NEW POOL

[drdriller]

Hi,
This is my first post and first pool. I have a 20,000 gallon chlorine pool, with exposed aggregate plaster, and whisperflow 2 hp pump. Two days ago I filled the pool. My builder then came and added 8 gallons of muriatic acid, and some "purple stuff" brand name?. He said today to add 4 pouches of shock, turn my chlorine on to 3, the one that holds tablets, and I am "good to go".

Well, what do i do now, and where do i go from here? The test kit he gave me shows no chlorine, and the pH is below the scale. (I am waiting for the test kit that is recommended to come in the mail).

Anyway, I have no clue on what to do now, except brush twice a day, and run the pump. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[257WbyMag]

A quick trip to Wal-Mart or any store with some pool supplies will permit you to get a basic test kit with OTO chlorine and pH testing capability. This will tide you over and will let you know without a doubt whether there is chlorine in your pool and what the pH is. Run out and get one of those in the meantime, test your water and correct pH problems and make sure you continue to have chlorine, brush, and circulate the water. Once the good test kit arrives, you can start dialing things in better.

--edit-- I didn't read far enough. What kind of test kit do you have? Is the scale for chlorine different shades of yellow? If it is, then it is an OTO test which will confirm with good accuracy whether or not you have chlorine in your pool at all. It won't give you a CC reading but it will tell you your total chlorine. If it is completely clear after adding the drops, then you need to get some bleach into your pool.

If your pH isn't between 7.2 to 7.8, it needs to be corrected quickly.

If you aren't sure about your kit giving accurate results, take a sample to a pool store and have them check it as well. Or, you can go pick up a new OTO/pH kit (like the HTH ones) in the meantime.

 

[duraleigh]

Drdriller,

Welcome. Have you seen "Pool School" in the upper right of the screen? That's a great place to start and will arm you with lots of questions to ask.

Up front, your pH needs to be in the 7's and you need to put a small jug of chlorine in your pool each evening until you can post good test numbers. We'll be able to be a lot more specific then.

 

[waste]

Drdriller, welcome to TFP!!

As Duraliegh said, give Pool School a good read, it covers all the basics and then feel free to ask ANY further questions you have on how, why or when to do things to the pool or what to use

(Any chance you're a dentist? )

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Drdriller....now there's a username.

Read the article in Pool School about How to start up new plaster....sounds to me like your builder did the "Acid StartUp"...but what he did differs slightly from what is posted.

Your PH will rise, pretty rapidly at first, and routinely....while the plaster cures. So I'm happy to hear a good test kit is on the way, because you'll be going thru a lot of acid in the process.

The trichlor pucks should help to keep the ph in check, adding cya and chlorine slowly. If the plaster dust is gone, follow step 5.

If I'm wrong here, someone with more knowledge will correct me.

 

[drdriller]

Thanks,

Yes I'm a dentist. :-D

I think the builder did some kind of modified acid bath also. I have read Pool School, but since I had the modified start up, I was somewhat confused. My plan was to let the pH rise naturally, as the plaster cures, keep the chlorine tabs set at 3, (the middle), and add liquid bleach to adjust chlorine levels until I get my better kit.

 

[JasonLion]

That sounds like a good plan. You might want to confirm with your builder or plaster people to see if they have any specific instructions.

You don't want to swim until the PH comes up.

The FC level may be quite low at the start. As long as your tablet feeder is working that is fine. The CYA level will also be very low at the start, so not much FC is required right at first.