New pool and new pool owner! Check my math?

WGpoolnewb

Well-known member
Jun 9, 2020
144
Central Florida
Pool Size
18000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Truclear / Ei
Good morning TFP!
Well, the pool is done, and now it's all mine... Salt went in on Thursday, so it's officially my responsibility to manage the water (of course I was keeping tabs on it before).

Before I go nuts adding stuff to the water, would someone check my work?
Today's readings:
FC: 1.5
CC: 0
pH: 8.4 (it was beyond the 8.2 color)
TA: 70
CH: 250
CYA: 30
Salt: 2600
CSI: 0.38

Prior to this, the PB was using tabs to chlorinate. Most of the numbers have remained pretty stable, apart from FC dropping and the new pH jump, wish I assume is related to the salt. At this point, do I just need to add some muriatic and see what next week shows? Would 64oz be appropriate? Anything else I should add? Dry CYA?
 
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Yes, on the right track. Add Cya to reach 50ppm and keep your Cl according to FC/CYA Levels. Use PoolMath to caclulate how much muriatic acid.(sounds ok). When starting your salt cell remember to bring up CL with liquid first and the cell will maintain. Also use poolmath to calculate SWG run time for at least 3ppm of chlorine per day.
 
Perfect, thanks. I would not have thought about adding CL, so I'll work on that as well. I checked the MA level in Pool Math, I'm just leery of dumping too much stuff in at once, and sending the water in the opposite direction quickly. This is my first pool, so I'm learning as I go. Thank goodness for TFP!
 
Thanks for that link, @ajw22 . I was just looking for that. I used my 1/2 gallon figure based on 6%, in the Pool Math app. I suppose I should talk in terms of adjustments, and then work from there to additive amount. I will need to see what’s available at the store today. Heading to Lowes (or wherever else) after lunch.
 
Looks like bleach will be Clorox disinfecting bleach, 7.5%. I’m not seeing any additive keywords. The pool chlorinating bottles at Lowes are all very old (September 2021 or older) and stocked outside in Florida weather.
 
Does the Clorox say Cloromax anywhere on it? Almost all Clorox bleach has foaming polymers they label as Cloromax.
 
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Does the Clorox say Cloromax anywhere on it? Almost all Clorox bleach has foaming polymers they label as Cloromax.
I did not see that on the bottle anywhere. I'll check once more before using.
ARG! It has a little badge on the back. Well, my wife was just joking that I'm always looking for an excuse to go to the hardware store!
 
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Found 10% "Pool Essentials Chlorinating Liquid" at Walmart, nice and fresh. And cheaper.

So, based on what I've been reading here, and re-inputting numbers into Pool Math app, it looks like I need to add:
48oz 31.45% Muriatic Acid (lower from 8.4+ -> 7.8)
96oz 10% Bleach (raise from 1.5->5.7)
3lbs CYA (raise from 30->50)

Reading the "How long to wait" article, indicates I should give myself at least 10 minutes between each addition, finishing with the CYA being added using a sock in the skimmer. Am I at all close with these plans?
 
Well, I definitely saw a change!
Today's logs:
FC: 12(!)
CC: 0
pH: 7.5
TA: 30

How much should I worry about the high FC level? Seems like it went double my expectation.

Edit: A note after doing some reading here about high FC levels, I did not get the CYA started yesterday. That's the plan for today, which is why I skipped a CYA test this morning.
Just tested, CYA still at 30.
 
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Yeah, you overdid the FC a bit. At CYA 30 the FC 12 is at SLAM level. Not a problem. Just let it drift down before you add more LC or turn on your SWG.

Note that your pH test can be invalid with FC above 10 so don’t make any pH adjustments until the FC drops.
 
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Should I hold off on adding the CYA, will that speed the FC drop? Or would it be beneficial to add it now?

I don't understand how the FC jumped so much, I double checked everything this morning as well. Even if the LC was crazy hot above 10%, I can't tell how it increased so much. Regardless, SWG is off for now, and I'll keep testing FC daily.
 
Add your CYA. With more CYA your FC will be “less high “ compared to SLAM FC level.
 
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Added approximately 1.5lbs of stabilizer yesterday. Today's readings:
FC: 9
pH: 7.6 (somewhere between the 7.5 & 7.8 color)
CYA: 50

I'm basing my pool volume off of the meter readings before/after fill, and compared to simple volume math, it seems to agree, within about 1000 gallons. I'll work on the chemical test when I get the materials.
 
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In same position as you.. New pool .. water in last Thursday, PB balanced yesterday and water is too cold for SWG to be working yet, first off your posting is a helpful read .. what are you using to read your salt level?
 

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