Pool being filled with water on Monday ..What is on my shopping list this weekend??

[crocop]

Hey guys.

So I am getting a new liner and they will begin filling the pool on Monday. The Saturday after (June 25th), I expect to get a SWG installed. Until then, Monday- Saturday, what should I put in the pool?

Bleach? ..if so, how much?
CYA? If so, how much?

Anything else??

I just don't want the pool to turn green before the SWG starts.

Also, when should I add the salt?

Thanks,

 

[Mr Bruce]

Enough bleach to get the FC to 3 and enough CYA to get to 20. Use the pool calculator!

Once you are comfortable handling the basic chemistry for a week, it's ok to add the salt and use the SWG. It's always good to have a handle on things for when you SWG goes bad or stops working and you have to run it like a manual pool for a while anyway.

e: I only buy 4-5 bottles of chlorine at a time (once a week), and store them on the bottom shelf of the basement bar. Cool and dark. No need to buy more than that unless you have lots of cool dark storage. You want to buy the freshest you can. One canister (4lbs) of CYA is plenty for now.

 

[crocop]

Enough bleach to get the FC to 3 and enough CYA to get to 20. Use the pool calculator!

Once you are comfortable handling the basic chemistry for a week, it's ok to add the salt and use the SWG. It's always good to have a handle on things for when you SWG goes bad or stops working and you have to run it like a manual pool for a while anyway.

e: I only buy 4-5 bottles of chlorine at a time (once a week), and store them on the bottom shelf of the basement bar. Cool and dark. No need to buy more than that unless you have lots of cool dark storage. You want to buy the freshest you can. One canister (4lbs) of CYA is plenty for now.

Thanks. I forgot to mention I wont have my test kit for a week until after the water goes in.

How will I know how much bleach to add and how much is enough? Any rough approximation?

 

[Mr Bruce]

Now is a good time to start playing with http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html You tell me your numbers and let's see if we match.

 

[ckk81]

I'd grab a simple test kit for Chlorine and PH somewhere local. Shouldn't be much and will be cheaper than letting the pool go south in the next week.

 

[triptyx]

I'd grab a simple test kit for Chlorine and PH somewhere local. Shouldn't be much and will be cheaper than letting the pool go south in the next week.

I know they're awful, but I've suggested a package of guess (test) strips in the past for folks that were waiting on their proper kit. I know, they're awful, but they're certainly better than nothing - at least with regards to making sure you have some chlorine in there. I definitely wouldn't make many other adjustments to chemistry with them.

 

[Mr Bruce]

Guess strips are a waste of money. It's possible to get an accurate pH reading from a WalMart test, but then in a week you have two. The pH of fill water is going to be close, it's not going to drift that much in a week. There is no harm in just adding what the pool calculator says to get FC to 3 ppm everyday for a week and waiting. IMO

 

[crocop]

Now is a good time to start playing with http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html You tell me your numbers and let's see if we match.

Haha thanks.

Based on my calculator, I would need to add 125oz of 6% bleach to get to FC 3.

For CYA, I would need to added 53oz by weight or 138oz by for liqud stabilizer to achieve a CYA of 20.

What about the other stuff? Do I need to buy?:
Borate
baking soda
calcium chloride

 

[Mr Bruce]

It's usually cheaper to use 8.25% (Great Value Concentrated from Walmart, Chlorox) than 6%, but if 6% is what you have, it'll do. And we match!

Liquid CYA is much more expensive than granular. There is no reason not to just put granular in a sock and hang it in front of a return. But if you don't care about money then liquid is fine too. And quicker.

Don't worry about the other stuff until your kit comes. I've never used a pH increaser in my pool, for instance. Some things you might never need to buy.

 

[crocop]

It's usually cheaper to use 8.25% (Great Value Concentrated from Walmart, Chlorox) than 6%, but if 6% is what you have, it'll do. And we match!

Liquid CYA is much more expensive than granular. There is no reason not to just put granular in a sock and hang it in front of a return. But if you don't care about money then liquid is fine too. And quicker.

Don't worry about the other stuff until your kit comes. I've never used a pH increaser in my pool, for instance. Some things you might never need to buy.

Beauty! Thanks again.

 

[kimkats]

I'd grab a simple test kit for Chlorine and PH somewhere local. Shouldn't be much and will be cheaper than letting the pool go south in the next week.

Got this one from Walmart or any store really. This will give you the basics until your good test kit gets there. It is simple and cheap.

Since it is fresh water you will know there is NO CYA (stabilizer or balancer) in it. Use Pool Math to find out how much CYA you would add for your size pool to get to a level of 20 (shooting low just in case your pool size is off). As soon as the water is in and the pump is running you can add it to the pool.

Put the CYA in a sock (any kind of sock but a cute one gets your extra points LOL) and hang the sock in front of the return. You can give it a squeeze to help speed it up.

Kim:cat: