This will be my third summer with a pool but first (hopefully) without fighting high CYA. The previous owner used trichlor tabs and I continued that the first summer, since I didn't know any better. Last summer I switched to bleach.
Anyway, I want to make sure I get this right from the start. Do these startup instructions from the plaster company sound reasonable? Scale Tec really necessary?
I currently have several gallons of Walmart bleach, two boxes of borax, and a 13 pound bag of baking soda. Recommended stabilizer? Or should I use a chlorine that has some for the startup? Thanks.
Anyway, I want to make sure I get this right from the start. Do these startup instructions from the plaster company sound reasonable? Scale Tec really necessary?
Hoses should be put in pool for the water to starting filling once plaster crew or exposure crew is finished with the surface. DO NOT turn the water off until the level has reached the middle of the pool tile line. Once the pool is full we will add one gallon of muriatic acid per 2,000 gallons of pool water by walking the perimeter of the pool and pouring into water. Some powdered chlorine should be added daily as there so no stabilizer in the water at this time. Also scale prevention should be added at this time. We usually use an entire jug of Scale Tec in the new water then recommend approximately 7 oz. each month there after be poured into the water.
Brush the entire pool surface. Be sure to get every area including where the steps and walls and benches and walls meet. Many people do not get every area and overtime the plaster dust that has settled in these areas will turn yellowish-brown. This is not a defect of the plaster but is due to ineffective brushing on the part of the customer. Allow the acid to work for a minimum of 72 hours before neutralizing. Continue to brush the entire pool daily until all plaster dust is gone. The acid and brushing will remove the ‘cream’ of the plaster and expose the aggregate. If you have a heater DO NOT turn on the pool equipment until the water is neutralized as well as DO NOT swim until the water is neutralized.
Once the aggregate is exposed to your satisfaction neutralize the water and start balancing your chemicals. We usually put in ten pounds of Sodium Bicarbonate by broadcasting throughout the pool to bring up the alkalinity. Consult your pool professional for the exact amount of soda bicarbonate your pool needs. The actual amount varies based on the gallons of water and the pool surface material. This will neutralize the water then you will be able to balance the water chemistry. The next day you can check your chemical levels and begin balancing the water. Alkalinity needs to be balanced first to get a true pH reading. During the first 30 – 60 days of a freshly plastered pool the pH will tend to rise quickly. Monitor the pH reading twice a week to stay on top of the balance. Colored pools should maintain a pH of 7.2 -7.4. Alkalinity should be maintained at 90 – 120 ppm. A pH that is too low will ‘eat away’ at the plaster and pH too high will cause scaling. Continue to use a scale prevention product monthly.
You will also need to put in a stabilizer. DO NOT throw stabilizer into the water it will stain the surface. Apply stabilizer to the water through the skimmer. We do not recommend floating chlorine devices as they tend to stay in one place and will bleach out the surface. Also watch the calcium hardness levels to prevent calcium buildup on the plaster surface. How well you maintain the water chemistry will determine the life of the pool surface as well as the look of the surface.
I currently have several gallons of Walmart bleach, two boxes of borax, and a 13 pound bag of baking soda. Recommended stabilizer? Or should I use a chlorine that has some for the startup? Thanks.