So confused about plaster start up

[danny1001]

Hello I just purchased a home in Florida and installed the brand new pool. It is a plaster finish pool with a product Florida stucco. I have read 100 different things about how to start these pools. My pool builder has not really been doing much. I’ve been reading that they’re supposed to brush this pool. However, after doing the plaster he’s only been here once to brush it he added a lot of acid and told me that everything should be fine, he turned on my heater today And I let my kids go swimming in the pool when we got out there with some white dust in the skimmer. I guess the question I have is is it safe to swim in a pool where the Stucco is still curing and making dust is it harmful to people? Also realistically, how important is it to brush my pool builder is telling me once a week is more than enough. I am reading some people do it three times a day so much confusion???????
I would really appreciate some help. I am very confused.

 

[pjt]

Are you or your builder following a startup guide?

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Mdragger88]

When was the pool filled?
How are you testing the water?

 

[danny1001]

Thank you for your reply, I don’t really think my pool builder is falling. Anything he filled up the pool two weeks ago he added a bunch of acid and he’s only brushed twice. He’s tested the water twice using a Taylor test kit. That’s all that’s been done so far. The water is clear but today we went in and some white residue ended up in the skimmer. Is the white powder dangerous for swimmers???? to be honest I’m not overly concerned about the finish of the pool as much as the safety of my kids.

 

[danny1001]

Also, I’m not used to all this. I live in Canada where we use Liner pools.

 

[Bperry]

Also, I’m not used to all this. I live in Canada where we use Liner pools.

You really can’t count on others testing your water so the best advice is to get one of your own test kits recommended here (not strips or not the electronics testers)

Plaster powder (if that’s what it is) is normal and not harmful. Brushing the pool daily for the first week or so will help remove the loose plaster dust.

 

[Mdragger88]

The small amount of plaster dust is the least of your worries with your kiddos so long as you can clearly see the bottom of the pool for swimmer safety -
adequate fc & acceptable ph levels (in the 7’s) are priorities.
See- FC/CYA Levels
and get yourself a proper test kit asap.
Test Kits Compared

 

[danny1001]

Thank you for your Replies
Nothing but confusion so far with this pool.
This morning I woke up in the pool was Green. I called the pool company to come and look at it. They dumped in some liquid chlorine and left. Now again I have no chlorine. I called him to complain. This is what he sends me.

Daniel, here’s a quick explanation of how pool chemicals work:

• Pool usage: The more the pool is used, the faster the chemicals are depleted.
• Water heating: Increased water temperatures also cause chemicals to be consumed more quickly.
• Weekly service: With a weekly service schedule, this can sometimes leave the pool with low or no chemicals between visits.

For a new pebble finish, we need to add a significant amount of acid to help with proper curing. Typically, swimming in a brand-new pool is not advised, but we made an exception so you could enjoy it. The chlorine gets added in limited amounts, as excessive chlorine is not recommended for a fresh finish. Stabilizer also gets added after a while of the pool being up & running.

The green tint appeared because algae formed due to the chlorine came to low levels.
And today, as I mentioned earlier, we added chlorine, and obviously the algae consumed it as part of the killing process, which is why the chlorine levels are again currently low.

Our tech will stop by tomorrow early morning to adjust the chemicals again and ensure everything is balanced properly.


Does any of this make any sense? You saying that I shouldn’t be swimming in the pool the plaster was done almost 3 weeks ago.

 

[Bperry]

Thank you for your Replies
Nothing but confusion so far with this pool.
This morning I woke up in the pool was Green. I called the pool company to come and look at it. They dumped in some liquid chlorine and left. Now again I have no chlorine. I called him to complain. This is what he sends me.

Daniel, here’s a quick explanation of how pool chemicals work:

• Pool usage: The more the pool is used, the faster the chemicals are depleted.
• Water heating: Increased water temperatures also cause chemicals to be consumed more quickly.
• Weekly service: With a weekly service schedule, this can sometimes leave the pool with low or no chemicals between visits.

For a new pebble finish, we need to add a significant amount of acid to help with proper curing. Typically, swimming in a brand-new pool is not advised, but we made an exception so you could enjoy it. The chlorine gets added in limited amounts, as excessive chlorine is not recommended for a fresh finish. Stabilizer also gets added after a while of the pool being up & running.

The green tint appeared because algae formed due to the chlorine came to low levels.
And today, as I mentioned earlier, we added chlorine, and obviously the algae consumed it as part of the killing process, which is why the chlorine levels are again currently low.

Our tech will stop by tomorrow early morning to adjust the chemicals again and ensure everything is balanced properly.


Does any of this make any sense? You saying that I shouldn’t be swimming in the pool the plaster was done almost 3 weeks ago.

They aren’t that far off. Chlorine needs to be added every day. Either manually or with a salt chlorinator. If you have no stabilizer in the water almost all the chlorine you add will be gone in a few hours. I’d expect after almost a month you can add stabilizer. You can probably do that with trichlor tablets as they’ll release chlorine slowly. Make sure you don’t get any that say “blue” in the name as those contain copper which you don’t want in the water.

There’s no reason not to swim if the pH is between 7.0 and 8.2 and the chlorine is below the SLAM level for your CYA.

 

[danny1001]

Thank you for your reply
What does it mean when the CYA is below the slam level?

 

[danny1001]

How long after adding chlorine is it safe to swing? My concern is what happens when it runs out and bacteria grows. If you continue to add chlorine it just kills everything all over again.

 

[danny1001]

If chlorine is gone in a few hours, how does a person use this pool? I don’t understand I’m supposed to keep adding chlorine every two hours.??? is it not safe to swim when you add chlorine

 

[Bperry]

If chlorine is gone in a few hours, how does a person use this pool? I don’t understand I’m supposed to keep adding chlorine every two hours.??? is it not safe to swim when you add chlorine

Here’s some quick answers but don’t skip the rest:

You can swim anytime the water tests fall within the TFP guidelines below. Swimming wait time doesn’t matter as long as you aren’t pouring chlorine or acid on people and the test results adhere to the guidelines. To be extra safe, wait 15minutes with the pump running so it gets mixed in. If they are just dumping chemicals in the water without testing then I wouldn’t swim at all.

Here’s a link to the recommendations:

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

Give it a read through a couple times. You also need to have your own titration based test kit like the TF-100 of the K2006C. Trying to hire someone else to test the water once a week doesn’t work out well for most people.

Chlorine is a consumable and will degrade over time. When it’s hot outside it degrades faster. When the sun is shining on it, it degrades faster. When there’s organisms in the water, it oxidizes the stuff and gets used up faster.

Adding stabilizer (CYA) buffers the chlorine from UV degradation by the sun. It also buffers some of the harshness of chlorine. Adding CYA will make the chlorine stay around longer in the sunlight. So you need to add some. But if you read the articles above, you’ll note that as the CYA level increases, you need more chlorine (FC) to keep the water sanitary.

Realistically, chlorine needs to be added every couple days in the summer. In winter, it might be every few weeks. You just need to test the water and find out.

BUT: if the chlorine has run out and you have green algae showing up, that means you have algae consuming the chlorine. (It’s actually the chlorine oxidizing the algae and then being converted to another compound), but once that starts the algae is growing so fast you need to keep the chlorine levels up to what TFP calls the SLAM level until the algae is gone.

Get a recommended test kit and provide test results so we can better recommend action. I’d say you can safely float some trichlor tablets in a floater and that’ll at least add some chlorine and CYA for you.

 

[danny1001]

Hey guys, I just had my water tested and this is what it came back with the company that did my plaster is telling me they don’t want to add alkaline is this water safe to swim and I am so confused and overwhelmed. I am in Florida visiting my home with my family and I can’t seem to understand if I’m allowed to use this pool or not.

 

[ajw22]

Hey guys, I just had my water tested and this is what it came back with the company that did my plaster is telling me they don’t want to add alkaline is this water safe to swim and I am so confused and overwhelmed. I am in Florida visiting my home with my family and I can’t seem to understand if I’m allowed to use this pool or not.

Your water is safe to swim based on the posted test from Pinch A Penny.

We do recommend you do your own testing with your own test kit. But you have been told that before.

 

[danny1001]

I really appreciate your reply. I have ordered a tail test kit. The guy at the pool store told me not to swim in it because it’s acid in the water. I don’t know how they can be so much information in this industry. What is the issues with having a low alkalinity and also am I able to add any in a new plaster pool? I am getting mixed opinions from all kinds of different people.

 

[mknauss]

IF the pH is 7.4, and that is a test a pool store should be able to get correct, you are fine.

It is chemically difficult to have a TA of 25 ppm and a pH of 7.4.

 

[Bperry]

I really appreciate your reply. I have ordered a tail test kit. The guy at the pool store told me not to swim in it because it’s acid in the water. I don’t know how they can be so much information in this industry. What is the issues with having a low alkalinity and also am I able to add any in a new plaster pool? I am getting mixed opinions from all kinds of different people.

If the guy at the pool store who said that is the same one that provided the test then it’s nonsense. pH is what measures the relative acidity of the water and its just fine.

 

[danny1001]

The guy at the pool store who tested it for me said and I quote
I would not swim in the water that is a pool of acid

He told me to add alkalinity but the pool builder told me not too meanwhile the pool builder is not giving me support

 

[Bperry]

The guy at the pool store who tested it for me said and I quote
I would not swim in the water that is a pool of acid

He told me to add alkalinity but the pool builder told me not too meanwhile the pool builder is not giving me support

I wouldn’t pay any attention to that stores advice in that case. The pH test is literally within the recommended range. This is why we don’t advise going to pool stores. They don’t always have well trained employees.

But like Marty said above it’s hard to believe the TA is 25ppm and the pH is 7.4. If the true TA is really 25ppm, then your pH would probably be much lower. But pool stores tend to good up the TA test by adjusting the results artificially low. The pH test is kinda hard to screw up that much so I’d believe it over the TA. You’re fine to swim but provide test results from your kit when it arrives.