Trying to balance new pool - What should I do first???

[sharpie101]

West Palm Beach, Florida
Pool size: 23k gallons
Filter: Cartridge 200 sqft - Design flow rate 100 GPM
Inground plaster pool (Gunite)
2HP pump
Jandy 1400 SWG set at 70% salt production rate

Pool finished on 5/28/11 - SWG system running since 6/26/11

water looks crystal clear to me.

Test results using TF-100 (oustide temp 81 degrees/ pool temperature 88 degrees)
FC 3
CC 0
TC 3
PH 8.2
TA 80
CH 190
CYA 60

Jandy says 3.4ppm salt, test strips purchased from Duraleigh say ~3000ppm

My questions are:
- Pool is 1.5" from overflowing due to extreme rain ... should I empty some first or balance?
- I should I try to bring PH down at first or something else?

I have at home muriatic acid, baking soda and clorox ...

Been reading a lot, but I feel somewhat overwhelmed right now, I really want to tame this beast before I need to go out and hire a pool guy that might not do much more than I can probably do.

Thanks,

J

 

[RobbieH]

Whoa, get that pH down with muriatic acid! That's your first issue.

I wouldn't worry about your water level, it'll go down through evaporation.

 

[sharpie101]

One more thing I would like to add, I been fighting these pesky bugs in my pool. They look like very small beetles with two little wings or "paddles". They like to get all together at the corners of the pool.

I remember when I was a kid at my parents pool sometimes they would appear, but dont remember seeing so many. I pulled about 20 two days ago and now it looks like I have about the same amount.

Thanks, J

 

[RobbieH]

Going to borates in my pool greatly reduced my insect problem. I won't say it is the solution, but I'm not the only one to report that it works.

 

[sharpie101]

Thanks a lot for your input Robbie, now I got to go research what borates are! lol

J

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, Sharpie,

I would suggest you get the basics of your pool in your grasp and then read and learn about borates. They are completely optional.

I have some backswimmers (bugs) at the first of the year but adequate chlorine always makes mine disappear. Your chlorine is a tad bit low.

Reduce your pH first...get it down around 7.4. Then, bring your chlorine up to around 6-8ppm and keep it there for a few days and see if the bugs don't disappear. Of course you can always net 'em out and dispatch them with the heel of your sandal

Save that extra water for later.

 

[sharpie101]

I went ahead and added 1 quart of muriatic acid ... if I used the pool calculator correctly, that should get the PH to 7.5 and leave me some room to lower it tomorrow if I somehow made a mistake.

After no rain at all for months, its been raining quite a bit here in south Florida ... check out the water level !!

 

[sharpie101]

Before I forget, here are some pictures of the bugs I mentioned along with a new visitor I found today! Are those backswimmers?

Thanks for all the help guys!

J

 

[Bama Rambler]

Yeah, they're backswimmers. Well, except for that last one, he's a belly swimmer! That's a little one.

 

[crabboy]

A new gunite pool will eat acid like there is no tomorrow. You'll be feeding it by the gallons for a few months.

I have the Jandy 1400 as well and 70% seems quite high, I was running mine at about 30% before it crapped out on me a week ago. If I recall, I usually never had to exceed 45-50% for normal usage mid summer. I suspect, you'll be reducing that very soon.

 

[sharpie101]

Last night I added a full quart, that was supposed to get the PH 7.5 according to pool calculator. I checked it this morning it was still between 7.8 and 8.2. I will add another 27 oz and see where it goes.

This is how I add the acid, I turned on the pump and dumped it close to the return farthest from the skimmer. Then I let the pump run for about 12hrs. (is that too much?)

Crabboy, from the looks of it you might be right on the acid. Regarding the Jandy, I set it to 70% following what the pool people told me ... today when I checked it looked like my chlorine was pretty high. I will adjust tonight and recheck tomorrow.

J

 

[JasonLion]

You only need to run the pump for one hour after adding acid.

Your PH is going up very quickly. Even if you lowered it to 7.5 last night it will be back up this morning. When you do lower the PH, you should lower it all the way to 7.2. To gauge if you are using the correct amount of acid, test the PH again half an hour after adding acid and see how close to your target you came.

 

[sharpie101]

Thanks Jason, I will aim for 7.2 ... did not realize it could change so fast.

 

[sharpie101]

Did as Jason suggested, added 64oz of MA and waited half hour. PH came out to exactly 7.2, looking good guys!! I will retest in two hours when I go to sleep and then in the morning again.

Chlorine was too high as well so I adjusted the jandy cell to 60%, I will bring it down a little at a time until I get a good feeling for what 10% really does.

Thanks again guys!

J

 

[sharpie101]

7.2 again this morning, looks like I am on the right path

 

[sharpie101]

New readings today 7/2. Ambient temp 91, pool 87

FC 10
CC 0
TC 10
PH 7.8
TA 70
CH 180
CYA 60

I added MA to bring the PH down to 7.4, but I am concerned about my CH and CYA levels. Should I bring my CYA up to 70 and get the CH up to about 300 or let them be for now?

I am not sure if its my high FC numbers or what, but all the bugs are gone. I am still in the process of adjusting the cell to get it closer to 4 ppm FC.

Thanks and happy 4th to everyone!

J

 

[duraleigh]

I would try to home in on the FC and acid before I adjust anything else. They are VERY important and need to be a little bit more fine tuned. Since you pH is going up so quickly, do as Jason suggested and lower it all the way to 7.2 next time.

After another few days or so of getting everything stable then you can adjust CH and CYA....there's no huge rush for now.

 

[sharpie101]

sounds good Dave, thanks for the advice

J

 

[crabboy]

Your stabilizer is within the range for the 1400 and the CH is pretty close. I'd hold off for a few weeks.

 

[sharpie101]

Thanks for the input crabboy, right now I have the PH part under control. Trying to home in on FC, been playing with the SWG and slowly bringing it down.

J