Total N00B first time adding products

[tomgreen558]

Brand new pool opened in Charlotte NC November 14th. PH ~8 with TA over target. Am going to attempt to work both down over a couple additions this weekend of Baumé 20 Muratic. Have a very minimal spillover from spa I can work the PH back up via aeration if i overshoot (not sure how effective yet). CYA is nearly non existent. Plan to hit that after I get PH where I want it, or can I go ahead and add that in between Muratic doses? I have a bottle of the “liquid gold”. Guessing that I will potentially need more on 16k gallons and the reading as low as it is. Calcium hardness and salt I’m ignoring at the moment until I get passed my first 30 days. On the right track?

Pool math below: 2:02pm = my test with new Taylor k2006C kit. 1:02pm = Leslie’s.
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Chemical Addition 11-26-2022 @ 04:23 PM
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+ 1 Gallons of Baume31

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Test Results 11-26-2022 @ 02:02 PM
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Free Chlorine: 1.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 8.0
Total Alkalinity: 130
Calcium Hardness: 90
CYA: 10
Temperature: 58°F
CSI: -0.53

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Test Results 11-26-2022 @ 01:02 PM
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Free Chlorine: 1.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 8.0
Total Alkalinity: 116
Calcium Hardness: 125
CYA: 10
Salt: 193
Borates: 271
Temperature: 58°F
CSI: -0.61

 

[an1vrsy]

Welcome the TFP! Your 1st post, nice…

A couple of things I notice from your PoolMath logs is that you do not need to adjust pH and TA. You are tracking CSI (calcium saturation index). You want to keep the CSI between -0.3 to +0.3 especially as your new finish cures. Your CSI currently is at the lower end. Have you test your fill water? I see your CH is really low.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I was simul-typing with @an1vrsy ... was going to say "welcome to TFP" but I can see you've been lurking on learning from the site since June. Smart! I presume you've already looked through Pool Care Basics.

With new plaster, your pH will rise continuously for months at least. When it hits 8, knock it down into the 7's with muriatic acid. Test pH several times a week because the rise is fast. You should also add some calcium because adding acid will further lower your CSI - which you don't want - and calcium will bring it up.

You can go ahead and start adding CYA. Because it's a mild acid, it will also help lower your pH. And it's time to raise your free chlorine level along with the CYA. See the FC/CYA Levels. You are on the right path!

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I have a bottle of the “liquid gold”.

I don't know what that is. Liquid stabilizer? If so, be careful when adding that because it likes to concentrate into sludge at the bottom of the bottle. Make sure to use the entire bottle at once to get it all out. As time goes on, you'll probably end up using granular CYA which is less of a fuss to add.

 

[tomgreen558]

I don't know what that is. Liquid stabilizer? If so, be careful when adding that because it likes to concentrate into sludge at the bottom of the bottle. Make sure to use the entire bottle at once to get it all out. As time goes on, you'll probably end up using granular CYA which is less of a fuss to add.

Yes liquid stabilizer. Will add in the morning and report back.

 

[tomgreen558]

I was simul-typing with @an1vrsy ... was going to say "welcome to TFP" but I can see you've been lurking on learning from the site since June. Smart! I presume you've already looked through Pool Care Basics.

With new plaster, your pH will rise continuously for months at least. When it hits 8, knock it down into the 7's with muriatic acid. Test pH several times a week because the rise is fast. You should also add some calcium because adding acid will further lower your CSI - which you don't want - and calcium will bring it up.

You can go ahead and start adding CYA. Because it's a mild acid, it will also help lower your pH. And it's time to raise your free chlorine level along with the CYA. See the FC/CYA Levels. You are on the right path!

I believe that the builder is going to add calcium and salt at ~30 days (2 weeks out).

I knew FC of 1 was going to solicit a response. Debating wether I wait for SWCG or just add some liquid bleach for a boost till I get to the 30 day mark. Water temp still accommodating Electrolysis at the moment. Need to brush up on dosing liquid chlorine/bleach.

 

[Bperry]

I believe that the builder is going to add calcium and salt at ~30 days (2 weeks out).

I knew FC of 1 was going to solicit a response. Debating wether I wait for SWCG or just add some liquid bleach for a boost till I get to the 30 day mark. Water temp still accommodating Electrolysis at the moment. Need to brush up on dosing liquid chlorine/bleach.

Really no need to brush up on anything. Just pour it in slowly in front of a return jet so it dissipates quickly. If you have a choice of stabilizer, choose the granular stuff as it’s not as finicky.

 

[Mdragger88]

Do not wait 2 weeks for the swg to be up & running before maintaining fc. That’s a recipe for having algae & nasties growing in your new pool.
Use liquid chlorine ASAP to raise fc to within target level (on the liquid chlorine side of the chart) for your calculated cya based on your recent cya addition. Then keep it there, never allowing fc to fall below minimum between tests/additions. FC/CYA Levels
As mentioned above, just pour it slowly infront of a running return away from the wall, you can also brush the area to ensure it doesn’t sit on the finish & mixes well.
Even once your swg is up & running & you are sorting out % & run times you will still use liquid chlorine to achieve target or slightly above, then allow the swg to maintain that level. Swg’s are not designed to get you to target from zero or “catch up”, they are designed to maintain as they produce fc slowly over time. You don’t want bad things growing in the meantime.
Also- Your swg will stop producing when the water temperature is 50 degrees or below, at that time you will need to manually chlorinate with liquid chlorine if your pool is still open.

Jandy AquaPure SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome. As others are saying do not underestimate the overriding, immediate importance of chlorine above all else. You are underchlorinated and you do not want to start your pool with an algae outbreak and unsanitary conditions.

 

[tomgreen558]

Update - chlorinated and added stabilizer (dichlor and liquid stabilizer). Ratios looking good below for FC/CYA vs the chart you all shared. When the builder comes to add calcium in a couple weeks I expect that CSI# to change concurrent with the calcium hardness. Is that a valid assumption?

==========================================
Sable Cap Swims
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Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 16000 gallons
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Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 5.4 (21 minutes ago)
CC: 0.2 (21 minutes ago)
pH: 7.2 (21 minutes ago)
TA: 90 (21 minutes ago)
CH: 100 (21 minutes ago)
CYA: 40 (21 minutes ago)
SALT: 193 (yesterday)
BORATES: 271 (yesterday)
TEMPERATURE: 59° (21 minutes ago)
CSI: -1.01 (21 minutes ago)
==========================================

 

[Bperry]

Update - chlorinated and added stabilizer (dichlor and liquid stabilizer). Ratios looking good below for FC/CYA vs the chart you all shared. When the builder comes to add calcium in a couple weeks I expect that CSI# to change concurrent with the calcium hardness. Is that a valid assumption?

==========================================
Sable Cap Swims
------------------------------------------
Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 16000 gallons
------------------------------------------
Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 5.4 (21 minutes ago)
CC: 0.2 (21 minutes ago)
pH: 7.2 (21 minutes ago)
TA: 90 (21 minutes ago)
CH: 100 (21 minutes ago)
CYA: 40 (21 minutes ago)
SALT: 193 (yesterday)
BORATES: 271 (yesterday)
TEMPERATURE: 59° (21 minutes ago)
CSI: -1.01 (21 minutes ago)
==========================================

Throw the borate test strips away (any any other test strips you might have). There’s no possible way you could have that much and if you did, it probably wouldn’t be safe to swim in.

If you didn’t add any borates, enter 0 for that measurement.

 

[Bperry]

Forgot to add, yes the csi will change if you add calcium.

One other tip on the chlorine is to switch to the 10ml sample method so each drop =0.5ppm. The math becomes much easier that way and you don’t need any better precision than that.

 

[tomgreen558]

Throw the borate test strips away (any any other test strips you might have). There’s no possible way you could have that much and if you did, it probably wouldn’t be safe to swim in.

If you didn’t add any borates, enter 0 for that measurement.

Thanks - I haven’t added any. Pool storetest from yesterday as a control vs my Taylor tests. I was/am ignoring that one. Trying to get FC, ph, TA, and CYA in order ahead of adding calcium @ 30 day mark for new pool. All else looking ok?

 

[Bperry]

Thanks - I haven’t added any. Pool storetest from yesterday as a control vs my Taylor tests. I was/am ignoring that one. Trying to get FC, ph, TA, and CYA in order ahead of adding calcium @ 30 day mark for new pool. All else looking ok?

That bad borate measurement will affect the CSI. All the other stuff is fine for now, even the TA.