I am not sure where to post this so I will start here. I just bought a home in December of 2011 and this home came with a pool that has sat for a few years. I needed to have the liner replaced and that's what is happening today. I had a few set backs getting this liner in and have actually had it in the plans for about a month now due to a party I am having for mys on this weekend. This is my problem. The pool guy installing the liner today said that I can have the pool party for my son this Saturday at noon. He will be finishing it up today and should be able to start putting water into it around 5 or 6 tonight. He stated that we will be cutting it close (within a few hours of the party) but it will be open. I am using city water to fill it all night and through tomorrow and I am estimating it should be full some time early tomorrow night or late tomorrow night. The only chemicals I have right now are Shock and algaecide. Using only city water to fill it up, will it be safe to swim in come noon Saturday?
Will it be safe?
- Thread starter epxroot
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
You will need a few additional things, but with only a little shopping it can be all setup for the weekend.
This evening, and each evening until it has been 24 hours since you added CYA, add 2 ppm of chlorine.
As soon as practical add enough CYA to raise the CYA level to 30.
Test the PH and TA and adjust as needed.
Once it has been 24 hours since you added CYA start adjusting FC to the target range for your target CYA level.
If that is too terse, feel free to ask questions.
You will need a few additional things, but with only a little shopping it can be all setup for the weekend.
This evening, and each evening until it has been 24 hours since you added CYA, add 2 ppm of chlorine.
As soon as practical add enough CYA to raise the CYA level to 30.
Test the PH and TA and adjust as needed.
Once it has been 24 hours since you added CYA start adjusting FC to the target range for your target CYA level.
If that is too terse, feel free to ask questions.
Thank you for the reply!
Yes it is a little terse. I am just going through the "Pool School" section and I am completely new to pool ownership and maintenance.
Are you saying to add while the pool is filling up? That's how I am reading it
Yes it is a little terse. I am just going through the "Pool School" section and I am completely new to pool ownership and maintenance.
Are you saying to add while the pool is filling up? That's how I am reading it
aa62579
0
You don't need shock or algaeside. You need CYA, bleach, and a test kit to start with.
My suggestion:
You can put your CYA (Sanitizer) in a sock and tie it to your ladder while the pool is filling up. I think you probably want to keep it from sitting directly on the bottom or on the wall.
Use the pool calculator to determine how much bleach to add. If I plug in 25000 gallons, I get that you need 104 oz of 6% bleach to raise your FC from 0 to 2. I would add the first dose of bleach as soon as you can get your pump going (assume Friday afternoon/evening).
If you add the bleach Friday, I would test your chlorine level Saturday morning and add enough to get your FC back to 2. After the party, I would assume your CYA was in the water and would retest and dose up to 4. At 30 CYA, you will want to keep your FC 2-6, never falling below 2. If you fall below 2 by Sunday night, this time add enough to get to 5 or 6.
After a week, test your CYA. You will want it to be 30-40. Add additional CYA if needed.
We can address pH and other areas after you post full test results.
My suggestion:
You can put your CYA (Sanitizer) in a sock and tie it to your ladder while the pool is filling up. I think you probably want to keep it from sitting directly on the bottom or on the wall.
Use the pool calculator to determine how much bleach to add. If I plug in 25000 gallons, I get that you need 104 oz of 6% bleach to raise your FC from 0 to 2. I would add the first dose of bleach as soon as you can get your pump going (assume Friday afternoon/evening).
If you add the bleach Friday, I would test your chlorine level Saturday morning and add enough to get your FC back to 2. After the party, I would assume your CYA was in the water and would retest and dose up to 4. At 30 CYA, you will want to keep your FC 2-6, never falling below 2. If you fall below 2 by Sunday night, this time add enough to get to 5 or 6.
After a week, test your CYA. You will want it to be 30-40. Add additional CYA if needed.
We can address pH and other areas after you post full test results.
Good grief! This really does seem overwhelming.
I have 4 cases of shock and a bottle of algaeside on hand (was going to clean the pool but there was a tear that couldn't be patched so I am having a new liner installed) can I just use that for chlorine?
Since I am using the city water to fill the pool. Would it be OK to wait until it is full, test that night, and add once I have an accurate test of all levels and then adjust that night?
How long should people wait to swim after adding chemicals?
I have 4 cases of shock and a bottle of algaeside on hand (was going to clean the pool but there was a tear that couldn't be patched so I am having a new liner installed) can I just use that for chlorine?
Since I am using the city water to fill the pool. Would it be OK to wait until it is full, test that night, and add once I have an accurate test of all levels and then adjust that night?
How long should people wait to swim after adding chemicals?
aa62579
0
What is your shock? What chemical is it? Not all products labeled "shock" are the same thing.
You can easily swim 30 minutes after adding bleach when it is under shock level. And you can swim the entire time while you have the CYA in a sock.
Entirely different ballgame with lots of the "pool chemicals".
You could certainly safely swim with fresh water and no chemicals - after all, how is that much different than taking a bath. Your problem is going to be the introduction of organics from the pool party. One person, takes a shower before entering the pool, doesn't pee in the pool - probably not a big deal that first day. But when you start adding lots of bodies, sweat, sun screen, skin oil, urine, etc., you will come out much farther ahead (and be more sanitary) if you get that FC (free chlorine) up to 2 before the party starts.
You can easily swim 30 minutes after adding bleach when it is under shock level. And you can swim the entire time while you have the CYA in a sock.
Entirely different ballgame with lots of the "pool chemicals".
You could certainly safely swim with fresh water and no chemicals - after all, how is that much different than taking a bath. Your problem is going to be the introduction of organics from the pool party. One person, takes a shower before entering the pool, doesn't pee in the pool - probably not a big deal that first day. But when you start adding lots of bodies, sweat, sun screen, skin oil, urine, etc., you will come out much farther ahead (and be more sanitary) if you get that FC (free chlorine) up to 2 before the party starts.
Pool stores sell all types of chlorine under the name "shock" it is marketing speak, you will soon learn here that shock is s process not a product. If this "shock" is a liquid then it is likely the same active ingredient as bleach or liquid chlorine (look at the stregth though, common bleach is 3% or 6%, liquid chlorine / liquid shock is often 10%-12%. Traditionally pool store powdered shock was mostly dichlor, but in recent years I have noticed that dichlor is getting hard to find, instead you commonly see pool store dry "shock" being made from trichlor or Cal-hypo.
As to algaecide we generally feel it is a waste of money, but if you must use some, use a polyquat based algaecide and ALWAYS avoid copper based algaecide (same goes for dry chlorine products that contain copper algacides, like most HTH brand products)
Ike
p.s. to get your pool ready for the weekend, you will need 3 or 4 chemicals:
bleach/liquid chlorine
CYA stabilizer
and you may either pH Up (washing soda from the grocery store is the same thing, or pH Down / dry acid from the pool store or muriatic acid (muriatic acid is the choice with the least byproducts, but you have to be more careful handling it)
You will also need to keep fairly careful track of what you add, and at least a basic drop based test kit, we suggest getting a high quality test kit like the TFTestkits TF-100 (the one I use), but this would have to be ordered mail order, until then you can get by with a basic 2 way or 3 way drop based test kit that sell for around $10-$15. The most important thing is DO NOT add anything EXTRA to the pool, as things may have unintended side effects.
Ike
As to algaecide we generally feel it is a waste of money, but if you must use some, use a polyquat based algaecide and ALWAYS avoid copper based algaecide (same goes for dry chlorine products that contain copper algacides, like most HTH brand products)
Ike
p.s. to get your pool ready for the weekend, you will need 3 or 4 chemicals:
bleach/liquid chlorine
CYA stabilizer
and you may either pH Up (washing soda from the grocery store is the same thing, or pH Down / dry acid from the pool store or muriatic acid (muriatic acid is the choice with the least byproducts, but you have to be more careful handling it)
You will also need to keep fairly careful track of what you add, and at least a basic drop based test kit, we suggest getting a high quality test kit like the TFTestkits TF-100 (the one I use), but this would have to be ordered mail order, until then you can get by with a basic 2 way or 3 way drop based test kit that sell for around $10-$15. The most important thing is DO NOT add anything EXTRA to the pool, as things may have unintended side effects.
Ike
Thank you everyone for your responses.
The shock that I have is a liquid and is at 12.5%
I went out and bought the 6 piece test kit from Walmart and test strips from Lowes to test the FC. I tried to test CYA using the kit but the water didn't even cloud so I am assuming that means there is next to none.
My FC tested around 3
And my PH was high 8.4+
I am filling the pool up now and there is only about 3 to 4' of water in the deep end and it has a yellow tint to it.
The shock that I have is a liquid and is at 12.5%
I went out and bought the 6 piece test kit from Walmart and test strips from Lowes to test the FC. I tried to test CYA using the kit but the water didn't even cloud so I am assuming that means there is next to none.
My FC tested around 3
And my PH was high 8.4+
I am filling the pool up now and there is only about 3 to 4' of water in the deep end and it has a yellow tint to it.
aa62579
0
What have you added to the pool so far? There is no CYA in tap water and it won't show fully on a test for up to a week after YOU add it.
Did you have any trouble with metals in your water before?
Did you have any trouble with metals in your water before?
I haven't added anything at all yet. I am not aware of metals in the water, but I believe that the PH levels from tap are pretty high. I read in pool school that lowering the PH slightly and adding sequestrant should remove the color.
I just spoke with the guy who is installing the liner and he told me that since the water is yellow and that is a sign of metal in the water, that if I add chlorine it will turn it orange. Now I am weary of adding any chlorine until I first take care of the slight yellow tint in the water. I was told that he will take a look at it in the morning and if needed will add metal remover which I will need to vacuum out once it sinks to the bottom and then I can add chlorine. I was also told that I may not want to add anything until after the party for my son but I would like to have the yellow tint out by then.
You will certainly want chlorine in the water before the party, you will likely want CYA in it also, and will probably want to adjust the pH down to the 7.5 -7.8 range to reduce burning eyes.
I am going to have the water tested tomorrow for metals. From what I have been reading I believe it's iron. I am with you, I really think I should have chlorine in the water before the party, but I am scared of it turning it even a darker color just before the party. I was thinking about adding a sequestrant, lowering the PH and then adding chlorine. From what I have been reading, I need to take care of the iron before anything, otherwise it just makes the color worse. I have been reading of ways to filter the iron out, but that is something I can work on after the party.
A start up dose of sequesterant is good insurance since you are on a short time schedule for the party. Jack's Magic the Pink Stuff is a good one. Sequestrants based on HEDP, phosphonic acid, or phosphonic acid derivatives are the most effective. Check the label for one of those as the active ingredient.
Here is my plan for the iron. Last night about 10 I started to filter the water at the hose by placing a t-shirt over the hose, after about 4 hours there was a nice rust spot. I am going to finish filling the pool using this method. I also spoke with the guy who installed the new liner and who will be opening the pool. I asked him to bring his sump pump, ziptie a t-shirt to the inlet of the pump and set it in the deep end where most of the color is at. This should filter the rust and push rust free water out of the outlet which after a few hours should pull the color out of the water. If this does not work I will try using a sequestrant to at least manage the color for the party. Any ideas or thoughts on this, has anyone tried to filter the rust out using this method?
That will certainly catch some of the rust that is in the water as particles, but some of it will be too small and pass through the fabric. Still, it is much better to get out what you can rather than leaving it in the water.
Bringing the PH down to around 72 to 7.5 will probably make the color go away for at least a while. Without sequestrant it will still come back right after you add chlorine, but then go away again as long as the PH stays fairly low.
Bringing the PH down to around 72 to 7.5 will probably make the color go away for at least a while. Without sequestrant it will still come back right after you add chlorine, but then go away again as long as the PH stays fairly low.
I am thinking it shouldn't be too difficult to pull most out and for now neutralize it enough to add chlorine, Dry acid, and cyanuric acid to allow me to get through the weekend in a clean clear pool. When he told me not to add anything after the party, I was saying, I am going to have 12 to 15 12yo swimming around all day. I need to get some chemicals in there.
BTW, thanks to all of those who have replied! This site is a great source for information. I went from knowing nothing to having some kind of idea on how to at least attempt to maintain my new pool!
OK, my situation has changed a little. As of now the pool is taking a little longer to fill than I thought so, it looks like we won't be able to get the pump and filter going until about 5hrs before the party starts. The person working on my pool insists that I don't need to add anything, but everyone else I talk says otherwise. He also stated that the little bit of iron in the pool is a lot less than what he thought it would be and said that I will be OK adding two gallons of chlorine if I wanted. Would it be OK to add it tonight before I go to bed, or should I wait until we get the pump and filter going before adding the chlorine? If I need to wait until the pump and filter are going, would 4 to 5hrs be enough time to allow kids to swim in it?
Technically you only really need half hour or so for the chlorine to mix up in the water and in reality it likely is well mixed before half an hour with a good pump going. But you do need the pump running (not necessarily the filter) to do the circulating or the bleach/chlorine will pool in one spot and bleach your liner.
You could fudge with a couple-few 12 year olds with skimmers and raft oars or other stirring devices, and have them walk in circles around the pool circulating it manually, but you'll want to be very certain to pour slowly and swirl completely (swirl long time ~half hour or so) or you again run the risk of bleaching your liner. I've done this with a 5000 gallon pool without ill effects but you will need to decide if it's important enough to risk for your brand new pool. Especially if you don't think you can get the kids to commit to swirling it.
You could fudge with a couple-few 12 year olds with skimmers and raft oars or other stirring devices, and have them walk in circles around the pool circulating it manually, but you'll want to be very certain to pour slowly and swirl completely (swirl long time ~half hour or so) or you again run the risk of bleaching your liner. I've done this with a 5000 gallon pool without ill effects but you will need to decide if it's important enough to risk for your brand new pool. Especially if you don't think you can get the kids to commit to swirling it.