New pool pump died after 2 hours-new startup

[texasgal78]

We filled our new pool, which finished in the late morning yesterday. We added the sequestrant and 2 gallons of acid. Pool water before adding anything was Ph 8.2, CH 200, TA 130. After adding chemicals Ph < 6.8, CH 150, TA60. My husband's pool friend came over they turned on the pump. 2 hours later, we heard a loud clank sound and pump turned off. Every time he tried to turn it back on, it tried then died. They think maybe the impeller (sp?). So anyways pump is not working. Our levels in the morning (this morning) were Ph 7.2-7.4, CH 125 TA 60. PH in spa 6.8. Per my husband's friend, we added 1 gallon of acid in pool, nothing in spa. We ran the grotto all day so the water wasnt just sitting. This evening's numbers are PH 7.2, CH 150, TA 30, spa Ph 7.8, CH 150, TA 30. Jandy technician will be here tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully we should have it up and running then. So our CH and TA is low. Will I need to add CaCl2 and baking soda? Thanks!

 

[pooldv]

How are you chlorinating your pool? Please add to your signature. For now raise CH to 250 and TA to 60.

 

[texasgal78]

How are you chlorinating your pool? Please add to your signature. For now raise CH to 250 and TA to 60.

I haven't put any chlorine yet, but I will be using liquid bleach 10%. The wet edge start-up says no chlorine for 48 hrs. Should I have been putting in chlorine already??

 

[pooldv]

No, definitely follow Wet Edge guidelines. It just makes a difference on TA if you have SWG or trichlor pucks or LC/bleach.

250 and 60 is good for now.

 

[texasgal78]

No, definitely follow Wet Edge guidelines. It just makes a difference on TA if you have SWG or trichlor pucks or LC/bleach.

250 and 60 is good for now.

Ok, thanks! I will have to do it in the morning. I will also retest and go off of my morning numbers.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, is having no pump to run all this time going to cause any issues? Should I continue to run my grotto?

 

[kimkats]

I would run any kind of pump to move the water. You are also going to need to really brush good to help mix the water up. Do you happen to have a sub pump? You can get one for cheap at Harbor Freight to help move the water.

When you post your numbers (you are doing a great job with that!) can you please post them like this?

FC
CC
PH
TA
CH
CYA

It is easier for us to read at a glance. THANKS!

Kim:cat:

 

[texasgal78]

I would run any kind of pump to move the water. You are also going to need to really brush good to help mix the water up. Do you happen to have a sub pump? You can get one for cheap at Harbor Freight to help move the water.

When you post your numbers (you are doing a great job with that!) can you please post them like this?

FC
CC
PH
TA
CH
CYA

It is easier for us to read at a glance. THANKS!

Kim:cat:

Thanks Kim!
This morning our numbers were

PH 7.5
CH 150
TA 40

Spa~ my husband added a little acid yesterday to spa since we didnt add anything yesterday morning (looks like too much!)

PH < 6.8 turned yellow!
CH 150
TA 10

We've been brushing twice a day. Grotto is running. My husband is brushing now. It's almost time for us to add chlorine (48 hours). Do we just wait until the pump is fixed and running? I can keep agitating the spa. My husband can run to home depot (no harbor freight close) to rent the sump pump. Will it be ok to use that hose if we rinsed it out first? My husband's pool friend said not to add anything yet, wait until we get the pool pump running. I'm a little worried!

 

[zea3]

If they are coming to look at the pump today I would wait until they have checked it out to add anything. If it is going to be a couple of days to get the pump repaired/replaced add some bleach and brush the pool. If you can rent a pump that circulates the water well while waiting on repairs you can add the calcium, you just don't want it to sit on the bottom of the pool undissolved. Brush well after adding calcium even if the pump is repaired/replaced.

 

[texasgal78]

If they are coming to look at the pump today I would wait until they have checked it out to add anything. If it is going to be a couple of days to get the pump repaired/replaced add some bleach and brush the pool. If you can rent a pump that circulates the water well while waiting on repairs you can add the calcium, you just don't want it to sit on the bottom of the pool undissolved. Brush well after adding calcium even if the pump is repaired/replaced.

Thanks! The repair guy should be here soon! Ive been out there brushing again and keep agitating the spa to circulate the spa a little. I couldn't leave the house because I'm not sure exactly when the guy will be here and don't want to miss him! My husband was planning on going, but had something come up at work and had to leave. Hopefully everything will be ok...trying to stay optimistic

 

[texasgal78]

Yay! Pump is now up and running. I brushed the pool again. Pump has been running for several hours. Now my results are this..

PH 7.8
CH 125
TA 40

My husband's friend told him to put in 1 gallon of acid, alkalinity up 3-4 lbs (we have the baking soda), and 2 packs (2 lbs) cal-hypo. My husband is only wanting to do as he says for the start up, does it sound ok???

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, and he had already dumped a bucket of cya before our pump died.

 

[zea3]

The cal-hypo will bring up the calcium level and add chlorine. I hope he has not added the acid yet as that will drop the TA further, then you will have to add even more baking soda to bring the TA up, which will also bring the pH up and that can get you chasing your tail pretty quick!

What you will need to do is raise the TA first. Use PoolMath to determine how much baking soda to raise TA to 90. Wait 30 minutes and retest TA and pH. If you have reached 90 for TA find out how much acid to use to drop pH to 7.5 using PoolMath.

Do you know how much CYA was put in the pool?

 

[texasgal78]

The cal-hypo will bring up the calcium level and add chlorine. I hope he has not added the acid yet as that will drop the TA further, then you will have to add even more baking soda to bring the TA up, which will also bring the pH up and that can get you chasing your tail pretty quick!

What you will need to do is raise the TA first. Use PoolMath to determine how much baking soda to raise TA to 90. Wait 30 minutes and retest TA and pH. If you have reached 90 for TA find out how much acid to use to drop pH to 7.5 using PoolMath.

Do you know how much CYA was put in the pool?

Great, thanks for the help! Nothing has been added yet. They put in a 4 lb bucket of cya the day the pool was filled, the day before yesterday.

 

[texasgal78]

Ok finally able to get this stuff in the pool! Pool math says 14 lbs, does that right? Sounds like a lot. I just want to make sure I'm doing this correctly.

 

[pooldv]

What stuff?

 

[texasgal78]

What stuff?

As was suggested above, raise TA first by adding the baking soda and redcheck in 30 min

 

[texasgal78]

when can i put in the cal-hypo?

 

[pooldv]

I would put the cal-hypo in first, brush it to dissolve and then follow zea3's instructions on TA and PH. Yes, 14lbs baking soda is about right.

 

[texasgal78]

I would put the cal-hypo in first, brush it to dissolve and then follow zea3's instructions on TA and PH. Yes, 14lbs baking soda is about right.

Ahh, well shoot! I just finished putting in the baking soda. Is it ok to do it now or should I wait? My husband was instructed to put in skimmer...do i just dissolve in water and pour around?

 

[pooldv]

It is fine to add cal-hypo after. Cal-hypo should be poured in the shallow end and brushed to dissolve. We do not recommend pouring any chemicals into the skimmer.

More here on adding other chemicals, Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

 

[texasgal78]

It is fine to add cal-hypo after. Cal-hypo should be poured in the shallow end and brushed to dissolve. We do not recommend pouring any chemicals into the skimmer.

More here on adding other chemicals, Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Thank you!

My levels this morning are

Chlorine is showing lighter than .5
PH 7.8
TA 70
CH 150
CYA 0 ?

I read that CYA levels can take a week to show up. I can see the black dot with all the liquid poured in. We added a 4 lb bucket of cya on Wednesday. Do I wait to adjust that or adjust. Also if chlorine levels are that low, do I even check free chlorine yet? My thoughts are to add more of the chlorine. Adjust TA by adding more of the baking soda. Recheck, then adjust PH by adding acid.
I thought from what I had read was to first adjust PH, then TA. I read this on here somewhere and wrote this down "don't make any changes to TA before adjusting PH b/c the calculations for how much acid or base to add to adjust PH rely on the alkalinity not changing". Why is this not the case with me, because my alkalinity is so low?

Thanks!