Filling a new pool with a well

fisheerman · May 28, 2009

I just had my pool installed yesterday and started to fill it up.

We have a well/softner system in place and I was wondering should I be running the water thru my softner or bypassing it completely. We have lots of iron in our water in my area (southeast VA).
Also should I just let my pump run or do it a little at a time. Not sure if I can "burn" the pump up?

My pool is 15,000 gallon above ground Sharkline Oceanic pool

Thanks

fish

JasonLion · May 28, 2009

Water softener water is good for the pool but bad for the water softener. Whole house water softeners are not designed to handle the quantities of water that the pool requires, and will need to be recharged very frequently. The water softener can help remove some of the iron from the water.

The hardest thing for the well pump is turning on and off constantly. If you can get a high enough flow rate that the pump can stay on the whole time it should be fine. You also have to watch for drawing down the water level in the well and either running dry or drawing in a lot of sediment.

fisheerman · May 28, 2009

I think I may just bypass the softner as the regeneration process isn't keeping up with the water anyway.

I am assuming that Ill be able to take care of the heavy iron in the water with chemicals?

fish

frustratedpoolmom · May 28, 2009

Metal sequesterants can be used to control the metal issues, but it requires routine dosing which can get expensive. Any chance you can have the water trucked in?

JohnT · May 28, 2009

fisheerman said:
I am assuming that Ill be able to take care of the heavy iron in the water with chemicals?

Not easily or cheaply. You are usually better off to have water hauled if the iron content of your fill water is high. When water evaporates from the pool, the iron remains. As you add more water, you add more iron, so the iron content of the pool continues to grow. There are chemicals which can help, but they aren't permanent and aren't cheap. Don't shock water that has high iron content or you could have a mess.

fisheerman · May 30, 2009

So I got the pool filled and it has a greenish hue to it.

I went and had the water tested (digital readout) at the pool company and here is what I got.

TA - 150
pH - 7.2
TH - 90
Oxidizer - 0
FC - 0

They made some suggestions but I specifically asked about the high iron.
Does iron show up in the testing numbers? Is it the alkalinity?

So the pool companies suggestions were to install 7lbs of pH minus and 39lbs of Power Calcium.

But wouldn't I need to do something about the iron first?

I am a bit confused on how to proceed.

-fish

JohnT · May 30, 2009

fisheerman said:
So I got the pool filled and it has a greenish hue to it.

They made some suggestions but I specifically asked about the high iron.
Does iron show up in the testing numbers? Is it the alkalinity?

So the pool companies suggestions were to install 7lbs of pH minus and 39lbs of Power Calcium.

But wouldn't I need to do something about the iron first?

I am a bit confused on how to proceed.

-fish

The iron requires a specific test. Try another store. I'd be quick, because you need to know where you stand before the pool goes full swamp on you. Adding pH minus to a pool with a pH of 7.2 would be as wrong as you can get. You don't need the calcium either. Find another store.

ideliver · May 30, 2009

You need to order a good testing kit. :goodjob:

In addition to what has already been posted, you need some Chlorine and stabilizer (CYA) in your water.