Day 3 of Open Pool

[jayhuff]

Well I got my K-2006 kit today and ran my first test! I did a SLAM to get rid of the initial green algae that built up in the half filled pool for a week and a half after the build before I got codes' approval to fill up. So here are my results:

FC: 3.6
pH: 7.6
TA: 130
CH: 0
CYA: 0

We have had a lot of rain the last few days, so I know that I need to boost my CYA, so off to Walmart I go to get some stabilizer. Any other suggestions?

BTW- the pool is crystal clear and I am so excited about the rest of the summer!

Thanks!

 

[pooldv]

Alright! Clear is a good start! Is it fun yet??

Definitely add 40ppm of CYA asap in a sock and put it in a skimmer or hang it in front of a return. Give it a squeeze a few times a day to speed up the dissolving. Don't test CYA tor a week or so.

PH is good. TA is a little high and might cause PH to rise so keep an eye on it. When it gets to 7.8 add muriatic acid to lower it to 7.2. This will gradually lower TA until it stabilizes.

CH is probably not 0, recheck that.

Once you add the CYA assume it is in there and chlorinate your pool accordingly. Chlorine CYA Chart. Keep it at target at all times and never let FC drop below minimum or your pool will not be properly sanitized and algae will grow.

Here are some handy Pool School articles to check out.
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool School - PoolMath

 

[jayhuff]

Alright! Clear is a good start! Is it fun yet??

More fun that when I was dropping money everyday for something I didn't count on when I was building it! This free pool ended up being about $2500, but it is going to be awesome!. It will be even more fun once I can get all the displaced dirt in my yard to a spot. There is a lot of it!

Thanks for the advice and the links for the recommended levels and chemicals. If I have been reading correctly, the CH level is not as important for vinyl lined pools? It seems though that if it is in check, the other categories are more stable too.

The most exciting thing is that my two boys are 13 and 11 and they are going to enjoy the heck out of this pool for several years!

 

[jayhuff]

I tested FC after this morning, and because of the rain and I am sure because of zero CYA, it was 1.6. It looks like more rain today, so I did the Pool Math and it said to add 112oz of bleach to get it up to 7. I went ahead and added the whole jug of 121oz. Would you add any more to offset the rain that is coming, or just test again tonight or tomorrow and then add?

BTW- I added 3lbs of stabilizer to a sock to the skimmer to get my CYA up to 30 based on directions.

 

[domct203]

I would go back and check it after 30-45 min. to make sure the pool is responding as expected. Be sure the pump is running for a bit before adding, and let it run while you add and for awhile afterwards to distribute the chlorine.

Its also good good to have the pump running at least 30 min before testing.

While the CYA is dissolving you should keep an eye on FC throughout the day. Check again in the afternoon, adjust as needed.

Dom

 

[pooldv]

Dom has the right idea for now. Test and add bleach as necessary a couple of time per day until you get a good understanding of your pool and the CYA gets dissolved and working more. Rain doesn't usually have as much affect on a pool as people think.

Yeah, those free deals always have a little catch! Isn't it amazing how much bigger the dirt is out of the hole than in it???

You are definitely right about having a great summer!

 

[jayhuff]

Thanks! I actually have been running my pump 24/7 and will most likely continue that for a while anyway. I need to order some refills chemicals for my test kit to keep up with these levels!

 

[jayhuff]

Tested 1 1/2 hr later after adding chlorine and it is at 7.5. I also am switching to doing these spot test using only 10mL of water. I believe I read that it is not as accurate as 25mL, but for observation levels it should be fine, right?

 

[domct203]

Yes, 10ml / 0.5ppm resolution is fine, and will save on reagents.

Dom

 

[pooldv]

Yes, definitely switch to 10ml testing. Do you have an OTO test? OTO Test TFTestkits.net

You can use a basic chlorine test that tests for presence of chlorine and gives you a rough idea of the level based on how yellow it is to do testing throughout the day and use the FAS/DPD less often. You can probably get an OTO test at the poolstore or bigbox store.

 

[jayhuff]

Yes, definitely switch to 10ml testing. Do you have an OTO test? OTO Test TFTestkits.net

I do not have one of those. I should have got one because I just placed an order with TFTestkits. I will check out the big box later for those though.