Soon to be new pool owner (from Panama)

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L

Luis Rovira

0
Apr 7, 2015
15
David City, Rep. of Panama
Hi,

I'm Luis; my family and I have just started the "pool journey". We live in David City, Republic of Panama. I was investigating about less chemically intensive, simple and functional maintenance methods... and I came across the TFP and BBB.

The pool will be ready in a few weeks and I would like to familiarize myself with these maintenance methods to be ready for the first fill. I have many (way too many) questions, so I will just start with the technical description of the pool.

The pool will be painted; the structure is made of reinforced concrete and 12,000 gallons capacity (rectangular). The pump-filter system is a Pentair Whisperflo (WF-23) 0.75HP with a Pentair SD-60 sand filter… test kit will be Taylor 2006-C. Now, let's factor in that the rainy season here goes from mid-may to december... this means moderate to heavy torrential rain after mid-day... the rest of the year... well, it just rains less (occasional showers) but is extremely sunny.

The questions:
1. What test should I perform on the water that will be used to fill the pool ?
2. Once the pool is filled… what goes in first and/or what parameter should be tested and adjusted before adding the next product ?
3. How much bleach, borax and baking soda (or other product, i.e CYA) should I have in hand for this first conditioning ?
4. The system has an in-line chlorinator… do I really need it since bleach will be the main Cl source.
5. What to do and what to check during the torrential rain season ?
6. What other product(s) are good to have / use (that will not throw-off the balance of the pool) when implementing the TFP or BBB methods ?
7. The walls and bottom will be painted, but some sections will have tiles… should I worry about Calcium Hardness ?
8. Any other tips or things to consider ???

Thanks in advance for all your help and input...

Luis
 
Hi Luis, congrats on your new pool! I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability. Hopefully someone else will come along and correct me if I'm wrong as I'm not completely familiar with new concrete pools.
You will need to test daily and keep a close eye on your numbers. Actually, it would be great if you test everything when you get it filled and post your results here. If any additional adjustments are needed someone will let you know. Will you be filling with city water or from a well?

1. What test should I perform on the water that will be used to fill the pool ?
I would probably test for everything your test kit is capable of, with the exception of CYA. You won't have that in the water until you add it.
2. Once the pool is filled… what goes in first and/or what parameter should be tested and adjusted before adding the next product ?
Start with chlorine (or bleach) then calculate how much CYA you will need. Put it in a sock and drop it in your skimmer basket. Don't try to add it all at once, do it in halves or thirds. You want to add it slowly so you won't overshoot your goal. Keep in mind that CYA can take up to a week to show up on a test.
3. How much bleach, borax and baking soda (or other product, i.e CYA) should I have in hand for this first conditioning ?
You can find out the exact amounts of these things by clicking the PoolMath button and using the calculator. For 12,000 gallons, it will probably take roughly 1 -1/2 gallons of bleach to start up. That really depends on the concentration of bleach you have access to. Remember you will need to keep extra on hand because chlorine needs to be added in small amounts daily. Look for 100% CYA... One container usually gets me started. Buy a box of Borax and a large bag of baking soda. You will use more bleach than anything unless you have trouble keeping your pH balanced during the "break in" of your new concrete.
4. The system has an in-line chlorinator… do I really need it since bleach will be the main Cl source.
No, not really. It's not necessary for the BBB method. I removed mine.
5. What to do and what to check during the torrential rain season ?
Keep an eye on all of your numbers, especially your FC and CYA. Hard rain can also raise your pH. I bump my FC up 1 or 2 ppm as a preventative measure when we are expecting heavy rain.
6. What other product(s) are good to have / use (that will not throw-off the balance of the pool) when implementing the TFP or BBB methods ?
That's part of the beauty of the BBB method. There is usually no need for a lot of extra stuff.
7. The walls and bottom will be painted, but some sections will have tiles… should I worry about Calcium Hardness ?
Definitely test regularly, especially the first couple of months. If you have an issue with it and need advice just let us know.
8. Any other tips or things to consider ???
If you stay on top of things you will have a beautiful and trouble free pool.

:D
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

I am not sure how this slipped by for a week without a response answering your questions. Luckily Samantha found it and did a great job :goodjob:

The only thing I would note is that there may not every be a need for borax or baking soda, so I would not buy any until you know you need it ... testing the fill water will give you a clue if it will be needed.
 
Hola Luis,
Bienvenido. Welcome to TFP. My brother's wife is Panamanian. We traveled to Panama a few years ago and loved it. Not sure how I missed this post either. Must have been a busy day.

Here are some links for you to read about to begin to understand how to care for your pool TFP-style.
Basic water chemistry, ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
Recommended levels for your pool, Recommended Levels
This is poolmath to help you determine how much products to add to reach the target levels, PoolMath

You have a good test kit!
 
Hi Samantha,,

Sorry for the late reply... Thanks, thanks, thanks... for finding me, and thanks a lot for your tips and advise. I will follow them closely.

One more thing... I will fill the pool with water from the City's main potable water supply ... what test should I perform ??? Once I have the results I will post them... ;)

here is the pool design, and a current picture

IMG_6611.jpg

Piscina 1.jpg
 
Hola !!!

Gracias for the welcome... I'm glad you liked my little country... I had a few busy days last week too... thanks for hte links; I will review them. I live in David, It's 440 Km from Panama City. We moved from the capital 4 years ago and we love it.

I will keep you guys updated on the progress of the pool and my tests.
 

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