New Pool - 1 Week In - Headed Right Direction? Suggestions?

[pinlawr]

Hi all-

After 7 longs months (supply chain issues, ugh) our pool is finally up and running. Last Friday (6/24) we had our official startup. Builder's pool school scheduled for next week. I helped with our pools as a teenager so I "know" the basics and I've had plenty of time to read up on things here. Became a TFP supporter without hesitation, bought the TF-Pro test kit, and I'm using Pool Math. Got the basics covered thanks to TFP!

Since we're in our first 30 days we don't have salt in the pool yet, so we're running on a combo of trichlor tabs (3 in feeder until dissolved, then refilled) and liquid chlorine (10%). I'm using the tabs to add a continuous feed of chlorine and slowly add CYA. The "scary" stories of too high CYA and having to drain/fill have kept me from adding any additional CYA. I usually test in the evening and use the liquid chlorine to bring things back up since pool usage, sun, and high temps are using up chlorine during the day.

One week in, and things seem to be going well. I know my numbers aren't perfect, but I also seem to recall that during the plaster curing phase they will move around a lot. So, my question is, anything you would recommend me doing? Bump up stabilizer? I'm adding chlorine every day, should I increase the number of tabs in the chlorinator?

Logs here: PoolMath Logs

Thanks!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Howdy.... first thing I would do is immediately get some more Liquid Chlorine (LC) in there!! Your level now is too low and you're risking algae.
I would strive for 6ppm knowing that it will lose 2-4ppm to the sun daily. You don't ever want to drop below 2ppm FC. You'll soon enough see a pattern of loss daily that you can address. It may take a quart a day of LC, or two quarts, but usually you'll get the hang of it then go to salt.
FC/CYA Levels

Which pucks are you using now? Brand?

You're on the ball having the test kit in hand. Well done!

Maddie

 

[pinlawr]

Thanks! Definitely chasing it every day to keep it above zero. Pool math said to add 2 quarts to get it to 6. Added!

The pucks are HTH 3” trichloro (from Lowe’s).

Should I add additional CYA, or just let that rise from the use of the pucks?

 

[Flying Tivo]

Should I add additional CYA,

No need, its fine. Most important is chlorine.

 

[Texas Splash]

With a CYA of only 30, your FC will probably drop faster than most in this heat. If you find the FC can't keep pace with the TX sun, you can increase the CYA to 40 or 50 which should help slow the rate of FC loss. Then you would have less CYA to add in about 3 weeks when you crank-up the SWG. Also remember those tabs are acidic. While your pH is fine, you don't want the TA any lower than 50.

Congrats on the new oasis. Just in time.