PoolingAround's get it right the first time thread!

[PoolingAround]

Hi all,

2 weeks into brand new pool owner ship and I have a TF100 kit with speed stirrer on the way. As of right now I have a basic pentair test kit and my pool is running on pucks for the moment (soon to change).

My current pentair readings are this.

over 3 chlorine (stops at level 3, dark yellow fluid).

8.2-8.4 PH

80-90 Alkalinity.

I added a quart of muriatic acid to deal with the ph. Should I intervene with the pucks (I think its dispensing at an output of 5, ( 1-5).

Thanks and can't wait to get the real test kit in!

 

[pooldv]

This pool is brand new and was filled two weeks ago? Did the PB do the start up? Are they finished and now it's yours? Any instructions from them? Have you reviewed the plaster manufacturers start up instructures?

Unless they are doing an acid start up or a bicarbonate start up it is very important portent to keep your PH between 7.2 and 7.8 at all times. How much will a quote of MA lower your PH? You should test it again 20-30 minutes later to see if it is below 7.8 because it is at the top of the scale and could be much higher than 8.4.

I assume you are waiting 30 days to add salt.

Have you added any CYA, aka stabilizer, aka cyanuric acid acid? That is what determine where your FC should be, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

 

[PoolingAround]

This pool is brand new and was filled two weeks ago? Did the PB do the start up? Are they finished and now it's yours? Any instructions from them? Have you reviewed the plaster manufacturers start up instructures?

Unless they are doing an acid start up or a bicarbonate start up it is very important portent to keep your PH between 7.2 and 7.8 at all times. How much will a quote of MA lower your PH? You should test it again 20-30 minutes later to see if it is below 7.8 because it is at the top of the scale and could be much higher than 8.4.

They did the startup and yes they used acid.

I assume you are waiting 30 days to add salt.

Have you added any CYA, aka stabilizer, aka cyanuric acid acid? That is what determine where your FC should be, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

Yes, waiting 30 days to add salt. I'm pretty sure they added CYA but I'll double check.

 

[PoolingAround]

Still high on chlorine this morning (line indicator above 3) but ph is down to 7.6-7.8! Yay!

Quick question, I like to have my pump running while I'm most likely to be in the pool (so 10am to 10pm right now). Is this prudent? Should I be running it earlier as the sun comes up? Will that 3 hours of stagnant movement be a difference until the pump comes on at 10?

The only problem I see with this is I won't be able to add chemicals in the morning and when I do add them at night I only get maybe 2 hours pump run time.

 

[lightingguy]

you don't know what your CYA level is - so you don't know if you are high or low on chlorine. If there is any key to "getting it right the first time" it's understanding this relationship.

I'd just keep the pucks in until your test kit arrives - your CYA is most likely on the low side. I wouldn't try to lower your FC levels until the test kit arrives.


Pump run time - no need to over think it. I run my pump 9am to 6pm (on low) - even less in the winter. The pool needs consistent circulation - but that consistency isn't hour by hour.

 

[PoolingAround]

you don't know what your CYA level is - so you don't know if you are high or low on chlorine. If there is any key to "getting it right the first time" it's understanding this relationship.

I'd just keep the pucks in until your test kit arrives - your CYA is most likely on the low side. I wouldn't try to lower your FC levels until the test kit arrives.


Pump run time - no need to over think it. I run my pump 9am to 6pm (on low) - even less in the winter. The pool needs consistent circulation - but that consistency isn't hour by hour.

so my water being dark yellow doesn't mean anything at all?

 

[pooldv]

It means that your FC level is above 3.0 ppm.

So, to make a recommendation on your FC level we need to know two things.
1. What is your current FC?
2. What is your CYA? [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]

Until we know that then it is best to leave it above 3.

 

[JVTrain]

Typically, pumps don't need to be run as long as you would think. For a manually chlorinated pool (liquid bleach dosing), 4 hours is plenty of circulation to distribute chlorine and filtration. Running for longer to achieve more/better surface skimming, filtration or need to run and SWG will increase that daily run time.

 

[PoolingAround]

TF-100 results in!

PH - 8.2
FC - 1
CC - 0
TC - 1
CA - 425
TA - 110
CYA - 45


Felt like a mad scientist running all the tests. Obviously I need chlorine and muriatic acid, but everything else looks good, right?

Oh yea, the speed stirrer is awesome! Must buy!

 

[Mr Bruce]

Looks great. Yes, MA to lower pH, shoot for 7.5. Test again after 30 minutes of circulation. Be careful, that stuff is strong.

Bring up FC to target for 50 CYA (round up)

 

[kimkats]

Fun times doing your first "grown up" tests!!! YOU will never get pooled stored!

 

[PoolingAround]

Looks great. Yes, MA to lower pH, shoot for 7.5. Test again after 30 minutes of circulation. Be careful, that stuff is strong.

Bring up FC to target for 50 CYA (round up)

My pucks are almost toast but I want them to fully dissipate in the the dispenser. Should I go ahead and add liquid chlorine anyway? Speaking of, pool math changes the words from weight to trade when i change the % of chlorine to 10.25. Any cause for concern?

 

[Mr Bruce]

Your CYA is exactly where you want it. I wouldn't use them any more and just go with liquid chlorine.

I have never noticed that field and have no idea what it even means. I would ignore it unless someone else has an idea.

 

[JesseSchmidt]

My pucks are almost toast but I want them to fully dissipate in the the dispenser. Should I go ahead and add liquid chlorine anyway? Speaking of, pool math changes the words from weight to trade when i change the % of chlorine to 10.25. Any cause for concern?

Has to do with the way the chlorine is weighed in manufacturing. It makes a minor difference in the calculations but the PoolMath is doing that for you so nothing to be worried about!

- - - Updated - - -

Here's the post about it Pool math chlorine question

 

[PoolingAround]

Quick question, add acid or chlorine first and how much time in between if any?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mr Bruce]

Acid first, mix for 30 minutes. Test pH. Adjust if necessary. If pH is good, add chlorine.

Never add them back to back quickly. Chlorine gas is deadly.

 

[PoolingAround]

Well darn, in order to determine if I have a leak I need to keep the pump off for 24 hours (wasn't able to add chlorine or acid). How bad do you think my chlorine levels are going to drop?

 

[Mr Bruce]

Wait, you think you have a leak? Can you get us up to speed?

 

[PoolingAround]

Wait, you think you have a leak? Can you get us up to speed?

Here we gooooo....

I was digging to the left of the pool deck (near the spa) to install some plants and about a foot down ran into a good amount of water. Called my sprinkler guy (since sprinklers were installed 2 days before in that same location) and he dug it up further. He drained some water out and much to our dismay water kept coming back (slowly). He turned on the sprinkler pipes that were exposed and we saw nothing. He dug a bit more toward the pool pipes and there we saw what looked like water trickling down from the pool/spa location. I contacted my pool builder and they came out and dug along the side of the decking and sure enough, more trapped water. To rule out sprinklers we turned on every one for 3 minutes to see if any more water trickled down. Nada. Also, in parallel we've been noticing the pool/spa is losing water. Could it be evaporation? Maybe, but half an inch to 1 inch over night? Seems a bit much, no? Pool builder came and pressurized the pipes and saw nothing on their side. Since it's to left of the spa area they checked the spa light and added tape for better water blockage just in case. Now we've been told to not run the pump for 24 hours to rule out any chance its caused by water moving through the pipes. We marked the waterline and now we wait.

With that said, my chlorine is at .5 and my ph at 8.2. I can't run the pump (wish they would have coordinated with me more so I knew this would be the case or else I would of taken care of it before they did their work). The reason this is bit frustrating is because my wife plans to have people over tomorrow afternoon so this puts us in a dilemma. Do you think it would be ok for them to swim if the pool has little to no chlorine?

 

[pooldv]

1/8-1/4" per day is normal evaporation.

No, it is not safe to swim with FC below minimum for your CYA. And chlorine and brush it to mix it in.