First Time Tester and Trying BBB Method

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B

Bevostein

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LifeTime Supporter
Dec 5, 2012
37
Frisco, TX
Pool was just filled a week and half ago. Pool contractor has been maintaining while curing but its time for me to take over. Got a TF-100 test kit and tested today and plugged it in to pool calculator. I would like to post my results and tell you my plan to see if I am on the right check. I understand my pool ph and other readings may bounce at first as the plaster cures for the next few months. First off, results:

Virtually no chlorine. Maybe .5 of FC and .5 of CC
pH = greater than 8.2
TA = 90-100
CH = 240
CYA - less than 20
Water temp 90 degrees

My targets are


FC - 4
ph - 7.7
TA - 90
CH - 260
CY - 30

I plugged all this in to the pool calculator and my plan is to add

182oz of 6% bleach (2 jugs) in front of the return jets
22oz (volume) of muriatic acid (31.45% - 20 Baume) in front of return jets
52oz (volume) of calcium chloride spread over the deep end
76oz of liquid stabilizer (I know it is more expensive but I just want to get it in the pool and not mess with the sock thing in the skimmer this time around)

Am I on the right track?
 
Lower pH and get FC up first.

What did the pool builder tell you to do? If you can use tabs in your chlorinator, they will help you keep FC up and pH low for now, while adding CYA... just don't add many. I can't remember how many ounces of trichlor to tell pool calculator, is it 3 for a large tab, or 7?? I'm questioning myself, so let someone else answer. It's been a long day!
 
You should lower the PH down to 7.2 as soon as possible, and plan on doing that daily for the next couple of weeks. Don't worry about the TA until it has been four weeks, it should take care of it's self. Likewise CH is going to come up on it's own, I very much doubt you will want to raise it yourself.

Typically a fresh plaster startup with run the pump 24/7 for the first while and use trichlor tablets. Trichlor adds chlorine, CYA, and lowers PH, all of which you need. Using trichlor tablets is simple, as they can be put in the skimmer as long as the pump is running 24/7. This also helps out the plaster, which is mildly sensitive to large increases in either chlorine or stabilizer for the first few weeks.
 
While your CYA is below your target, trichlor pucks are ok to use. As stated above, you will need to watch your pH closely, as well as your FC. Be prepared to supplement the pucks with liquid chlorine, and remove the pucks when your target CYA is reached.

Why the trichlor is not normally recommended, is the overuse of it, without monitoring the CYA increase.
 
Thanks so much for the advice. Since Monday I added 4 trichlor tablets. These were placed in the skimmer baskets (2 each). I didn't use the Rainbow chlorinator because it has a small leak at one of the fittings and the PB is supposed to be back out to fix. I initially struggled with my pH staying high and chlorine low.

pH was well above 8.2 yesterday morning after 16 hours of the trichlor and still so in the evening even after having the trichlor tablets in for almost 28 hours. After reading on here how to raise ph thru aeration I determined that I might be jacking the pH up by using the fountain in my spa. The pump is programmed to run 23 hours a day during the cure period so I have had a fountain going in the spa almost 24/7 since the pool was filled. I did two things. I removed the fountain pipe and added 1/2 gallon of 20 Baume 31.45 muratic acid to get the pH headed down quicker.

On Monday, in addition to the tricolor I added 1/2 gallon of 8.25% bleach. On Tuesday, the chlorine level had increased only slightly. I let the trichlor work for the rest of the day but by the evening the chlorine was still not coming up. I went ahead and added another gallon and a half of the 8.25% bleach. So I added a total of two gallons in addition to the trichlor tablets.

I am pretty pleased so far and took test results tonight. Here is where I am at:

pH=7.3
FC=2.5
CC=0.5
TC=3.0
TA=70
CH=210
CYA=30

Those numbers seem to be in line with the recommendations on here. Water looks pretty good although I am anxious to get the Polaris going. PB has not installed yet because of the curing and brushing. There is a lot of stuff at the bottom that needs to get vacuumed up. I think it goes in tomorrow. My TA and CH are on the lower end of recommendations on here but if JasonLion is correct about them rising on their own I shouldn't need to do anything. I am going to keep using the tablets for a while longer as it cures but monitor it, especially the CYA and pH closely. I will come off the tablets when those readings start to move up and go with BBB only. Am I still on the right track?

Sidenote....I am getting the hang of the testing process and this stuff is kind of fun to tinker with. Most of my neighbors use a pool service and I feel like I am getting something out of my pool they are not. Plus I am hoping to have the best looking water in the hood.
 
Think of all the $$ your neighbors are spending on their pool "service" that you don't have to.

You are on the right track.

You might need to order more TA and CH reagents during the curing process of your pool,as you should be testing for these at least every couple of days.
 

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Yep I noticed I would go thru the reagents pretty quickly if I tested often. I would like to order bigger bottles of the stuff and I'm interested in testing for salt as I may want to add some (for water quality) after the pool settles down. Not sure what I get to test for that but I'm sure a quick search on here will tell me.
 
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