Ratio of BBB for AGP

[linwill]

I am complete newby to BBB and need to know in very simple terms what amounts do I use for an AGP 18X33,
18000 gallons I think. It has had no chemicals added( fresh water ) Just had the pool refilled.
Please will someone explain to me like I was 5 years old ???????
Thanks.

 

[JasonLion]

Step one is to get a good test kit. I recommend the TF Test Kit, see the link in my signature. The Taylor K-2006 is also good.

Good goal levels for an above ground pool are PH 7.4-7.6, FC 3-7, TA 70-90, CYA 30-50, don't worry about calcium you don't need it. You test the water and adjust the levels as needed. Test chlorine and PH daily, preferably in the evening. The others can be tested much less often once they are in range.

With the pool just filled there probably isn't any CYA. You will need 6 lbs of stabilizer to raise the CYA level. Put it in a sock and hang that in front of the return or toss it in the skimmer (but be sure it doesn't block the skimmer).

For the first few days, while the CYA level is coming up, add one 96 oz jug (3 quarts) of 6% unscented bleach to the pool every evening. Pour the bleach slowly in front of a return with the pump running. Leave the pump running for at least an hour after adding any chemicals. Once the CYA level starts to come up, say two days after adding it, you will need to test the FC level each evening and add enough bleach to bring FC up to 5 or 6.

TA is raised with baking soda. With a little luck you won't need to do much adjusting of the PH but if you do, borax raises PH and muriatic acid lowers PH.

When you get a test kit, post your numbers and we can give you more advice.

Good luck and feel free to ask more questions.

 

[linwill]

OK, thanks for your help.
So I think I have it.

Bleach for sanitizer and shock
Baking soda to raise alkalinity
Washing soda when you need to raise both PH and alkalinity
Borax to raise just PH
!!!!!
Is it correct that sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are different ?
Also how soon after putting in bleach can you go in the water ?
Please just go over the CYA, is there an alternative to this also and what do I need to do?

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

OK, thanks for your help.
So I think I have it.

Bleach for sanitizer and shock
Baking soda to raise alkalinity
Washing soda when you need to raise both PH and alkalinity
Borax to raise just PH
!!!!!
Is it correct that sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are different ?
Yes, Sodium carbonate is washing soda aka soda ash or sal soda, sodium bicarbonate is baking soda

Also how soon after putting in bleach can you go in the water ?
Depends on whether you are just chlorinating or shocking. If the FC is below about 10 ppm you can go in the water (assuming normal CYA of 30-50 ppm)
Please just go over the CYA, is there an alternative to this also and what do I need to do?

CYA (cyanuric acid, stabilizer, conditioner) is needed to keep the chlorine from being destroyed by sunlight. There is no substitute but there are a couple of ways to get it in your water. You can buy it (try Home Depot or Ace Hardware) and put it in the skimmer. You can use a stabilized chlorine (dichlor or trichlor) to chlorinate until the CYA is at the proper level. The stabilized chlorines add both chlorine and stabilzier at the same time. The biggest problem with using them is knowing when to stop so you don't end up overstabilized (just as bad as not having enough).
Finally, you can try praying to the chlorine gods to protect your chlorine from the sun! (Just kidding! :-D )

There is no alternative to CYA.

 

[NWMNMom]

Just a little tip, we have an 18x33 agp as well. One thing is to try and add your chlorine in the evening when there isn't direct sunlight on the pool so it has more time to do its job before it dissipates. The other thing is to keep the debris out of the pool so the chlorine does not have to do so much work - we keep ours covered when we are not home, at night (keeps the heat IN) and for a good portion of the day that we are not in the pool. We almost always have a few hours a day that it is UNcovered so the sun can get at it and it can "breath" but otherwise its covered with the solar blanket. Much easier to brush some leaves, twigs, Junebugs, etc. off the top of the cover than it is to scoop them out of the bottom of the pool.

Then when you get lazy like us, you move on to a salt water chlorine generator so you don't have to put any chlorine in except as bonus shocking after a storm or something dumps debris in your pool.

Good luck and feel free to ask any of us as many questions as you need to help keep your pool sparkling clean and more fun than work.

 

[linwill]

more questions please

Thanks for your help. I am learning more now, thank goodness.
Do I still need to put a couple of chlorine pucks in my floaty thing or not. I am using 6% bleach as chlorine like advised.
Also, I can only find washing soda that is fragranced , is this ok or not.

 

[duraleigh]

Posting current test results will hep you get much better answers to your questions. You can use borax rather than washing soda but why do you want to use it?....is your pH low?

 

[linwill]

thanks for your reply.

I put in 6lbs of cyanuric acid yesterday. I added 1 gallon of bleach today .
My readings are

ph......6.2
clorine.....3
alkalinity 40
stabalizer 0


hope this helps

 

[JasonLion]

You need to get your PH up right away. CYA/stabilizer can take up to a week to dissolve, so retest then. Also you alkalinity is low.

 

[linwill]

OK..The stabalizer looks like it has dissolved but will it take time to have an effect ?
I cannot find unscented washing soda so should I use Borax instead and if so how much.

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Lin,

I like Borax as well, if not better. use the calculator in Jason's signature to tell you how much to use. How did you test pH down to 6.2? Most testing does not go below 6.8. Are you confident of your results?

 

[linwill]

Thanks, Sorry to bug you again but cannot work out the calculater and how to use it?????
My pool is 18000 gallons water.
I just need to know how much Boax to put in and I can't figuire it out, sorry !!!!!

 

[duraleigh]

Before we inadvertently shoot your pH thru the roof, can you tell me how you measured that pH of 6.2 or if someone tested it for you?

 

[linwill]

Hi,
It is reading below 6.8 on an Aqua Chem 3 way tester kit.

 

[JasonLion]

Try adding one box of borax to start, let that mix for an hour or more with the pump running and test the PH and TA again and adjust from there.

To use my pool calculator to figure that out you would enter your pool volume, 18,000, near the top. Then put your starting PH, 6.2, and desired PH in the Now and Goal columns in the pink PH section. A good goal for PH is 7.5. Then enter you alkalinity in the Now column of the green TA section and hit tab. That will tell you that you need 280 oz or 3.7 boxes of borax. However, you aren't really sure of your starting PH and PH adjustments are somewhat inaccurate, so it is best to start with a much smaller amount and see what that does and adjust from there.

 

[linwill]

got it thank you.

 

[Guest]

washing soda is unscented. The scented stuff is laundry detergent. Do NOT use that in your pool. Washing soda is sold as Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster. If you read the ingredients it is sodium carbonate.

 

[linwill]

Thanks again.

OK put 1 box borax in and now the readings are

ph.......7.6
fc.3
ta .... btween 80-120
stab. ...30-50

hope these are ok, they look better

 

[JasonLion]

That is looking much better! All of the numbers are fine.

Be sure you don't let FC go below 3. It is best to aim a little higher, say 5, so if it dips low for some reason you still have at least 3.

You might want to put a short description of your pool in your signature. That will help up answer any future questions you might have.

 

[linwill]

how do I add info to my signature please. Thank you all for your help, I am sure I will contact you all again !!!!!! Linda, Fuquay Varina NC