My first pool and want to get it set up and balanced right

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lightmaster

lightmaster

0
TFP Guide
Jun 22, 2017
861
Baxley, GA
Pool Size
35000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
CircuPool RJ-45
I've got a Coleman 18'x48" pool that holds, by my math, 6700 gallons. When I first got it, i just threw it up in a mostly level part of the yard and tried using the Clorox Pool assistant app (DO NOT USE THIS POS) and within 3 days went from crystal clear well water to water so cloudy it would make a swamp jealous. Ended up draining the whole thing, moving it from where it was so I could dig up the grass and spend an entire week doing my best to level the ground, spending so much time leveling it that I now have sun poisoning on my back (not recommended, lol). Now that I'm done with that frustrating task and have a pool that's leveled to within 1/2 an inch, I'm getting ready to refill it and want to do it all right this time. Going out of town this weekend and will start filling it back up sometime on Monday, and it should be full 24 hours later. I've already ordered and received a TF-100 kit so I can accurately test my water.

My first question is, assuming I need to adjust everything at least a little, what's the "proper" order to balance my pool? I've read that with a vinyl pool, I don't need to worry about CH much, so I'm assuming I should just leave that wherever it is. As for CYA, I've read that since I don't have a skimmer, just to hang it from a sock from the pump/filter return; its safe to swim while its hanging, right?

Also, I'm planning to replace all the stock hoses for the filter/pump with some PVC piping and set the pump/filter up next to the well about 35 ft away from the pool. Doing that more for the convenience of the existing electrical wire I can add an outdoor receptacle to. Issue I have here is that I'm not sure the best way to attach a PVC pipe to the intake holes on the pool. The existing hoses attach with a low quality plastic clamp. Also need to figure out the threading size for the filter/pump, and I'm hoping Home Depot/Lowes can help with that. Sometime soon I'll be getting a skimmer to install in the side of the pool and am thinking about upgrading the pump/filter, which has prompted me to go ahead and convert it to PVC pipes since the skimmer will need something to support it on the outside.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. I've helped my dad maintain an in-ground pool as a kid, however he mainly took a sample to a pool store and they told him what to do. He never had to do much besides add more salt, and pool looked great, so maybe they were one of the few decent pool stores. At any rate, I'm doing it on my own and don't want to wind up too far in over my head.

Thanks for the great PoolMath calculator and any advice y'all have to give.
 
Hi :) and welcome to TFP :)

I'm going to say there is no "proper" way as that would/could depend entirely on your test results. Since you're starting 100% from scratch, I'd advise testing your water once filled and then posting up results with the question. For example, I happen to have EXTREMELY low TA and PH in my fill water which requires correction in the pool but that isn't so common. Others have really high PH.

So for "correct" first steps, you really need the numbers. Post them and we can help advise on order of importance :) congrats on a great test kit and willingness to learn.
 
That Clorox app said my PH and TA were very low, but I'd believe that as much as I believe my mother-in-law, lol. Took a 32oz bottle of pool water and took 3 test strips back to back from it, got PH readings of 6.8, followed by 7.2, followed by 8.2. Can't imagine the PH could change that drastically in a 32oz sample in a matter of seconds, lol.

I've read about hanging a sock with CYA in it while filling up your pool to go ahead and get that dissolving, is that a good idea? I guess set it in front of the hose till it gets up to the filter intake hoses?
 
lightmaster said:
That Clorox app said my PH and TA were very low, but I'd believe that as much as I believe my mother-in-law, lol. Took a 32oz bottle of pool water and took 3 test strips back to back from it, got PH readings of 6.8, followed by 7.2, followed by 8.2. Can't imagine the PH could change that drastically in a 32oz sample in a matter of seconds, lol.

I've read about hanging a sock with CYA in it while filling up your pool to go ahead and get that dissolving, is that a good idea? I guess set it in front of the hose till it gets up to the filter intake hoses?
Click to expand...

Yes. CYA is one thing you will definitely need to add. Just don't overshoot it. Use the poolmath link at the top of this web page. Don't follow Clorox app. Use this:

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - Recommended Levels

And post questions as you have them :)
 
Starting to fill the pool now, probably 500 out of 6700 gallons now. Tested the well water going into the pool and the results are:

PH: < 6.8
CH: 50ppm
TA: 0ppm
FC: 0
CC: 0
CYA: 0

Considering I’ll probably be around 1000 gallons by the time anyone responds (started filling at 2pm, takes 24 hr to fill) how much CYA and 10% liquid Chlorine should I add? Enough for a 6700 galloon pool, or enough for the 1000 gallons I'll have, and then more when it's closer to full? And should I correct the pH and TA now or when full?
 
Pool is now full.

FC 3
CC 0
pH <6.8 (looked yellow like Chlorine test)
TA 10 (immediately turned greenish pink, and 1 drop made it completely pink)
CH 30
CYA 0 (currently have 18oz of it hanging from a sock in front of return)

If I understand everything correctly, need to add 16oz of Borax (I guess 10oz since it says to add less than the full amount....), 87oz of baking soda (again, 65oz to build up to full amount?), and 17oz of bleach.
 
On pool math at the bottom there is effects of adding chemicals, check on the borax (or the baking soda), I believe it also raises ta as well so account for that as well.

You have really low ta and ph, I would add the full of the pH raising chemical and 3/4 of the ta raising chemical, and then retest. Make sure you are testing correctly, your numbers are odd, but that doesn't mean not correct.
 
With 0 CYA (I know you are currently adding) keep an close eye on the FC in the sunlight - it will disappear quickly... I had that happen to me when I filled my pool and it quickly turned into a swamp in a matter of 3 hours.
 

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cfherrman said:
On pool math at the bottom there is effects of adding chemicals, check on the borax (or the baking soda), I believe it also raises ta as well so account for that as well.

You have really low ta and ph, I would add the full of the pH raising chemical and 3/4 of the ta raising chemical, and then retest. Make sure you are testing correctly, your numbers are odd, but that doesn't mean not correct.
Click to expand...

I tested a friend's pool who has city water and got normal results. Did the pH and alkalinity tests twice with same results.
 
Added about 40oz of baking soda, and when I updated that to 50 TA in PoolMath, it said to add 44oz of borax, so I did. Got FC to 5 last night, and by noon today (zero share where the pool is), FC had only dropped to 4.5, so I left it alone while dealing with pH. Pool currently has a slight greenish tint. Doesn't look like algae (saw that with a cheap blow up pool from Walmart), more like incredibly dull water. Since FC only dropped by .5 in a 12 hr period with plenty of sun, could this be caused by the very low pH and alkalinity?

- - - Updated - - -

cfherrman said:
Most important thing is to be confident in your results, sounds like you are.
Click to expand...

Using well water, and a water purify test said last year that are well water had like 60ppm of whatever it tested, which I think was just any none H2O.
 
I don't know, I'll pm swampwoman, I think she is a expert on iron here.

If I recall, the clorine oxidized the iron and that's why it shows up, you will have to do some things to clear it up or squester it. Wait on a expert till then keep your pool balenced, pH will be very important.
 
Tested pH again and now it’s actually reading on the scale. Up to 7.0 now, so added a bit more Borax. Least I’ll have a head start when I add borates to the pool once everything else is good, lol.

Also, lacking a skimmer (tho I plan to install one at some point), followed the advice on that post you linked and put socks over the intakes to filter some of the water.
 
Pools now

FC 4.5
CC 0
pH 7.5
TA 120
CH 30
CYA 40 (estimated from what I put in the sock)

The recommended levels page says 50-90+ TA for vinyl pools, so would 120 be fine? Still green from iron.
 
lightmaster said:
Pools now

FC 4.5
CC 0
pH 7.5
TA 120
CH 30
CYA 40 (estimated from what I put in the sock)

The recommended levels page says 50-90+ TA for vinyl pools, so would 120 be fine? Still green from iron.
Click to expand...
As long as the pH is good, don;t worry about the TA.

Have you thought of packing those socks with polyester batting before installing them over the intakes?
 

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