Starting to balance the new pool

[Nightmare]

I've had water in the pool for a little over 30 days now. I'm ready to start some real work on the chemicals. My TF-100 kit arrived about a week ago, I have not had a chance to play with it yet.

Pebble Plaster installed on 4/1/11. The equipment is listed at the bottom. I have a Liquidator installed, but not adding any chlorine (waiting for 30 days). In the mean time, I have been using some liquid chlorine and mostly BioGuard Silk Tablets in the floaters. Water is clear and I don't see anything wrong with it at this time.

I'm going to start with these suggested levels for the Pool Calculator:

Plaster with Bleach

FC 3-7
pH 7.5-7.8
TA 70-90+
CH 250-350
CYA 30-50

CYA (Stabilizer)
20 min 2 target 3 shock 10
30 min 2 target 4 shock 12
40 min 3 target 5 shock 16

Since CYA is constantly increasing, should I aim for 30 instead of 40?
Liquid Chlorine is supposed to raise the pH, so should I leave it at 7.4 to start?

My last 5 test results are below. Is this the best plan?

Adjust CYA to 30...then
Adjust FC to 4...then
Adjust pH if necessary
TA looks to be within the range. The BioGuard guy wants be to bring it up to 125-150
Not much I can do about the CH, we have hard water here. We might install a water softener for the house. Does anyone use the house softened water in the pool? I know that I can't go too low on the CH.

Thanks

 

[madwil]

I think the floaters added CYA, I wouldn't add anymore until those readings settle out after you quit using the pucks...

 

[JasonLion]

Since CYA is constantly increasing, should I aim for 30 instead of 40?
Liquid Chlorine is supposed to raise the pH, so should I leave it at 7.4 to start?

CYA only increases if you use trichlor or dichlor (ie the Liquid Silk sticks). If you are using bleach, CYA goes down very slowly. If you are switching to bleach.liquid chlorine soon it is best to aim for a CYA of 50, and then it will drift down slowly and still be able 30 by the end of the season.

Liquid chlorine does not raise the PH. PH tends to drift up because of TA. The higher the TA and the more aeration you have the more PH drifts up. In any case, if you are going to stop using trichlor soon, leave your PH at 7.4 and seeing how it behaves is a good idea.

You only want to raise TA up to 125-150 if you are using trichlor, which is acidic. Depending on how long you are going to continue to use the liquid silk sticks you may or may not want to raise TA.

Using the water softener for topping off the pool is fine, just keep an eye on CH and don't use the water softener if CH gets too low.

 

[Nightmare]

Ok, it's been a little busy and I have not had a chance to get the Liquidator up and running.

I added the sock of CYA and the level is good. I tested and then took a sample to the local Bio-Guard store the next day.

Home Results 5/24:

Ph - 7.6-7.7
Ch- 1-2
CYA- 45 or maybe 55 (I'll look for a thread on how to eyeball the CYA dot)

I added a gallon of Chlorine (12.5%) to the pool on 5/24

I took my sample to the store on 5/25

CYA - 49
Ch - 5
pH - 7.8 ***She changed the number in the computer based on the second test she ran on standard test kit. Is this normal? Or did she change this number higher to make up for the 17 lbs of Balance Pack 100 they want me to put in the pool?

TA - 96
Adjustet TA - 81
CH 297

I tested the chlorine again today and I read it as about 2-3 (nowhere near the 5 they told me the day before). The pH is between 7.6 and 7.8, but not a full 7.8.

I just added about a Quart of Acid to bring down the pH. I'm going to wash out the Liquidator (looks a little dirty sitting full of water for 2 months) and add some Chlorine.