newby with new concrete pool and taylor k2006c kit, now what?

[FIESTA62]

hi, i will have my pool completed in 3 weeks, concrete, 6 x 4, pebblecrete finish, Watermaid salt water chlorinator, Waterco varible speed pump, and new Taylor 2006c test kit, i been researching, watching youtube vids, reading manuals, but still it seems a bit like where do i start,
can someone tell me what tests are important in order of like most to least, when and how often i should test ?
i also heard something about a new concrete pool will take months or even up to a year to settle and cure fully so balancing water for the first year is all over the show
i have the TFP app on my phone ready not really sure if i know how to run it but i guess will figure it out....thanks

 

[aussieta]

congratulations on your new pool
you may need to maintain a prescribed balance for warranty purposes
main thing is test your fill water now so you know what to expect
add a small amount of liquid chlorine as you fill
do not add salt for a few days

Start-up New Plaster

The first few months are the most criticle for a newly plastered pool. We're here to share best practices to ensure the plaster will last for many years.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[FIESTA62]

congratulations on your new pool
you may need to maintain a prescribed balance for warranty purposes
main thing is test your fill water now so you know what to expect
add a small amount of liquid chlorine as you fill
do not add salt for a few days

Start-up New Plaster

The first few months are the most criticle for a newly plastered pool. We're here to share best practices to ensure the plaster will last for many years.

www.troublefreepool.com

hi, thanks for fast reply, i got that Taylor kit on your advice over the forum, my pool builder is doing the pebble crete internal finish in roughly 2 weeks, he said he would be filling pool the next day, he said its very important the pool Must be filled the next day, not sure why, but thing is he is doing it, he is also fitting my chlorinator
i dont know if he is going to add chlorine or salt or whatever on startup i will ask him, but i just assumed he would do the needed startup process
they have not been very informative along the way i been pretty much in the dark, i get the feeling its going to be filled and thats it there gone, thats why im asking questions now getting ready....

 

[FIESTA62]

congratulations on your new pool
you may need to maintain a prescribed balance for warranty purposes
main thing is test your fill water now so you know what to expect
add a small amount of liquid chlorine as you fill
do not add salt for a few days

Start-up New Plaster

The first few months are the most criticle for a newly plastered pool. We're here to share best practices to ensure the plaster will last for many years.

www.troublefreepool.com

not sure on pool builder, so maybe its my job to start up pool, as i have the watermaid chlorinator can you tell me why dont i add salt on start up ?
and if its just chlorine how much should i add to a 36000 litre pool , thanks

 

[aussieta]

from the start up procedure it appears that it is to protect the salt chlorinator cell from the plaster dust
liquid chlorine, if you fill in your details on the TFP app it will tell you how much to add
each 363ml of 12.5 liquid chlorine will add 1ppm free chlorine
with a pool you are unfamiliar with only add half to two thirds of chemicals, until you see how pool reacts
the volume is usually calculated as filled to the brim and is usually smaller than quoted

 

[duraleigh]

Please read "The "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. That is the basic article. Reading that should stimulate some questions and you should ask them on this forum in this thread.

Next, test your fill water. Post up the results. Posting those will result in some more help and you will begin to learn why we consider testing so essential and you will begin to learn what the tests mean.

 

[Dirk]

Learn what you can about your pool's startup, before it happens. Even if the builder is doing it, you want to keep an eye on the process. Not all builders know how to do it properly (believe it or not). It's been a while, but I thought I remember you don't add salt for a month. Hopefully someone else here can confirm or correct that. After that, once the salt goes in, you don't turn on the SWG for a few days after that (you want the salt mixed in really well before you turn on the SWG).

With a new pool, you have one shot at the following tip. Discuss with the builder so he knows your plan, so he doesn't start the fill without you. Just before he starts filling the pool, go out and read your water meter. Take a picture of the numbers. While the pool is filling, minimize water use (don't water the lawns/garden, minimize showers and flushes. Wait on laundry, etc). Once the water level reaches halfway up the skimmer opening, shut off the fill and go out and read the meter again. The difference between the first and second readings will be the water volume of your pool! The less water you use in the house while filling the more accurate the number will be. Guaranteed to be way more accurate than what the builder estimates your pool to be. Then you'll have an accurate number for calculating chemical additions, etc. You won't have another chance at this unless you someday empty your pool completely...

 

[FIESTA62]

hi, ok so if i got this right plan would be, after pebble crete is done, fill pool, dont run chlorinator, pool school says dont run for 30 days, seems excessive is that still the recomended time ?

so pool filled i then test water for FC, PH, TA, CYA, CH, put results into the app and see what i need to do from there, or post results on here for advice

and during these 30 days i add liquid chlorine while not using the chlorinator, and scrub pool with brush every day or every few days

during this time pool school says to run pump/ filter for 24 hours a day for the first week, this is to clean cement dust and other contaminates, again this also seems excessive this means the pump runs non stop for 1 week, is this still correct info ? pump is going to be running hot surely it needs a break

after 30 days i assume i should have water balanced and cement dust cleared so i then startup chlorinator

so i do it myself with the help of TFP members to make sure its done right, rather than trust pool builder

one side question pool school said add sequestriant at start up, what is sequestriant ?

any advice on this plan please i am listening....thanks

 

[aussieta]

first test tap water for ph, ta and calcium hardness
tap water does not contain cya and minimal chlorine so no need to test for these
use extended testing to save reagents
as it fills you can start adding chlorine and cya slowly
if pool builder needs you to maintain their balance for warranty, there are ways around this
sequestrant is for places that have a lot of metal in their water
a lot of tfp users fill from a well or other unusual water sources
i assume you are on town water
i would double check your chemical additions here until you are familiar with what happens
pump run time i would use common sense
a new pool can take a year to balance
you should have it close immediately, but ph will keep rising until plaster finishes curing

 

[FIESTA62]

from the start up procedure it appears that it is to protect the salt chlorinator cell from the plaster dust
liquid chlorine, if you fill in your details on the TFP app it will tell you how much to add
each 363ml of 12.5 liquid chlorine will add 1ppm free chlorine
with a pool you are unfamiliar with only add half to two thirds of chemicals, until you see how pool reacts
the volume is usually calculated as filled to the brim and is usually smaller than quoted

first test tap water for ph, ta and calcium hardness
tap water does not contain cya and minimal chlorine so no need to test for these
use extended testing to save reagents
as it fills you can start adding chlorine and cya slowly
if pool builder needs you to maintain their balance for warranty, there are ways around this
sequestrant is for places that have a lot of metal in their water
a lot of tfp users fill from a well or other unusual water sources
i assume you are on town water
i would double check your chemical additions here until you are familiar with what happens
pump run time i would use common sense
a new pool can take a year to balance
you should have it close immediately, but ph will keep rising until plaster finishes curing

ok but what do u mean when u say...... use extended testing to save reagents ?

 

[aussieta]

extended testing sacrifices a little accuracy but doubles the life of your test kit

Extended Test Kit Directions Archives

www.troublefreepool.com

most days you dont need the super accuracy with tfp

 

[duraleigh]

I think accuracy is a key ingredient in what TFP is all about. Watering down the tests and not being mindful about precision is the last thing a newbie needs to learn.

My suggestion would be to learn how to perform the tests as they were intended to be performed. When your pool is crystal clear and you understand how to keep it that way through careful testing and you are bored, you might consider diluting the tests.

if you can't afford test kit refills ever couple of years, you probably shouldn't have a pool.

 

[FIESTA62]

extended testing sacrifices a little accuracy but doubles the life of your test kit

Extended Test Kit Directions Archives

www.troublefreepool.com

most days you dont need the super accuracy with tfp

ok great thanks i will try extended, but i guess as Duraleigh said i will do that accurate way for starters to save confusion as its all new to me, when i get it all going and im confident i will use the extended method....but i totally appreciate your thoughts its all helping the big picture

 

[FIESTA62]

I think accuracy is a key ingredient in what TFP is all about. Watering down the tests and not being mindful about precision is the last thing a newbie needs to learn.

My suggestion would be to learn how to perform the tests as they were intended to be performed. When your pool is crystal clear and you understand how to keep it that way through careful testing and you are bored, you might consider diluting the tests.

if you can't afford test kit refills ever couple of years, you probably shouldn't have a pool.

thanks i get it and will keep it accurate till i know what i am doing, but i see the extended would be a way to go now and then when im a pool pro....

 

[FIESTA62]

heres a newby question...on the testing fill water, should i test water direct from the tap now before fill to get a idea of the water , or wait till its filled, i assume all contaminates from pool in the new fill would change the chemistery so wait till filled then test ?

 

[aussieta]

test the water from your tap
so you have an idea what you will be starting with
for example my tap water is very low in ta and calcium so i need to add ta and calcium
yours will be different again
then you have an idea what chemicals to have on hand
most chemicals can be bought from bunnings as cheapest price
you will need cya/stabilizer and liquid chlorine at a minimum

 

[FIESTA62]

test the water from your tap
so you have an idea what you will be starting with
for example my tap water is very low in ta and calcium so i need to add ta and calcium
yours will be different again
then you have an idea what chemicals to have on hand
most chemicals can be bought from bunnings as cheapest price
you will need cya/stabilizer and liquid chlorine at a minimum

hi, ok will test my tap water thats ok it will give me a chance to try the kit....and i will get some chlorine, as for stabalizer i see bunnings have ..... hy-clor 2kg soft pack stabilser $17 .....how many kg should i buy ? i dont mind having extra no big deal but have no idea 2kg ? 10kg ? whatever....thanks

 

[mgtfp]

Hey Fiesta,
Good to see another Aussie here.

Stabilizer is pretty easy to calculate, in your 38000 l pool, 380g of CYA will increase the level by 10ppm.

Recommended range for a SWG pool is 70-80ppm, that requires about 2.6 to 3kg. So, 2 of the 2kg packs should do for now.

It's winter now, you probably don't have to get up to 70-80 straight away, maybe add enough to get to 30-40 to start with. Use the sock-method to add it. Once it gets towards summer, you want to reach the recommended range. Going stepwise will allow you to get used to the CYA test.

PoolMath will tell you all the exact amounts. Also check the "Effects of adding" in PoolMath, it tells you all the effects of adding chemicals, e.g. the effect of adding CYA on the CYA-level and on pH.

And check out Clear Choice Labs, they offer Taylor like test kits in Australia.

 

[FIESTA62]

Hey Fiesta,
Good to see another Aussie here.

Stabilizer is pretty easy to calculate, in your 38000 l pool, 380g of CYA will increase the level by 10ppm.

Recommended range for a SWG pool is 70-80ppm, that requires about 2.6 to 3kg. So, 2 of the 2kg packs should do for now.

It's winter now, you probably don't have to get up to 70-80 straight away, maybe add enough to get to 30-40 to start with. Use the sock-method to add it. Once it gets towards summer, you want to reach the recommended range. Going stepwise will allow you to get used to the CYA test.

PoolMath will tell you all the exact amounts. Also check the "Effects of adding" in PoolMath, it tells you all the effects of adding chemicals, e.g. the effect of adding CYA on the CYA-level and on pH.

And check out Clear Choice Labs, they offer Taylor like test kits in Australia.

cool thanks for that info i am taking notes, so 1 percent of the total litres gives the gram amount of cya need to raise by 10ppm, thats easy, i will check the litres that go into pool on fill day, but 38000 is a pretty close estimate for now, i got the Taylor kit just to start off with the best, but i think i read that some or maybe all of clear choice chemicals are same , so i will refill with there stuff when the taylor kit runs out, but i will check to make sure clear choice are definatly all the same...

 

[mgtfp]

i think i read that some or maybe all of clear choice chemicals are same

Most reagents are fully compatible with Taylor. There are a few where different concentrations or drop sizes are used.

Test Kit Reagent Compatibility Chart – Clear Choice Labs