Just getting started, am I doing this right?

[abc789987]

So just got pool filled up yesterday and trying to get started... This post might be loaded with questions... I've read all the pool school and think I'm figuring this out but still unsure about a few things...

Filled up the pool and immediately water had a slightly green tint, which I think it might be because of high iron content? According to this http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/40718-Hello-newbie-here-Green-tint-to-freshly-filled-pool thread, I seem to be having the same issue... So not too worried about that, hoping it will clear up once I have the filter running for a while? Did not have it on over night but have had it running all day today and will continue to leave it run... I'm just using the cartridge type filter/pump that came with my Coleman AGP 16x48, not even sure of gph? Anyone know?

I'm using Shock X-TRA all in one for my initial "shock?" I though I read bag correctly but my FC lever was extremely high after the first dose... It says add 2-4 oz per 1000 gal... My pool is ~5100gal so in total I added 12 oz. After a few hours I measured using TF-50 kit and got

7/16 8:30pm
11.5 ppm FC!!
0.5 ppm CC
425 ppm CH
410 TA
also had cheap strip tests but couldn't read those things, what a waste... Thought I could get pH from those but that was a waste. Ended up buying pH/oto test thing from walmart...

So my FC is super high, but reading that sun will fix that let it be all day today. The CC is okay, CH is really high but since it's vinyl liner it doesn't matter too much just yet... Right? And the TA is really high also but think I know how to fix that by lowering the pH and aerating.

Added about 4oz of alkaminus pH minus powder this morning and turned on the Intex LED Fountain as my only aerating option at this time.

At 4:30 after about 1-2 inches or rain and eventually a few hours of sunlight took another test.
7 ppm FC
0 CC
7.5 pH
340 TA

Headed in the right direction, yes?

Added another 4 oz os the pH minus and let it keep going...

8:30 pm
5 ppm FC, 0 CC
300 ppm CH
7.7 pH
360 TA

So what happened in this 4 hours? How come the TA went up and the pH also rose? Maybe just the error of my testing abilities?

I hope I didn't jump the gun now.... I added 28 oz of stabilizer and 6 more of the pHminus. I'm leaving the fountain running tonight and will test again in the morning...

Did I put the stabilizer in too soon? I was thinking since the FC is okay I'm now want to keep it there? Right?

I was about to throw in the float with the chlorine tablets but then figured maybe I should hold off and see if I'm heading in the right direction?

One other thing I'm confused about is "chlorine residual" All the chemicals I've bought says "don't go in the water till the chlorine residual level falls below 2 ppm" What is the chlorine residual? The TF test kit doesn't have a residual test? Is it maybe the CC? I'm confused... When can I go swimming! lol

Thanks in advance. I hope I'm posting this in the correct place.

-Mike

 

[abc789987]

Maybe I should have posted this on the "Just getting started" page?..

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[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP! Congrats on the new pool!

Posting in this forum is fine. Nice job getting started.

Yes, good to add CYA now. Chlorine residual is pool store talk for what is your chlorine level after "shocking" the pool.

We say that it is safe to swim when
FC is above minimum for your CYA, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA], so the pool is sanitized
And FC is below shock level for your CYA, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]
PH Is 7.2 to 7.8
Water is clear

You can use muriatic acid instead of PH minus to save some bucks.

More handy pool chemical tips here, Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

I don't know where west Lafayette is or I would make a recommendation on your CYA level. Add your state to your location so we can better help you.

 

[abc789987]

West Lafayette, Indiana is where I'm at... Will update my location in the AM... Or maybe sooner, can't sleep been reading this forum for the past few hours haha...

Still a little confused on the chlorine residual.... How is that measured? I was planning on just going off the values from here for FC, CC, TA, CH, etc...

Going to order another test kit tomorrow for more cya tests. Accidentally used up one of the 2 or 3 tests worth of chemicals for the cya that came with the TF-50 kit before I knew what I was testing...

Will be trying to switch over to the chemicals listed on this site once I go through the stuff I bought already.

Oh and with the green tint I have now. I read I can use a towel over the inlet (or outlet, can't remember atm..) to filter out some of the iron that I'm assuming is causing the green tint?

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[pooldv]

You probably want CYA at 40. Paper towels or polyfill pillow stuffing stuffed in the skimmer can be used to filter out iron. Yes, the chlorine residual is just a chlorine test taken after you add the pool store "shock" to the pool. But we don't "shock" pools and we don't do chlorine residual. We just test FC and add more if needed. Forget that you ever read that. TFTestkits.net sells individual refills. Yes, it is fine to use up what you've got first.

 

[abc789987]

Cleaned out the filter this morning, it was getting pretty brown, hopefully that mean it's removing some of the iron...

Took another test.
7/18 7:30 am
5 ppm FC, 0.5 ppm CC
300 ppm CH
8.0 pH
340 TA
30 cya, about 3/4 of line above the 40

I put another 6 oz of the pH minus in...

Did the pH rise a lot because I'm trying to lower the TA?

Put the cover on but left the pump running. Curious what it's like when I get home today...

 

[rwood5093]

We had the same iron problem. The higher the FC, the greener it was, apparently the chlorine helped precipitate it out . We thought it was algae, but it wasn't. We used the 5 gallon bucket filter (cost around $10) and had a sparkling pool in 36 hours. We were rinsing our filter every 2 hours previously. BTW, our fill water is 2.1 ppm iron. We now use a pre-filter, but it doesn't catch it all.

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