Our New Pool Build and The FUN (i.e. Stress) that Goes Along with it!

[MeowMeow724]

We have no idea how accurate your Pool Store testing is. Most of the time it is inaccurate and can take you in the wrong directions with chemical additions. Then you get confused as to why you are not getting the expected results. Better to wait and base your chemical additions on accurate test results you did.

Here are common ways water tests can be in error. How many of them can you observe with your pool store testing?

Water Testing Errors - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks, I will get to reading! I wish I saw this last night because I added stabilizer/conditioner, and then liquid chlorine later. This AM, it seems chlorine is pretty high (but we had ZERO before that).. so I think I am definitely understanding your point now . I think the amount of liquid chlorine they told me to add was high.

I am noticing weird color patterns on my step into the sunledge.. not sure if I am just now noticing it and it's just a bad plaster job, or if it's got to do with water balance. I will try and get a photo today.

 

[MeowMeow724]

TF 100 Calcium hardness test showed a reading of about 100.
That's the only one I was able to get to on lunch break. ?

 

[MeowMeow724]

Here's a photo of the ripple-looking area that I noticed. It's at the edge of our sunledge.
Also around the half moon step I see a line around it, like it wasn't smoothed out very well.

I also see what look like heel prints (good-sized round divots at the base of our steps. I didn't get a photo of those yet.

Is there anything I can do to smooth these out?
I know some imperfections are normal, but these ripples seem excessive and look really ugly.

Is this a bad plaster job that I should be asking for them to fix?

 

[kimkats]

They may tell you it is normal due to it being done by hand. The fix may very well come out worse than what is there now. That is not the worst I have seen. You should bring it up with your PB and see what he has to say. Me? I would think of it as a beauty mark and learn to love it or ignore it.

 

[MeowMeow724]

That's what I figure they will do. I will try my best to let it go and consider it all "beauty marks". That area is just really bad!

I have been working on getting the calcium hardness up, and I think we're at 250 ppm now according to my TF-100 calcium test today. I will re-test tomorrow, before I add any more, because I am not sure if it's still processing through the system. I definitely don't want to increase it too high.

Pool School is on Tuesday.. it can't come soon enough!

 

[kimkats]

Your plaster may add some CH as it cures as well. Don't get too crazy adding it right now.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Your plaster may add some CH as it cures as well. Don't get too crazy adding it right now.

Oh! Thanks. I thought I had to get it up because I don't want the water to pull it out of the plaster too much causing issues. I had read somewhere it can cause it to have deposits and crumbling.
I got it to 250ppm and did not add anymore. I am going to test it again today to see if it changed at all since yesterday's test, though.

 

[kimkats]

Keep track of the CH for the next couple of days. If it is not moving up then go from there. Each pool is SO different!

 

[MeowMeow724]

Will do!
We have scratches in the plaster finish on the floor.. likely from us using the leaf rake to get out some kamikaze acorns and debris that gets in while we take off the net to brush. I guess it should have been common sense to not do that considering we were told not to use the wheeled vacuum, either. ?‍ Whatever...more beauty marks, I guess!

I am also confused because a startup article I read here on TFP, it says to NOT add salt for the first 30 days. The PB added salt on startup, which was 4 days after plaster was done, and it's part of their normal startup procedure. Then I had no chlorine so I added liquid chlorine (probably enough to be considered "shocking the pool" ?‍ , after adding stabilizer on Halloween.

I feel like as hard as I am trying, I am messing everything up!

 

[MeowMeow724]

Tests:
Calcium Hardness: 250 ppm
CYA: 20? Non-existent?
I fumbled through my first ever CYA test with the TF-100 and no idea if I did it right. But I know my CYA is practically non-existent, which I don't understand because I added a gallon jug of it (4lbs equivalent) on 10/31/19.

Chlorine: 3 ppm (this was yesterday though)
Salt: 2900
pH: 7.6 ppm (eek.. at the top)

Any idea why my CYA is so low even after adding a gallon? What should I do about it? Maybe not use the liquid? It was more expensive but was easier so I got that.

 

[kimkats]

How long ago did you put in the liquid CYA? How did you add it as far a where did you pour it in?

Every PB seems to have their own way of doing things..........sigh.......some get it right but most do not. Nothing you can do about the way he did things BUT you can and should take control and do it right from here on out!

Kim

 

[MeowMeow724]

How long ago did you put in the liquid CYA? How did you add it as far a where did you pour it in?

Every PB seems to have their own way of doing things..........sigh.......some get it right but most do not. Nothing you can do about the way he did things BUT you can and should take control and do it right from here on out!

Kim

I added it on 10/31/19 and at first I poured a bit through the skimmer like the pool store I bought it from told me. Then I read the directions and read some stuff online that freaked me out about putting it into the skimmer.. so I did what the bottle directions told me instead; pour it into the pool, in front of a return. So I did that for probably more than 3/4 of the bottle.

 

[kimkats]

Have we "dialed" in your pool size in gallons? When you add chlorine does the FC test show you made your mark? When you go to lower pH are you making the level you were shooting for?

Did you use pool math to tell you how much CYA to add to reach your goal for CYA? Did you add that amount?

Sorry for more questions than answers. We will get this figured this out and once we do it will be much easier from then on.

I use the powdered CYA. Put it in a tube sock, tie the top of the sock closed, tie a rope to it and hang it over the side of the pool right in front of the return. I have squeezed the sock while walking in the pool when it is warmer to make it dissolve faster. Works as well as the "liquid gold" you used for much less $ but not as fast so there is a trade off.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Have we "dialed" in your pool size in gallons? When you add chlorine does the FC test show you made your mark? When you go to lower pH are you making the level you were shooting for?

I guesstimated based on the gallons used on my water meter from filling, and removed about 150 gallons for regular usage for those 1.5-2 days.
Being free form, I am not sure how to calculate the actual gallons. I looked it up a while and it seemed extremely complicated and very confusing.

FC also showed 3 ppm.
I haven't tried lowering pH yet.

Did you use pool math to tell you how much CYA to add to reach your goal for CYA? Did you add that amount?

Sorry for more questions than answers. We will get this figured this out and once we do it will be much easier from then on.

I did, and I actually added about 1.5 pounds less than it said because I didn't want to buy two whole jugs and figured we could see where the 4 pounds got us and go from there.

I use the powdered CYA. Put it in a tube sock, tie the top of the sock closed, tie a rope to it and hang it over the side of the pool right in front of the return. I have squeezed the sock while walking in the pool when it is warmer to make it dissolve faster. Works as well as the "liquid gold" you used for much less $ but not as fast so there is a trade off.

I will probably just get the powdered CYA and try your method next time, then.
My water is in the 60s right now - it's been cold here and we have yet to even set foot in the pool for the first time . Will the CYA powder dissolve well in the colder water?

 

[MeowMeow724]

Soooo.... We had pool school yesterday, and the tech set our system to run on a medium and low speed for 12 hrs each.
The lowest speed, 863rpm, seems to result.in 0 pressure on our cartridge filter. Also resulting is bubbles trickling out of various returns, and almost like "burping".

On the medium level, it sits at 5 psi which we determined yesterday, was our normal operating pressure.

Our water level, skimmer basket and filter baskets are all good.

Is that normal??

Edit to add: I called it in to warranty. They're doing a work order and will come look at it some time hopefully soon.

 

[wireform]

Yes, with the low rpm it'll show at best minimal pressure on the gauge. As you saw bumping up the speed already changed the psi on the gauge so see what happens when it's cranked up to full speed what the pressure is. Most likely all is fine.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Yes, with the low rpm it'll show at best minimal pressure on the gauge. As you saw bumping up the speed already changed the psi on the gauge so see what happens when it's cranked up to full speed what the pressure is. Most likely all is fine.

Thanks! I will check the psi at higher speed tonight. I am pretty sure it's closer to 10 on high speed.
My main concern was the gurgling returns. It makes what I consider a "burping" noise and burps air bubbles out over and over and over. And it changes which one/ones do that, or maybe it's more than one at the same time and I just didn't notice as I was focused on one at a time. I took a video of it this morning. I'll a couple screenshots from the video to help explain what I mean ?

 

[MeowMeow724]

Present pressure is 4-5 psi, and it's running on speed 2- 1898 RPM.
I see air bubbles coming out of most pipes still, but not as much or big of air bubbles as when at the lower speed. I can hear the air coming out of the returns from outside the pool.

Also, our pH has suddenly gone off the wall!

 

[ajw22]

Also, our pH has suddenly gone off the wall!

What is your FC and CYA?

 

[MeowMeow724]

What is your FC and CYA?

FC is 3.

Salt, if relevant is reading as 3000 on the house reding. I don't have a salt test kit.

CYA--- I'm terrible at that test still, but about 25? Not sure how reliable that is because I haven't mastered the test yet. But I assume either way it's pretty low. However, my chlorine I hanging strong. But maybe that's because of my SWG?

My hubby said the net cover we have over the pool looked like alkaseltzer this evening.... Meaning it looked like effervescent bubbles.

That tied with curing plaster and the air the returns are seemingly putting out makes me wonder if that's lending to our raised pH. I recall when having our hot tub that introducing air into the water via Jets and such can raise pH.