New plaster

[houstonnewb]

I had plaster installed this past Saturday the pool was filled early Monday morning (about 19,000 gallons). I have Ben brushing it consistently 3-4 times a day. Two days after the pool was filled the pool company put in a sequester, acid and put a couple of chlorine tablets in the skimmer.

I have since added enough acid to keep the PH at 7.2. I have also added 4 pounds of stabilizer, 8 pounds of bicarbonate and a couple more chlorine tablets. Chlorine is at 3 ppm and CYA is about 40. However, I have basically 0 calcium hardness. I called the pool builder to see if I should add a product to increase calcium hardness and haven’t heard back (which is fairly typical). Do you think I should independently increase calcium hardness? I heard that it’s important to prevent leaching from new plaster.

BTW, below are photos of the first creature to swim in my pool (found it in the pool on Wednesday morning).

 

[jesse-99]

If it's been almost a week now, yes I would add in Calcium Chloride to start bringing up the CH level.

That would scare the heck out of me seeing that in my pool, yikes.

 

[Toxophilite]

I'm of the mind that's the way they want to start you with it. My PB spent a week with my water before handing me the keys. They had thought I would sign on for pool service, but I declined. My first test showed CYA below 30 and CH 120. I thoroughly believe that was intentional to give their pool service maintenance room with these numbers when using tabs and weekly shock of cal-hypo. Plaster could not have been their main concern. Yes, only you can take care of your pool and this is the place to learn how, but work out this initial with them so they and you are not both adding stuff to the pool.

 

[mknauss]

I would test the CH of the water they used to fill the pool. Houston water is typically considered 'hard' and thus should have calcium in it.

How are you testing your pool water chemistry?

 

[ajw22]

You should have been given some plaster startup guide to follow - Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

See NPC startup card - Day 2 about adding calcium in 10lb batches...

https://www.nptpool.com/pdf/npc-start-up-card-lsi.pdf