HELP!! New Pool Need Support/Guidance/Shoulder to cry on

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S

snewo

0
Jun 7, 2009
78
An hour NW of Philly
Background: New plaster pool 1 week old.

I did order my test kit, because the pool store totally hosed me with the Taylor kit purchase. Right now I'm relying on pool store numbers.

Pool yesterday = cloudy but not green.

FC - .1
pH - 8.2
TA - 115
CH - 135

I added 1/2 gallon of Muriatic Acid. I also jacked up my in-line chlorinatore to 5, but I've just come to the conclusion that it doesn't work or it's not worth a Dang. Why you say? Well after a big rain last night my pool is now grey/green/cloudy and here are my new numebrs from the pool store:

FC - 0
pH - 8.0
TA - 50
CH - 100
CYA - 0


So after reading Pool school and the forums I think I know what to do next, I just need support that I'm doing things right. Here are my plans:

Get FC up to 6.5. I decided that number would be a good one to start at since it's exactly equal to 2 large container of Regular Clorox when using my pool's number in the pool calculator. I also wanted to add enough CYA to at least get me to 10. I was going to do the CYA in a sock thing about an hour after the initial chlorine add. That's mainly since I don't know if I'm allowed to do those 2 things together.

How's the plan?

HELP!!
 
Welcome to TFP@ :wave: We are here to hold your hand until you get your feet wet (pun inteneded) :wink: If the pool is cloudy you need to bring it to shock level. Right now with no CYA shoot for about 10-12 ppm FC. This will take care of the cloudiness. Get some CYA in there right away. It will take a week before it registers on the test. Keep the FC at at least 2 ppm for now after the shock.

Remember to brush the plaster and keep the pH down. Probably the most important things to do for a new plaster pool. Don't be surprised at how much acid you will need, btw. You might need to be adding acid daily for a while until the plaster settles down. This is normal (and important to do.) Remember not to check and ajust pH when the chlorine is at shock level because you will get a false high reading.

I would get rid of the Nature2 btw.
alternative-sanitizers-and-chemical-free-pools-the-truth-t3025.html
 
OK....FC 12 - got it. On my way now. You are correct about the cloudy water.

I've been brushing the plaster as expected. I've also been adding the acid as expected. About 1/2 gallon daily. I haven't added my acid yet today. I understand I'm supposed to wait a while after putting the chlorine it to do that. Right now the pH isn't my concern of the day. I'll add it later tonight.

Can I add the CYA right now? I can't promise that I'm not going to backwash, since the plaster dust has made it necessary. I figure if I do, the worst thing that might happen is that I'll blast the CYA onto my backwash area. Right? I'm willing to risk losing some CYA to backwashing just to get some in there. I'll add more later if necessary.
 
Bring your FC up to 10-12ppm and hold it there by adding more chlorine as often as you can until the green cloudiness is gone from your pool.

A CYA of 10 will not register on any test. You need to target 30ppm as a minimum.

Go ahead and add the CYA thru a sock in the skimmer. You may loose a little but not much if you need to backwash.

Keep your pH down in the mid 7's.
 
Because your plaster is new, keeping your PH under control while the plaster is curing is equally as important and chlorinating the water, especially at this stage. You only need 30-60 minutes in between chemical additions, there is no reason to wait until tonight to add the acid. You should go ahead and add it as soon as you can.

Use the CYA in the sock method, since the filter is running 24/7 while the plaster cures it should dissolve rather quickly and backwashing won't be an issue. Either in the skimmer or hang it in front of the return, either will work.
 
OK....I've been quiet because I had a new development. I now know the cause of the pool status this morning. It seems last nights heavy rain pushed dirt from my yard into the pool. That explains the drastic difference between yesterday and today in appearance.

I brought the pH down to acceptable levels (According to my test strips...kit is still on order), brought the TA up to acceptable levels, I added chlorine to get me to acceptable levels and then I discovered the cause. The pool became a back burner issue since this was just going to happen again if I did nothing. That plus the fact that more rain is on the way made my mind up for me. All day I was adding 3 drains to my back yard. I'm pretty confident that should do it, but I plan to add a burm in front of the offending area just to be sure.

Now it's back to pool time. The minute the sun went off of the pool, I brought it up to shock levels. I had to rely on the pool calculator since the strips are so weak. I expect that I'm at 12. 1 hour later and I still have the test strip pegged. I will continue to check every hour until I go to bed. I'm also checking the filter. I backwashed a bunch of the dirt it already filtered out in the middle of my little landscaping phase.

I will also check things out in the morning to see what level I'm at.....backwash if needed.....add chlorine if needed....you get the idea. I'll keep you posted. Oh, I'm also going to put the CYA sock in tonight. Busy day.
 
Please Help, I need alot of POP

Merged threads to maintain history. Butterfly

I've posted about this issue sort of elsewhere (sorry bout that), but I think it belongs here. I'll give you the cliff notes first:

- Pool is new - plaster with a bluish specs
- Current state of pool according to pool store is:
FC 2
TC 2
TA 125
pH 7.4
CH 125
CYA 0

- Due to heavy rain and some drainage problems I got some runoff into the pool over the weekend.
- Pool is cloudy with a slight greenish tint. Is it possible this is from the ansylbrite sapphire finish and not really algae? Or, what I secretly suspect - it's the blue water/finish mixed with the dirt I still need to get out. I DO see the slight dirt cloud when brushing the plaster.
- I have a test kit on order and I'm running blind. The best I have are test strips and pool stores.
- Socks of CYA are in the basket since last night. When it runs out I'm adding more.
- As mentioned below the pool is 27K Gal. Per the pool calculator I added 672oz of Chlorine to the pool yesterday. That should give me a FC of 12, the best I could tell was that I had the test strip maxed out all night.

What I don't understand could fill a book, but let's start with: Why are my FC and TC numbers the same? This is 2 tests in a row that had them the same (both pool store numbers). My head tells me to shock the pool and keep it at shock levels, but it's hard to determine the correct shock levels with the stupid test strip. What my head can't figure out is why there is no CC. If I have alge won't the chlorine attack it? If it does, why no CC? I need to get this pool clear ASAP (obviously), so I want to start the "correct" procedure now. Help!!! Where do I go from here? The stinking pool store lady told me my numbers looked great, the pool doesn't but WHOA BOY at least my numbers do.

My head is spinning and I need help. Thanks in advance.
 
Re: Please Help, I need alot of POP

Based on the amount of chlorine you've put in and the greenish tint it seems likely you do have algae, and need to keep shocking as best you can until the kit arrives and you can shock properly.
snewo said:
What I don't understand could fill a book, but let's start with: Why are my FC and TC numbers the same? This is 2 tests in a row that had them the same (both pool store numbers). My head tells me to shock the pool and keep it at shock levels, but it's hard to determine the correct shock levels with the stupid test strip. What my head can't figure out is why there is no CC. If I have alge won't the chlorine attack it? If it does, why no CC?
Click to expand...
The chlorine will kill the algae but this does not necessarily create CC (or not for long enough to show up on the test). I had a bloom a couple weeks ago and never saw CC over 0.5.
--paulr
 
Re: Please Help, I need alot of POP

I'm back at what should be shock level (using the FC 2 from the pool store measurement and the pool calculator). I'll monitor and add more chlorine the best that I can until the kit arrives. It is supposed to be here Wednesday.

What visual progress can I expect? When I get the kit I'll do the nightime FC loss test, but visually, will this slowly clear the pool as the shocking (and thus algae death) continues? I'll stop off and buy more DE and chlorine tomorrow. I'm running low :-D .
 
I've only had the one bloom, but
- brushing made the plaster much lighter
- and the water cloudier
- had to backwash for the first time in months
- added chlorine multiple times per day for 3 days
- overnight FC loss for 2 more days after that
but finally the torture ended and the pool (and kids) are happy again.

With essentially zero CYA you are also losing lots of FC to sunlight. In a few days you will have CYA and this will be better. Also your kit will arrive and you will be better able to control your FC. Be strong, this too shall pass.
--paulr
 

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Just had to backwash about 45 mins ago (in the rain). I added the chlorine 3.5 hours ago. Is is possible that the shock was what killed the critters that clogged the filter? My filter was sitting on "I'm doing just fine" and it went to "Please oh please clean me" in those 3.5 hours. Do things really happen that fast?
 
Using the pool store number of FC 3, I pushed the FC back to 12 around noon. There is no direct sun today, we're overcast cloudy here. At 5:30pm the FC was 10 per the other pool store....I'm rotating so as not to outlast my welcome. My kit should be here tomorrow, so they are helping me limp by. Here are all of the 5:30 numbers:

FC 10
CC 0
TC 10
pH 7.8 (I'll adjust tonight, I'm shooting for 7.6)
TA 64 (I'm not concerned about this jumping...the 2 different stores are giving different numbers. I'll take care of this when I get my own kit.)
CH 188
CYA 40

What I found interesting was that this pool store uses Biolab and gives me a nice little printout on my numbers. Their reports have been reporting "no algae" since I've had them testing me. They may be right, but I'm not planning on stopping anything. I can see the drains in the pool now so progress means stay the course. That also means I could see the forgotten pool toys and a small dirt pile leftover from Saturday.

I'm ramping the FC back to 12 at 7:15pm. The filter needs a backwash now, I'm going to oblige. At this point I'm just going to keep FC at a high number till the kit gets here tomorrow. No one in the family likes to swim on cloudy overcast days anyway....so shock it.
 
OK will do. I am going to change my comment on the FC levels I'm going to tonight though. I forgot to adjust for my newly added CYA. Now that I'm at CYA 40 I'm shooting for FC 16.

I also removed the socks of CYA from the skimmer. The 2 readings from the 2 stores told me that I have 40 and that was my target until I get the SWG up and running in 2 weeks. I'll put them back in at that time.
 
I just got my TF-100 Kit. Here are the results as of 6:30-7:00pm:

FC 13.5 (How the heck did the store get 3?)
CC <.5
TC 13.5 - 14 (I'd swear it's 13.75)
pH 7.5
CH 140
CYA 30

I couldn't test for TA because my R-0009 bottle spits instead of giving good drops. I'll have to see if I can get a replacement bottle.

I'm turning off the in-line chlorinator now. I'm going to test the FC throughout the night to see how I do. I guess I'm going to put those socks of CYA back in the basket too, since I'm obviously not at 40. I'll do that after taking a bunch of readings however. I'll base my next move on the readings throughout the night.

This reminds me of Chem Lab, though I don't have a headache from the fumes.
 
Don't waste your CYA reagent. Use the same solution, and pour it back in the mixing bottle and repeat the test that way. You will need all of your reagent to get a handle on your levels as you add the CYA.

Joyce gave you good advice - the TA dropper bottle is a known problem and wiping it with a damp cloth usually solves the issue.
 
OK, will do on the TA reagent when I next test it. Same with the CYA solution - next time. As for the 11:00pm test:

FC 14
CC <.5
TC 14-14.5

Then I realized that I wasn't around to turn the pump back on when it auto shutoff at 7:00pm. Also I forgot to close the dial on the in-line chlorinator. So basically...test is null and void. I turned on the pump, turned off the chlorinator and I'll test in 30 mins. That will give me a baseline.

Tonight I'm interested in seeing if the FC stays put. Given that I'm at shock levels and I haven't added any liquid chlorine lately feels like a good sign. What effect will rain have on the test, I'm getting a little rain here and there.
 

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