New pool, help needed as to what to do first.

Jump to latest Follow Reply
M

Momto5

0
Apr 6, 2015
20
Enid OK
Hello All,
We just installed a new pool this past weekend. We have it all filled up and I had a pool store to do a test on the water(tap). Test results are as follows:
Free Chlorine 1 ppm
Total chlorine 0.2 difference
Salt 0
CYA 30
TA 170
pH 7.4
Copper 0
iron 0
CH 180

I have been doing a lot of reading in the Pool School and know I need to add CYA and get the salt in and the SWG running. My first question is in which order do I do this. We are planning on adding the salt this evening. Should we add the CYA before the salt or after the salt has fully dissolved? I know we ant run the SWG until 24 hours or until the salt is dissolved, but if I read my manual right I can run my sand filter even if the SWG is off. Given the test results do I add some chlorine to help the SWG at first or will it be ok on its own? Also since the results say my TA is high do I need to adjust it by adding muratic acid and aeration or will the SWG take care of it? Just want to let you know right now the water is crystal clear :)

Wow, that was long! I am so glad you all take the time to help newbies like me! Thanks so much, hope I did not ask too many questions for the first time! BTW planning on ordering a testing kit asap.

Lisa(Momto5) who is just too excited to have a pool sitting in her backyard!!!
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

You should get the CYA dissolving in a sock in the skimmer and add the salt and get around 2ppm of FC in the pool with bleach ... as soon as you can and can basically be done all at the same time.

Ignore TA until you are comfortable with everything else.
 
Welcome to tfp! I'll let someone else answer all your questions, because I'm on my phone and it'll take me forever. One question though. You said those numbers are on your tap water? If so, and they found a cya of 30, you now know why they can't be trusted. That should be 0. Order a good test kit from tftestkits, and you'll never look back to the pool store.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jblizzle said:
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

You should get the CYA dissolving in a sock in the skimmer and add the salt and get around 2ppm of FC in the pool with bleach ... as soon as you can and can basically be done all at the same time.

Ignore TA until you are comfortable with everything else.
Click to expand...

Good Morning,
After the suspect test by the Leslie pool people I took a sample to a family run pool company this morning. Last night we added 3/4 of a bottle of 128oz plain bleach and 8- 40 lb bags of pool salt.

New test results are... FC .93
TC 1.24
pH 7.7
CH 254
TA 104
CYA 15
salt 2630


We did not add the CYA last night. I wanted to get it re-tested as I was told by someone that the CYA in the water here is high?? I also sheepishly admit to not knowing exactly where to put it. ;0 You said in the skimmer, is that the same as the strainer basket thing?? And if so is it in front of the water going into the pool from the pump or the water going out of the pool to the pump?

Also it looks like I need to add more salt?? it has not been 24 yet since we added the 8 bags, should I wait to see if it will come up or just assume it is where it is and add 1 more bag??

I just want to make sure we are getting off to a good start. I am ordering the test kit today. Thanks so much for helping , I feel like such a nervous nelly!
 
There is ZERO CYA in tap water.

You really need a test kit or you are going to drive yourself crazy.

The skimmer is in the side of the pool where there is a basket.

Have you found PoolMath? That will tell you how much salt you need to add. The 320 pounds you put in should have added 2600 ppm of salt ... which is right where you are.
 
Yes, I have been plugging my numbers in PoolMath. I agree with the crazy part! I dont think I have a skimmer basket I only have a strainer grid on the 2 out flow lines. This is an intex AGP. So I will try tying the sock to the grid and will get the cya in this morning. I will also add some more bleach. Thanks so much!
 
I tied my sock in a knot, then used a piece of string (actually a random lanyard I had hanging around the house) to tie it to the edge of my frame in front of the return. (where the water is flowing back into the pool) You can squeeze the sock every now and then to help it dissolve too. :)

+1 on the kit...and I'll recommend the TF-100 kit from tftestkits.net! I use it and love it!

Welcome to TFP!
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Welcome!!

As others have said, you really need to get one of the recommended test kits. You can see form the two different pool stores that their testing is suspect. Things that shouldn't be in the water yet (CYA) and the big change in CH (when you haven't added/drained water) tell me something is wrong. You need your own test kit so you can trust your testing.

Remember, chlorine is consumed by both the sun and organics in the water. You will be adding it every day, so you should be testing it every day. Order a test kit and you could even pick up an inexpensive test kit at WalMart to keep track of chlorine and pH until your "real" kit arrives.
 
tim5055 said:
Welcome!!

As others have said, you really need to get one of the recommended test kits. You can see form the two different pool stores that their testing is suspect. Things that shouldn't be in the water yet (CYA) and the big change in CH (when you haven't added/drained water) tell me something is wrong. You need your own test kit so you can trust your testing.

Remember, chlorine is consumed by both the sun and organics in the water. You will be adding it every day, so you should be testing it every day. Order a test kit and you could even pick up an inexpensive test kit at WalMart to keep track of chlorine and pH until your "real" kit arrives.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much, it is crazy how different the pool stores results were. My TF-100 is being shipped out today! I am headed to walmart to get some more CYA as I only bought 1 container and I need more bleach:) I will look at the cheap CL and ph kits while there!
 
That's awesome! You had two pool stores find cya in tap water. Thank goodness you got your test kit ordered. Otherwise they would be dragging you through the chemical aisles stealing every cent you have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just wanted to report I bought a cheap kit that had only CL and pH and have tested 3 times so far, last night, this morning and
this evening. My levels are stable so far I have CL at 5 and pH 7.5. So far so good, my TF100 is scheduled to arrive Monday. The kids( 2-14s 1-16 1-19 and his girlfriend 19) and I got in today to get the bottom swept and cleaned out. We had a little pile at the bottom of leaves and sycamore junk from the storm the other night. They had a blast, I on the other hand had a hard time....water temp-68 degrees! The bottom looks good and I am finally warming up. ;) Temps in the 80s this weekend, hoping the water warms up a little.
 
Congrats on your pool! Where are the pictures? :)

If your CYA is low, you can also use Trichlor tablets...that will provide the chlorine and the CYA at the same time. No need to buy the 50 pound pail they sell...just use the Pool Math calculator and determine how much you need based on your pool size, etc. Generally around 9 or 10 pounds will bring it close to 50 (obviously add it over time, not all at once), but again, the PoolMath calculator is what you should use. Just remember...you can always add more CYA...it's not as easy to take it away as you have to drain part of the water from your pool and then refill. Shoot low to start with...

If you don't have an auto-chlorinator (my words...not sure of the technical term but it's generally an 18-24" tube installed upright by your pool equipment)...you'll also want to buy a floating dichlor/trichlor dispenser for the tabs when you put the trichlor in it. This will also become useful if you go on vacation and don't want to come home to algea. Just put a couple of tabs in and float it in the pool before you leave for vacation. (yes, it will raise your CYA too while you are away, but not enough to worry about for one week).

The sock method works too...if you don't want to be able to adjust it. If you use the sock method...just don't have it too close to the interior finish.

All this being said...if your water is that cold, algea will have a hard time living in it anyways. Make sure to concentrate on your pH and ensure it's kept low enough...
 
While it is OK to to use pucks to chlorinate while on vacation, but you must be careful with the CYA. Always test and calculate your CYA ahead of time using PoolMath.

1 8oz trichlor puck will add the following to your pool
3.7 CL
2.3 CYA

1 8oz dichlor puck
2.3 FC
2.1 CYA
 
Just a quick update the TF100 came and my tap water has...wait for it... NO CYA in it as the 2 pool stores here in town said it did! Ok now on to the results of the pool
CL 5
cc 0
CH 350--don't think I did it right??
TA 210
CYA 50-55
pH 7.8
salt 2970

So where do I go from here?? I added the CYA last Wed. so it has been 5 days. Can I trust this reading and add more or should I wait a couple of more days before adding more CYA??? Also should I go ahead and add some muratic acid to drop that TA? And then aerate to raise the pH? Is the salt ok at 2970 with a SWG or should I try to raise it to 3000??

Thanks so much for the help!
Lisa
 
Last edited:

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply