Pls help! New pool. Numbers COMPLETELY off.

Jul 26, 2017
101
AZ
Pool Size
25000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Hi All. I have had my pool for about 30 days. I hired a startup company to set up the equipment and manage for the first month. I did not verify anything but had you help me troubleshoot some automation issues. Today I tested everything on my own and the numbers are VERY off from where they need to be. Is there a recommended sequence I should follow to fix everything? Or do it all in one go? Please help!

FC = 0.5
CC = 0
Salt = 400ppm
Bromine 0
Ph above 8.2
CYA 45pppm
 
Hi All. I have had my pool for about 30 days. I hired a startup company to set up the equipment and manage for the first month. I did not verify anything but had you help me troubleshoot some automation issues. Today I tested everything on my own and the numbers are VERY off from where they need to be. Is there a recommended sequence I should follow to fix everything? Or do it all in one go? Please help!

FC = 0.5
CC = 0
Salt = 400ppm
Bromine 0
Ph above 8.2
CYA 45pppm
If it’s less than 30 days then nothing is that far off. Test the calcium hardness and report back. Some newbies overestimate the pH initially, you might post a picture of that test if you have any doubt on it.

If you didn’t add any bromine, then there isn’t any in the water and you don’t need to test for it.
 
You are FINE. How are you testing your water? What kit do you have?
If you don't have one of our recommended kits I would NOT make any of the following adjustments until you have one. Link-->Test Kits Compared

ASSUMING that you are done with your 30 days, and you are out of the startup phase...and you have a recommended kit...
CYA
Always round your CYA up to the next 10. Your CYA is 50. Nothing to do here for the moment.
FC
  1. FC is king. Once you have CYA in the pool, always manage FC first.
  2. Always follow this chart. For now use liquid chlorine and raise your FC to target for your CYA and keep it in range daily. Link-->FC/CYA Levels
  3. Get pool math...configure your pool and use it to determine how much of any chemical to add. Link-->PoolMath
pH
  1. Again, use pool math to determine how much muriatic acid to add to reduce pH by .4.
  2. Add the muriatic acid to the pool in a very small stream in front of a return, then brush around.
  3. Wait 30 minutes and test again.
  4. Repeat in .4 pH reductions until you hit your target pH.
SALT
  1. Read the SWG manual for recommended salt target range. Pick a number in the middle of the range.
  2. Use pool math to calculate how much salt you need to add to get to target.
  3. Turn off the SWG.
  4. Make sure the pump is running.
  5. Dump 4 bags in the shallow end, that is about what I can handle in one go with the brush. Brush back and forth in the shallow end until the salt dissolves. Get 4 more bags. Repeat until you get 75% of the weight pool math told you to add to get to target.
  6. STOP.
  7. Allow 24 hours for the salt to circulate. If you have a robot, throw that in to help circulation.
  8. After 24 hours, RETEST Salt...THEN add what you need to get to target.
  9. This will help you from overshooting...and get some testing experience!
TA and CH.
Test and report these with your test kit.
Test and report your fill water TA and CH also.

We love new pools...
:nopic:
 
Last edited:
Thank you very much! This was very helpful. How do I turn my salt cell off? Do you mean set the setting to 0 through my Pentair app?
 
Fill out your signature...no idea you had automation.


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