New Pool Installed 4/19 ~ Filled, Now What?

Mar 27, 2016
2
Northern Indiana
New pool installed last Tuesday (4/19) and after being out of town a few days, it's finally filled up. What's my next move? I was proactive and bought the TF-100 test kit and performed some of the initial tests that are usually recommended.

pH - 7.8
TA - 140
CH - 325

Other info that may be helpful: I live in NW Indiana, so we have cool nights still and I don't see us using the pool until Memorial Day weekend. Thanks for the help.....looking forward to really becoming a pool owner!
 
Welcome to TFP and congrats on the new pool!

Please update your location in your profile so the state shows up over there <---- with every post. Climate is an important factor when we are helping you with your pool.

Your TA is a tad on the high side which will tend to make your PH rise. Test your PH every few days until you understand how it behaves. Lowering your PH with muriatic acid will also lower your TA over time. It is important to keep your PH at 7.8 or lower. When it gets to 7.9/8.0 lower it to 7.5.
 
Welcome! :wave:

It's pretty easy since you're starting with fresh water and hopefully no algae.

First off, with zero CYA, target FC is 3. So add 60 ounces of standard 8.25% bleach or its equivalent. You can eyeball half a jug. Just pour that in front of a return with the pump on so it disperses and mixes.

To protect that chlorine you need CYA aka Stabilizer. Targeting 40, poolmath calls for 72 ounces - 4½ lbs. CYA granules are sold in either 4 or 5 lb canisters. Get whatever size they have at your local big box hardware store or pool store. 4 lbs will take you to 36; 5 tp 44. Either is acceptable. Pour the whole thing in an old sock or nylon and set it in the skimmer basket or dangle it in front of a return so there's lots of water flow to dissolve it.

By the time you're done fumbling with that, the bleach will be well mixed. Add a quart of 31% acid. Poolmath actually calls for a bit more to lower pH to 7.2, but just in case your pool isn't quite as big as the manufacturer claims, you don't want to overshoot. Pour that quart in front of the return.

Now go herd the kids inside and get them changed. By the time that battle is done, the pool's ready to swim in. Probably too cold for you, but the kids'll insist it's fine through blue lips. :mrgreen:

The CYA will take a couple days to dissolve completely. Day one, you have none, so target 3 FC. Day two most if not all the CYA will be dissolved, so assume it's around 40 and target 5 FC.

Day three, the sock should be empty, so remove it. You might need a pH adjustment again. You want to target about 5 for the FC. The goal is to add just enough each day so that FC doesn't dip below the minimum for your CYA before you test and dose again. In a few weeks, it will become very predictable.

That's it.

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals tells you what chemical does what and how to add it
Pool School - PoolMath explains how to use poolmath to figure how much
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule tells you what to do and when.
 
Thanks for all of the quick replies! Richard320 helped in a big way because I now confidently know how to use PoolMath. I thought I knew what I was doing, but plugging info in and coming up with your recommendations has boosted my confidence.

Initial steps that Richard320 laid out are complete......I'll be testing and squeezing a sock over the next couple of days to identify my next steps! :D

E
 
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.