Our pool was installed earlier this week and I am so happy to have found this site. I have been reading like mad (I think my head is about to explode), but I have a very basic (stupid?) question that I couldn't find anywhere: the instructions with my filter tell me to "superchlorinate using unstabilized granular or liquid chlorine before starting the filter". I thought the pump/filter should always be running whenever adding any chemicals (especially with a vinyl pool). Am I over thinking this? Just confused?
Hoping to get started this weekend...
- Thread starter JBrace
- Start date
Welcome to the forum. 
They are telling you it is a good idea to run a high FC (SLAM Value) through your filter because it is new. Probably not mandatory but not a bad idea...certainly no harm.
Just how high that level is depends on your current FC and CYA. Can you post complete test results?
They are telling you it is a good idea to run a high FC (SLAM Value) through your filter because it is new. Probably not mandatory but not a bad idea...certainly no harm.Just how high that level is depends on your current FC and CYA. Can you post complete test results?
Sorry for my delayed response. My day did not go as planned; I will send results tomorrow before I do anything. It sounds like my concern about adding bleach without running the pump/filter is unfounded. When I do add it, should it be diluted first?
Nope, just pour it slowly in front of the return stream. This thread will explain how to add each chemical.
Have you added any stabilizer yet? If not, when you test, don't bother checking CYA. Tap water will have none.
Here are the results of my first test; if they seem out of whack I will test again to be sure.
FC .4
CC .2
pH 7.5
TA 110
CH 150
The calculator says to add 318 oz of 2.5 % bleach to get to a shock level of 16.
The 72 oz of stabilizer will be added later, as the filter manual said to "superchlorinate using unstabilized granular or liquid chlorine before starting the filter".
Does this sound correct? (I need to change the amount of water in my signature; I think it is closer to 13,500)
FC .4
CC .2
pH 7.5
TA 110
CH 150
The calculator says to add 318 oz of 2.5 % bleach to get to a shock level of 16.
The 72 oz of stabilizer will be added later, as the filter manual said to "superchlorinate using unstabilized granular or liquid chlorine before starting the filter".
Does this sound correct? (I need to change the amount of water in my signature; I think it is closer to 13,500)
Be sure you enter the right strength for that bleach! When I plug in the numbers to poolmath, I see 129 oz (a gallon is 128, close enough) of 12.5% pool chlorine to take you to 10, or 195 oz (1.6 121 oz jugs) of 8.25% Chlorox.
Start the filter and pour the bleach in front of the return. The water will be superchlorinated when it gets sucked through, within minutes.
The CYA stabilizer can be added as soon as you dump in the bleach. Start with only 3 lbs, since the pool volume is sketchy. You can easily add more later, but you don't want to overshoot. Pour it in a nylon stocking or a tube sock, tie it shut, and set it in the skimmer or hang it in front of a return. It will take a couple days to dissolve and a week or so to register on the test, so save your CYA reagent and don't bother testing it.
Thanks so much! I feel much more comfortable with what I am to do now. You are right about the bleach amount; somehow 16 ended up as my target instead of 10 when I did my pool calculations (not sure how I did that). Thanks for double checking.