New Plaster & New To TFP - Bleach?

[off2theocean]

Hi -

This is my second summer in a new house with a pool. Last year, I had no idea what I was doing with the pool - and it showed in the water. Algae, calcium deposits, just about everything bad you could imagine. The old pool was also due for a new plaster job.

Luckily, I found this site over the winter while on my info-quest for new plaster. The new plaster on the pool was complete last Saturday and the pool was filled by Tuesday. The PB did the start up and gave the usual instructions - brush, vacuum the dust and watch the PH.

I have started to use the new TF-100 test kit and am trying to get a handle on everything. I have read through what seems like zillions of posts.

There is almost zero plaster dust in the pool - there wasn't really in the beginning either. Weird. My PH is through the roof. I keep adding Muriatic Acid and that seems to bring it down, if only for a while.

When I first tested, my FC was 8. Now it is almost non-exsistant. I have a puck feeder and have added chlorine tablets. I have also added one tablet in each skimmer. Nothing is bringing up the chlorine. I have lots of 6% bleach on hand - ready to use. Do I need to keep using the tablets since it is a new plaster? I am worried about my numbers, damaging the plaster and just about everything else pool-related. I don't want to blow it.

Here are my numbers from this evening:
FC 1
pH 8
TA 60
CH 125
CYA 50

Thanks!

 

[tim5055]

pH rise is to be expected with new plaster. You will be adding a lot of acid for a few months then it will slow down, but still be elevated usage for the first year.

Your CYA is already at the top end of what we would recommend for a non-SWG pool, so i would stop using those tabs. Liquid chlorine products only.

I would suggest an Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT) to see if anything organic is consuming the chlorine. Prior to the test remove all pucks and add 4 gallons of bleach which should get you up around 10ppm FC. When the sun goes down take your first FC reading. In the morning take your second reading and compare the difference.

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

Definitely need to change to bleach/liquid chlorine which is the same thing just different percentages. Bleach is usually 8.25% and liquid chlorine is usually 10% or 12%. I pick up Kroger store brand plain old bleach at the grocery store when it is on sale.

Here are some intro Pool School articles to read
TFPC for Beginners
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Here are the Recommended Levels for your pool.
Here are the Recommended Pool Chemicals to maintain your pool and how to add them.
Use PoolMath to figure out how much to add.

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to the forum!

You've gotten good advice, so I'll just say enjoy your time on TFP.

 

[off2theocean]

Thank you all for your advice. I will switch to liquid and stop using the tablets. Hopefully, I will be on my way to a TFP kind of summer.