Pool Gear for a new pool?

[ajw22]

When the IC40 needs replacement consider the IC60.

 

[starr1005]

Sounds like a fun$$ project. What did you do to keep water out of it when it was dormant?

Lol, yep!
We just kept pumps in each part of the pool and pumped it out every so often. It was a bit of a mosquito trap though.

 

[starr1005]

You should be fine with the 40. If will make 9.3FC running 24 hours at 100% in your pool. (don't ever run 24/7 at 100% for days, not good for the cell).
With your VSP, even on really high demand days, you can run 50%, 24/7 and make 5 FC. You are fine.
@wireform is pointing out that a bigger cell (IC-60) allows you to run lower %, and that can extend the life of the cell. It can also make more in a shorter period of time...just gives you more flexibility.
If they will swap it, take it. If not, don't sweat it.

Good deal, and thanks for the reply.. I will definitely consider that in the future.

 

[starr1005]

You should be fine with the 40. If will make 9.3FC running 24 hours at 100% in your pool. (don't ever run 24/7 at 100% for days, not good for the cell).
With your VSP, even on really high demand days, you can run 50%, 24/7 and make 5 FC. You are fine.
@wireform is pointing out that a bigger cell (IC-60) allows you to run lower %, and that can extend the life of the cell. It can also make more in a shorter period of time...just gives you more flexibility.
If they will swap it, take it. If not, don't sweat it.

Does it matter what speed the pump is running at to achieve that number?

 

[PoolStored]

Nope, but It needs enough to close the flow switch. I think mine turns off at 6-700rpm.

 

[starr1005]

Nope, but It needs enough to close the flow switch. I think mine turns off at 6-700rpm.

Good to know, thank you

 

[phonedave]

Measuring equipment never seems to get mentioned.

Get a cheap kitchen scale. One that will go up to at least a pound.

Get a 2 quart clear plastic pitcher with ounce gradations on the side

Get a clean 5 gallon bucket

The scale is to measure things such as CYA and Baking Soda
The pitcher is for things like bleach and acid
The bucket is for adding acid to water before your put it in your pool (opinions vary on that one - I dilute my acid before adding, others just add it, there are safety and chemical considerations with both ways)


Also handy is a dedicated sample cup. If you are going to run a bunch of tests, it is nice to have a 2-3 cup container that you can use to collect enough pool water at once to run all of the tests as well as rinse out the test cylinders.

 

[PoolStored]

Eye protection for when you use Muriatic Acid.

 

[ajw22]

Measuring equipment never seems to get mentioned.

To be contrary to laboratory grade best practice, I rarely measure.

Get a cheap kitchen scale. One that will go up to at least a pound.

Yup, I use one of those to put filled socks on to know how much CYA is being added.

Get a 2 quart clear plastic pitcher with ounce gradations on the side
Get a clean 5 gallon bucket
The pitcher is for things like bleach and acid
The bucket is for adding acid to water before your put it in your pool (opinions vary on that one - I dilute my acid before adding, others just add it, there are safety and chemical considerations with both ways)

At 35,000 gallons I know 1 gallon of liquid chlorine adds 3 PPM to my pool.

The OP has 20,000 gallons. 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine adds 3ppm. 1/4 gallon adds 1.5 ppm. Put it a few times and you learn about how much is 1/2 gallon or 1/4 gallon. A bit over or under is not a big deal.

Similarly, 1/2 gallon of 31% acid is a 0.4 drop in pH. That lowers my pH 8.0-8.2 to 7.4-7.6.

For the OP 1/4 gallon of acid will lower pH by 0.4

The less handling of acid the better.

Small pools and spas need different techniques. With a large pool you can eyeball most chemical additions with a bit of practice.

 

[starr1005]

Measuring equipment never seems to get mentioned.

Get a cheap kitchen scale. One that will go up to at least a pound.

Get a 2 quart clear plastic pitcher with ounce gradations on the side

Get a clean 5 gallon bucket

The scale is to measure things such as CYA and Baking Soda
The pitcher is for things like bleach and acid
The bucket is for adding acid to water before your put it in your pool (opinions vary on that one - I dilute my acid before adding, others just add it, there are safety and chemical considerations with both ways)


Also handy is a dedicated sample cup. If you are going to run a bunch of tests, it is nice to have a 2-3 cup container that you can use to collect enough pool water at once to run all of the tests as well as rinse out the test cylinders.

Thats a good point and relatively cheap add on. I will get those things on the list.

 

[starr1005]

At 35,000 gallons I know 1 gallon of liquid chlorine adds 3 PPM to my pool.

The OP has 20,000 gallons. 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine adds 3ppm. 1/4 gallon adds 1.5 ppm. Put it a few times and you learn about how much is 1/2 gallon or 1/4 gallon. A bit over or under is not a big deal.

Similarly, 1/2 gallon of 31% acid is a 0.4 drop in pH. That lowers my pH 8.0-8.2 to 7.4-7.6.

For the OP 1/4 gallon of acid will lower pH by 0.4

The less handling of acid the better.

Small pools and spas need different techniques. With a large pool you can eyeball most chemical additions with a bit of practice.

Those are some numbers! I will definitely save it, but I think i am a ways off from eyeballing it still. I am still trying to remember what things like CYA mean without having to look them up every time lol.

 

[ajw22]

Those are some numbers! I will definitely save it, but I think i am a ways off from eyeballing it still. I am still trying to remember what things like CYA mean without having to look them up every time lol.

After many years of being a pool boy you get the hang of it.

 

[phonedave]

To be contrary to laboratory grade best practice, I rarely measure.


Yup, I use one of those to put filled socks on to know how much CYA is being added.



At 35,000 gallons I know 1 gallon of liquid chlorine adds 3 PPM to my pool.

The OP has 20,000 gallons. 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine adds 3ppm. 1/4 gallon adds 1.5 ppm. Put it a few times and you learn about how much is 1/2 gallon or 1/4 gallon. A bit over or under is not a big deal.

Similarly, 1/2 gallon of 31% acid is a 0.4 drop in pH. That lowers my pH 8.0-8.2 to 7.4-7.6.

For the OP 1/4 gallon of acid will lower pH by 0.4

The less handling of acid the better.

Small pools and spas need different techniques. With a large pool you can eyeball most chemical additions with a bit of practice.

Eh, I go back and forth with it. I "know" that a scoop of CYA (the scoop I use) is 10oz. That is until I decided to measure again and found that one brand is not the same density as an other. Not vastly different, but still different.

Before I switched to a SWCG I "knew" that my pool (17,000 gal) used a quart of bleach a day. I had a quart Nalgene bottle that I used. Fill up the bottle and dump it in. Then I started measuring and found that things slowly get out of whack over time when you estimate too much.

As for handling of acid, maybe I am just stupid. I'm pretty safe with a lot of things, but MA, I don't get all heeby jeeby about. I fill my bucket with pool water. I pour out a dose of acid (into the aforementioned Nalgene bottle) and pour that into the bucket. Then pour that bucket into the pool slowly in front of the return. I take sensible precautions (keep things on a stable surface, cap the acid jug right after I pour from it, etc) but I am not all about "OMG I am going to transfer it twice, I better suit up" Again, people should take whatever precautions they want, and feel necessary.

 

[ajw22]

Eh, I go back and forth with it.

The key to being successful with eyeballing measurements is to test after adding the chemical.

If you are less than the results you expect add a bit more.

If you are too high, it is rarely a problem, and you learned to go easier next time.

 

[starr1005]

Ok, I broke my pro kit and tested my tap water
Ph 7.8
Ta 220
Ch 175

Does that seem crazy for tap water? I wasn't sure if I did the drops correctly.

I also tested my flow rate, with both hoses at the same time, I was running 10.8 GPM, or 30 hrs to fill 20k.

 

[PoolStored]

Does that seem crazy for tap water? I wasn't sure if I did the drops correctly.

I also tested my flow rate, with both hoses at the same time, I was running 10.8 GPM, or 30 hrs to fill 20k.

TA of 220 in TX is high, but not out of the realm of possibility.
10.8 is about right for two hoses. You will get fluctuations based on the local demand for water (higher or lower).

 

[starr1005]

TA of 220 in TX is high, but not out of the realm of possibility.
10.8 is about right for two hoses. You will get fluctuations based on the local demand for water (higher or lower).

I will re run through test. In the last 3 drops, it turned red the clearing again... should I go until it stays red? Or stop when it first turns?

 

[PoolStored]

I will re run through test. In the last 3 drops, it turned red the clearing again... should I go until it stays red? Or stop when it first turns?

Continue to add drops until the color does not change again, then subtract that last drop.

 

[starr1005]

Continue to add drops until the color does not change again, then subtract that last drop.

Thank you