How to regain balance after stain treatment

[birdmankeys]

I have a new in-ground pool. The company filled it with our horrible well water and the result was severe iron/copper staining. After 3 stain treatments (one round Jack's Magic for Iron, One round pool store for copper, and one Jack's magic for copper) the stains are finally gone and we are ready to balance the water. The pool company guy put 3 chlorine tabs into the skimmer today. I tested the water at 10pm.

We have been sweeping the pool and have backwashed and added DE powder 3 times today. The filter was broken down and cleaned today.

We have a water filtration system and a bobby filter, so new water going into pool is clean as possible.

My questions are what should we do to balance the pool?
What do we need to do to prevent the staining from recurring?

Cl 5+
pH below 6.8
FC 1
CC 18.5
CH 350
TA 10
CYA 0 (I shook the solution for more than 30 seconds but it was clear and I could fill the whole tube and still see the black dot. I watched a video online before test and think I did it right)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Major_in_MS]

Get your pH up to 7.2 or 7.5.

Start thinking about how you are going to raise your CYA, for now you can use the chlorine tabs (pucks) because your CYA is so low, but you must remember that about half of each tab is CYA and it can get too high with continued use. You need to get your CYA up to SWG levels of 70.

Your CC level is very high, that tells me that all the chlorine you are adding to your pool is being used to kill/sanitize. Use the SLAM procedure from this Pool School article http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

You need to increase your TA, which is a buffer to help stabilize your pH. Adding the baking soda to raise your pH will also raise your TA.

Please read through Pool School. (link at top of this page)

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Oh, and I'm new here also, but let me say welcome to the site.

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Did you maybe get your FC and CC numbers mixed up?

 

[birdmankeys]

Should I just use baking soda to raise TA first?

Right now SWG is off, but the pool company rep said to use the tabs over the weekend to slowly raise FC levels. I also have stabilizer and borax but don't want to add too much at once.

The CC is correct. I tested twice to be sure, but I've read that the Jack's Magic can cause incorrect FC/CC readings for 3 wks. The treatment was added on Mon.

There is so much great info here. Thanks!

 

[Major_in_MS]

Ah, I've never used the stain/metal removers and was not aware that they can mess with your chlorine levels.

If I'm correct, adding borax will raise your pH, but not your TA. You will need to use baking soda to raise your TA, and the baking soda will also raise your pH at the same time. Have you learned to use the Pool Math, linked at the top of the page?

Start adding your CYA, but do it in small steps, not all at once. Once it's in, the only way to lower it is to drain/refill if you go to high.

 

[birdmankeys]

I put my numbers into pool math. I used pool math to get the pool to the right levels before the stain treatment. Thanks to TFP and the TF100 test kit, the stains are gone.

I just don't want to add too many chemicals at once. I know I need to add no more than 4lbs of baking soda per day and bring TA up slowly, which should also get my pH inline. I just don't know when I should add stabilizer and turn the SWG back on and what % to set it at.

 

[pooldv]

I would add CYA now. With no CYA your FC will get oxidized quickly by the sun.

 

[Major_in_MS]

I put my numbers into pool math. I used pool math to get the pool to the right levels before the stain treatment. Thanks to TFP and the TF100 test kit, the stains are gone.

I just don't want to add too many chemicals at once. I know I need to add no more than 4lbs of baking soda per day and bring TA up slowly, which should also get my pH inline. I just don't know when I should add stabilizer and turn the SWG back on and what % to set it at.

I think the baking soda goes into solution fairly quickly, I would add some baking soda and then recheck pH after about an hour and keep adding baking soda every hour until my pH is at 7.5. At that point I would let it circulate and recheck my pH and TA the next morning.

And yes, I agree with pooldv, go ahead and get some stabilizer in and recheck CYA in a couple of days.

I don't have a SWG, but according to what I have read, if you have your salt levels right, go ahead and turn it on and let it help you keep chlorine in your pool.