New Pool Startup - Chemistry

[mknauss]

I tried to post above - did it work?

Yes. The Pool Circuit is on 24 hours. So is your SWCG then. The other Circuits simply raise the rpm of the pump during their scheduled times. The SWCG remains on.

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,

The only reason I brought up the schedules is that I thought they might be the reason for your cell not producing the amount of chlorine it should. But your schedules looks good, so there has to be a reason that your FC did not increase when running 24/7.

What is your CYA level?

I doubt that you have algae already, but you never know.. I suggest that you run an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (OCLT) just to make sure. It just means you have to get your rear out of bed when it is still dark..

Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[BDY]

B,

The only reason I brought up the schedules is that I thought they might be the reason for your cell not producing the amount of chlorine it should. But your schedules looks good, so there has to be a reason that your FC did not increase when running 24/7.

What is your CYA level?

I doubt that you have algae already, but you never know.. I suggest that you run an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (OCLT) just to make sure. It just means you have to get your rear out of bed when it is still dark..

Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Thanks,

Jim R.

CYA is 70.
I did an OCLT earlier this week before they turn on cell and it was negligible but I’ll do it again.
Like i said, could be my testing error too lol…I’ll do an OCLT as well as monitor it a few more days.

 

[BDY]

Update….
FC this morning was 11.5 an increase of 3 over the same time yesterday. It was rainy and cloudy so I’m thinking not a lot of FC consumption. I dialed down the SWG to 10% and will test again tomorrow.

I’m general, when the SWG really overshoots (not just a little but say double target) do you just let it ride or turn it off for a day?

Rhanks
B

 

[Newdude]

I turn mine down if I catch it in the teens. 12 or below I let it ride expecting a high loss event to happen one of these days and lower it.

 

[ajw22]

Don’t go chasing small FC changes. It changes day to day. Let it average out over a week or two and see if your FC is increasing consistently. If it is then turn it down a bit.

High FC is not a problem. Don’t let FC drop below minimums.

 

[BDY]

Quick question
I noticed the PB upsized the filter to a CCP520 from the 420 (it’s what he had in stock) For a 9000 gallon pool is that ok?
Brian

 

[mknauss]

Quick question
I noticed the PB upsized the filter to a CCP520 from the 420 (it’s what he had in stock) For a 9000 gallon pool is that ok?
Brian

Absolutely. With a filter, bigger is better. You should easily be able to go a full year (or maybe longer) between filter cleanings. Just monitor the filter pressure and when it rises by 25% over clean pressure (at the same rpm of the pump), it is time to clean it.

 

[BDY]

Quick questions following up on the startup chemistry....

My latest testing

FC ~10 (holding steady with SWG until summer starts, plan to let it drift to the 8-9 and hold there)
PH - testing at 8+ every morning and adding MA to drop to 7.6-7.7 (about 1 cup)
TA - 70
CH - 300
CYA - 60
Salt - 3600
Temp - 67 F

Fill water
CC - 0
PH - 7.2
CH - 0
TA - 150

The CH seems to have settled at 300 (was running 325 for a while but lots of rain lately)
The PH used to be taking much more MA but we are now 45 days into curing so I hope this will taper off more in the next few months
he TA was 80 originally but has settled at 70 - I am assuming that due to the daily MA addition I am holding it down, as well as the original high TA fill was brought down during the acid startup.
Salt - was 4000 for the last few weeks testing using the Taylor kit and speedstir
My autofill has not had to run yet (I have a flow meter on the house that identfies that line) due to the rainy spring in Houston.

1) Is it normal for salt to drop form 4000 to 3600 after heavy rains? (~10% of pool volume) Thats the only difference from the last 3 tests to the current 2 tests (e.g. 4000,4000,4000,3600,3600)

2) Given my location in rainy Houston, should I bump CH up to 350? My fill water is 0 CH and I assume rain is also 0 CH.

3) CYA is the hardest test for me - I am relatively confident it is 60 but sometimes my eyes think it is 70. PoolMath and the Recommended Levels keep telling me that I should be at least 70 for a SWCG, and I read on the forums that being in a southern location I will have more FC burn off than a northern location. Should I bump the CYA by 10 or 20 for the summer? I did an OCLT last week and this week and both passed, and the SWG is turned on so I believe I should not have to SLAM (don't jinx myself) before summer.

4) Any other chemistry recommendations for a plaster, SWG pool?

Many thanks in advance .. this forum is the best find I've made on the internet in years!!

B

 

[ajw22]

All of your chemistry is fine. Don't sweat it so much.

Your salt test is within normal testing error.

CH of 300 is fine.

Don't sweat CYA of 60 vs 70. That also is within normal testing error. Just call it the way you see it. If testing varies between 60 or 70 then it is equally good. If you get a few tests around 50 then maybe time to add 20 ppm of CYA.

Look at trends and multiple tests over time, more than single data points.

 

[BDY]

thanks for the feedback!