New In-ground pool - Having some startup issues

[ShaunyCrown]

Hello Everyone! I'm new to the board and new to adjusting my own pool chemicals.

I had an above ground pool for the past 4 years, but just put an in-ground pool in last summer.

I've been just taking my water samples to the pool store and following their instructions, but this year I decided to try it on my own.

I didn't put a cover over my pool when I closed it last season (my mistake), so the pool filled with leaves and turned into a black swamp.

It took me two weeks of scooping the leaves out, sweeping, vaccuuming, and refilling the pool to get it clear. I followed a 'shock' process I found on another site to clear out the algae and it worked, but now my chemicals levels are all over the place (I think). I've done a lot of reading over the past two weeks to try and learn this!

The pool is crystal clear, and the pump is completely clean and running like a champ. I'm just not sure if my skin will fall off in I get into it.

This was my first go with using the Taylor K-2006 test kit:

FC: 17.5
CC: 1
PH: 6.8-6.9
TA: 50
CH: 100
CYA: 80

I've emptied the pool more than halfway and refilled, and then continued to refill while vaccuuming and cleaning. I'm hoping to not have to do that again because it's costing me a small fortune.

I know I need to raise the pH, TA, and CH, but with the FC and the CYA being so high, is it still swimmable?

I'm trying to get the pool swimmable for Mother's Day this weekend, so any advice/help you guys could throw my way would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[jaduck]

Welcome to TFP! You're already ahead of the game by having a good test kit. We typically only use SWG's or plain old Walmart bleach to chlorinate our pools. Anyway your skin will not fall off with a FC of 17 and CYA of 80!

I still think you may have a little algae still in your pool. Your CC = 1, that tells me that you may still have some algae! Crystal clear and TFPer's crystal clear are often two different things. Can you throw a quarter in the deep end of the pool and see heads or tails? If not, then it is not TFP crystal clear. In order to be considered algae free three things must be true 1) Crystal Clear 2) Pass OCLT (Overnight Chlorine Loss Test - See Pool School) 3) CC </= 0.5.

I'm new to the forum but experts will be along to help shortly. In the mean time I can give you the following advice. You probably want to start a SLAM (Not shock). In the mean time you may want to lower your CYA by replacing some water. If you prefer to SLAM at your current CYA you will have to maintain a FC of 31 until you pass the OCLT. I would raise your pH to 7.2 using Borax (Mule Team 20). Your CH is fine seeing you have a liner. Your ALK could be a little higher, but I would wait until your SLAM is finished then use Baking Soda to adjust it up some (I keep mine at 70 - 80). It sounds like the SLAM maybe short.

 

[Analogbytes]

Good advice there. The low pH is the only thing that is slightly low for swimming. You will want to drain some more to reduce CYA and then slam at some point in the near future in order to get rid of the nasties that you have.

Again, pH is all you need to bring up to swim, and that can be done very quickly with Borax.

Welcome me to the forum!