just go with one gallon of bleach every day. I misjudged the little pump, its a 3/4 horse and I believe its pushing about 35-40 GPM (judged by about 7 second fillup of a 5 gallon bucket) so I've got more turnover than first thought.

 

[embryjim]

OK, after adding about 6lbs of baking soda, TA is up to 80 (must have misinterpreted the original reading as I only needed 6-7 lbs of baking soda to get to 80). pH is 7.5. I'm thinking of adding 1lb of granular dichlor a day for about 5-6 days, thereby introducing about 2ppm of FC and 2ppm CYA daily, then adding 2 gallons of Liquid CYA to get CYA to about 35. This should introduce the 2ppm of FC daily that JasonLion suggests and add a little CYA. By that time, I should have the SWCG working and can regulate chlorine. Are my calculations right? Will the 2ppm daily of CYA be cumulative and add up to 10? Although I did read a post that dichlor is not for newbies :?

 

[JasonLion]

The CYA from dichlor accumulates in the water, so adding enough dichlor to add 2 ppm of CYA five times will raise the CYA level to 10 (give or take, nothing is ever exactly exact).