First year with a pool
- Thread starter Calebh2002
- Start date
Finally some progress! My test kit arrived today! I ran the gauntlet of tests and then scampered off to a pool shop for a water test -- just to see if there was any difference between our results, and they were really close to my findings, which made me happy!
Also, the lovely employee at the pool place had the audacity to tell me I needed to add more chlorbrite WHILE draining the pool, you know, to prevent the algae from growing and attempted to talk me into another $100 bucket of the stuff.
I need to purge some more water to bring my CYA down more, and then get this thing right and ready to swim! We have friends coming over next weekend and I hope this beast sparkles by then!
I am working from home tomorrow, pool side to babysit the drain/refill.
FC: 0
CC: 0
CH: 300
CYA: 90
PH: 7.0
Also, the lovely employee at the pool place had the audacity to tell me I needed to add more chlorbrite WHILE draining the pool, you know, to prevent the algae from growing and attempted to talk me into another $100 bucket of the stuff.
I need to purge some more water to bring my CYA down more, and then get this thing right and ready to swim! We have friends coming over next weekend and I hope this beast sparkles by then!
I am working from home tomorrow, pool side to babysit the drain/refill.
FC: 0
CC: 0
CH: 300
CYA: 90
PH: 7.0
Last edited:
You are heading in the correct direction!
Now that you have your own test kit you will be able to control your pool SO much better! It will sparkle like never before!
Kim
Now that you have your own test kit you will be able to control your pool SO much better! It will sparkle like never before!
Kim
Exactly! I took the time since I'm forced to dump more water to waste, to vacuum every square inch of the floors and walls.
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It sounds like borax would be the best item to use to bring my pH up, basted on my water tests earlier. I will test it again when it is full in the morning and the pump has run.
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I'm a fan of borax.
Have you seen this sticky?
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/90257-Borates-Why-and-How
Have you seen this sticky?
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/90257-Borates-Why-and-How
Borax to raise your phone and adding borates to the pool are completely different processes. I strongly recommend that you ignore that sticky for now while you clean the pool and learn how it behaves.
Revisit borates (which are optional and not added by everyone) in a year or two.
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,767
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
Using borax to raise the pH...YES.
Adding 50 ppm borates..probably not.
That is usually reserved for salt pools that have an issue with constantly rising pH.
Adding 50 ppm borates..probably not.
That is usually reserved for salt pools that have an issue with constantly rising pH.
The pool is almost done filling for the 2nd time and I'm getting excited!
I will let the pump run for an hour to get the water stirred up again and test my water, then work on getting my numbers right, then start a slam. Its going to be a busy day today.
I will let the pump run for an hour to get the water stirred up again and test my water, then work on getting my numbers right, then start a slam. Its going to be a busy day today.
SLAM is officially in progress! Fingers crossed this pool sparkles soon!
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I was literally walking outside to test again, when the storm started
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My persistence is starting to pay off! We can see the bottom of the shallow end now! WOOHOO [emoji322]
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I'm thinking of adding some DE to my filter. Would this help any to clear the cloudy water faster?
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I'm not that familiar with sand filters. But, here is a link to an article in Pool School that discusses it.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/133-add-de-to-a-sand-filter
- - - Updated - - -
Heck, it is nice and short, I'll just post the whole article here for everyone to read.
Add DE to a Sand Filter
DE stands for Diatomaceous Earth. DE is the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. DE particles are microscopic and have many sharp edges, trapping fine dirt particles that would otherwise be able to get through the sand.
Small amounts of DE can be added to a sand filter after each backwash to improve the filtering. The first time you use DE, you need to figure out how much DE to add to your filter. After the first time, you can simply mix the full amount of DE with water in a bucket and pour that slowly into the skimmer.
Figuring out how much DE to use
Start by noting the PSI reading on the filter with the pump running.
Mix 1/4 cup of DE with water in a bucket and pour that slowly into the skimmer. Remove the skimmer sock, if any, before adding DE.
Give the system about two minutes to stabilize.
Note the pressure on the filter and repeat the second and third steps until the pressure has gone up by one PSI. This will typically take around 1-2 cups of DE.
The very first time you do this, you should keep an eye on the filter pressure for the next 24 hours or so. The improved filtering may quickly catch a lot of very fine particles and send the filter pressure up rapidly.
DE is a very fine powder which can cause skin irritation and is classified as carcinogenic when breathed in. Some areas prohibit the release of DE into sewers or the environment. Follow handling precautions as indicated on the product packaging. Gardening DE, while safer to handle, has not been heat treated and therefore is not suitable for use in pool filters.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/133-add-de-to-a-sand-filter
- - - Updated - - -
Heck, it is nice and short, I'll just post the whole article here for everyone to read.
Add DE to a Sand Filter
DE stands for Diatomaceous Earth. DE is the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. DE particles are microscopic and have many sharp edges, trapping fine dirt particles that would otherwise be able to get through the sand.
Small amounts of DE can be added to a sand filter after each backwash to improve the filtering. The first time you use DE, you need to figure out how much DE to add to your filter. After the first time, you can simply mix the full amount of DE with water in a bucket and pour that slowly into the skimmer.
Figuring out how much DE to use
Start by noting the PSI reading on the filter with the pump running.
Mix 1/4 cup of DE with water in a bucket and pour that slowly into the skimmer. Remove the skimmer sock, if any, before adding DE.
Give the system about two minutes to stabilize.
Note the pressure on the filter and repeat the second and third steps until the pressure has gone up by one PSI. This will typically take around 1-2 cups of DE.
The very first time you do this, you should keep an eye on the filter pressure for the next 24 hours or so. The improved filtering may quickly catch a lot of very fine particles and send the filter pressure up rapidly.
DE is a very fine powder which can cause skin irritation and is classified as carcinogenic when breathed in. Some areas prohibit the release of DE into sewers or the environment. Follow handling precautions as indicated on the product packaging. Gardening DE, while safer to handle, has not been heat treated and therefore is not suitable for use in pool filters.
Well everyone, my pool is another success story for the TFP Method! My pool passed the OCLT last night and the water is clear, we can see the main drain in the deep end from our deck. The water is a chilly 68 degrees, the moment it hits 72 I will be diving in!
SCon36
0
Yikes! Good luck with that! I'd love to see a pic of the finished product.
