Advice needed on switching 1 month old pool from Pristine Blue to TFP method

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Tstjohn14

Tstjohn14

0
Mar 2, 2017
43
New Port Richey, Fl
Hello TFP Community!

Sorry if this post goes long, but I am trying to get things on the right path. We acquired a 3 1/2 year old AGP from a friend of ours who no longer wished to maintain it. After some repair work to the walls, a new liner, and a fill with rusty well water, we began our pool journey a hundred miles in the wrong direction due to a lack of knowledge. The previous owner had the pool running on Pristine Blue (at the advice of other friends of ours who loved it), so with his inherited chemicals and some purchased by my husband and I, we began the start up process according to Pristine's guide. After running across this site and the negative feedback on Pristine, I began searching for anything positive, and could not find it, unless it was sponsored by PB. We continued the second round of PB additions on week 4, thinking that we would just use up what we had (Brand new large bottle of the stuff), and I would just chlorinate at a higher level. It is now time to add more tomorrow, and I absolutely will not now knowing that the copper will never leave, and it completely grosses me out that the pool is not sanitized, even though it is still to cold to get in!
So, that being said, I want to come over to ya'lls side and do things the right, inexpensive, and clean way! I do have a few questions on how to go about this though since we have already contaminated our pool with the PB. Draining is really not an option, as mentioned before we are on a well, with an old pump, and only after running the pool pump for 2 weeks straight did we get clear water. as of todays date we have currently added:

4 c Ph increaser -pool store said it was way low before any other additions (I now know about pool store testing!, have my own kit, but this was convenient)
20 oz Pristine Check (their water conditioner)
26 oz Pristine Blue (state up amount + 2week addition)
2 oz Pristine Clear (water clarifier)
2 oz Pristine Clean (metal sequestrant)
1 lb Pristine extra (di-chlor) every week since 1/29, with 1 extra addition of 1 lb the first week
7 3/4 Muratic acid (approx.) since 2/1 since the alkalinity was testing around 180 on 2/1, 160 on 2/17, and 150 on 2/25..aerated 2-3 hours after each addition

These are my current results:
FC less than 0.5
CC less than 0.5
PH 8.0
TA 160
CH Cannot test until new kit arrives
CYA Cannot test until new kit arrives (Taylor k-2006)
Copper 0.5 ppm

All tests taken with a Taylor k-2004 of unknown age
Water is crystal clear, sparkly, and cold 76%

under the assumption that I have zero CYA, per the calculator I need to add
52 oz 12% chlorine
21 oz muriatic acid
39 oz stabilizer

Just wanted to be sure I used the calculator correctly! Also, I am assuming that I will need to continue with some sort of metal control to contain the copper from the PB until that diminishes somewhat, and any residual iron that may still be in the water. Will I need to only use PB brand (Pristine Clean) or can I use any brand metal control? The literature says is not compatible with other brands (because it may disable the copper I am assuming-would that be a bad thing?)

And last but not least, For the stabilizer, I have approximately 2lbs of Suncoast Stabilizer/conditioner granules (98% CYA). Is this acceptable with an additional amount to make up the needed amount? Or should I just get something completely different? It is probably 4-5 years old (a hand me down with the pool before he went to PB) Any issues with that?

Once again, sorry for the long post, but I want to finally get this right, and this seems to be the place to go to find out! Thank you in advance.
 
My first instinct would be to replace the water now, before you really get into the season. I know you are on a well with questionable water as it is, is there a local volunteer fire department that might bring you some water for a small donation? I'd just hate to worry about metals staining out on your pool or in someone's hair and having that in the back of your mind all year.
 
Thank you for your prompt reply. Yes, I have considered that route, but no, no volunteer department out in here in the sticks, and hubby is already blowing a gasket on already have spent so much on chemicals that I will not use! I am not overly concerned of staining at my current level with no future additions of PB. My other friends have been using it for about three years now with no staining of hair or pool, so I hope to be as lucky. My biggest concern right now is getting the water sanitized. I plan to keep testing the copper levels (two brand new PB test kits in my possession), and am hoping the levels will dilute over time, especially with the summer rains and filter cleaning. That being said, does it appear I am on the right track to go ahead with plan B to make the switch? I am wanting to put this in motion this weekend.

- - - Updated - - -

Yes, they did! And now I am having a heck of a time getting the TA and PH down. What I have learned over the past month!.. First thing of all, test it yourself!
 
I would agree with Mr Bruce and would try to get rid of the copper with a water replacement.

However you have only been going for a month so levels may be low

If one of the smart chemical guys on here could estimate how much copper you have added to the water and how much of an issue that may be

I can understand about hubby and the concern re wasted money. Would your friends on PB consider purchasing the chemicals off of you as they like that system?

At least going forward with TFP you will be on a much safer and lower cost system
 
20oz was added on 1/30, then two weeks later, as directed, another 6 to "top off" to bring it back up to their recommended levels. I was due to top off again tomorrow, based on the test, I was supposed to add two oz this go around. We have not had any rain over the last two weeks, where as the first two we did, not sure what effect that has on the dilution rate. As of today, it is testing at 0.5 ppm

we are giving our friends the rest of the chemicals! I am looking forward to keeping with these simpler ways.
 
Found this piece of advice from Jasonlion
and vinyl pools are much less likely to get stains compared to other surfaces. On the other hand the threshold for staining is usually right around 0.3.
Click to expand...

I would get your ph down to about 7.2 as I believe that metal is less of an issue with a lower ph

I dont know much about metal so someone else will have to help you with that

As for the TA I wouldn't worry about it. It is a process to change it, not a one time thing. Also the effect of having high TA is that your ph will rise a bit faster than without it. See the Pool School article How To Lower Total Alkalinity
 
So from what I understand (which is so very little as of yet), to lower PH one would use the muriatic acid, the same as TA. I have been adding the acid weekly and then aerating for an hour or so afterward with the return, so that it breaks the surface of the water. I have only been adding two to three cups at a time though (3 times total), so maybe that was not enough to make the change. Should I not be aerating? or am I missing something in lowering ph vs. TA? Pool math is telling me 62 oz to get to a ph of 7.0, so that is what will be going in tomorrow. I will also double check the strength I am using, it is from Home depot.
 
Here is a post from kimkats, lots of good advice to learn the basics of pool care and chemicals

I have a set of links for you. I share these with all new pool owners:

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
Click to expand...

when you add muriatic acid to the pool, it lowers both ph and TA. the aeration then increases the ph without increasing the ta. over time this will then lower your ta. lower TA will increase the time it takes for your ph to rise. TA would be the last thing we adjust in pool chemicals

Have you added the CYA to the pool yet. Please dont until you test for it. You have added dichlor to the pool, which contains cya. Every pound of dichlor adds 8.6ppm of CYA. So if you have added 5lb of dichlor, from what I understand above, that would be 80 oz of dichlor, which is a CYA of 43 already

- - - Updated - - -

Going forward until your test kit arrives I would keep your ph between 7.2-7.8
Your FC needs to be added daily. Add enough to target 7 and never let your fc drop below 3
This should keep your pool clean and clear until the test kit arrives
We can then work on balancing your water
This will also give you a chance to read the links above and learn what we are doing, so you can manage the pool easily yourself
 
Thanks for the links, I have read a handful of them a time or two, but will do again as these things take some time to set in! I have not added the CYA yet, and now will hold off until the text kit gets here, hopefully by the middle of next week. Sounds to me as far as the PH goes, add the acid, Do NOT aerate, than test again. maybe that is what I was missing in the scheme of things to lower PH. I should be good to go to add the basic chlorine though tomorrow? Sorry for so many questions, but since I started wrong already, I really don't want to screw up again!

I truly appreciate it! I will go forth on your advice and update the link when the new test kit arrives :sun:
 

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For now I would suggest the following
Add the acid to lower your ph to about 7.2
Test again only to show you got there, or if you need to add a bit more

Keep FC to 7 daily, never let it drop below 3 assuming you have that old test kit to test daily

This means you need to use poolmath (top of page)
Have you set this up?
Make sure to check the bleach percentage you are using has been selected in poolmath
 
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