Hi all. This is a great forum and I have learned ALOT over the past week or two. I read through the pool school and have a couple pages worth of notes jotted down from everything I have read thus far.
On Tuesday, our pool will be installed, hopefully, just in time for my birthday on Thursday. It is a 16' x 24' Doughboy AGP with a Hayward 1 1/2 hp pump and 230T sand filter.
Thanks to you all, I will be starting out using the BBB method. I have the TF 2006 test kit and did a test of my tap water. Here are the results:
FC 1.6
CC .4
pH 8.0
TA 40
CH 40
CYA 0
I used the ingenious and invaluable pool calculator and it came up with these numbers to reach ideal param's:
Add 47oz of 6% bleach to reach 4ppm FC
Add 4.4oz of 31.45% muriatic acid to reach 7.6 pH
Add 53oz of baking soda to reach 70ppm TA
Add 53oz of stabilizer to reach 40ppm CYA
The notes talked about what the effects are of adding these chemicals and I am alittle unsure of what to add and in what order.
My assumption would be to add the bleach first, by pouring it in front of the return with the pump running. Then add 3/4 of the stabilizer to the skimmer, after removing the basket first. Test for CYA after a week and then dose again if needed.
It says when I add CYA, that it will lower my pH, which is good b/c it's alittle high, so I shouldn't do anything to adjust the pH until all of the CYA is dissolved, correct?
When should I do anything about the low TA, b/c the notes say it will raise my pH?
Also, do I need to shock the pool to start with, since my CC is at .4? I have read once it reaches .5 to start shocking. Should I just leave it until I test to .5 or higher?
Last thing involves start-up: Can someone explain the process of when my pool is finally full, what I do next? Do I start the pump and let it run for 24 hrs and then start dosing? Do I let it run for 24 hrs, then backwash, then add chemicals? Something totally different? And when I add the CYA to the skimmer, do I let the pump run 24/7 for the week to dissolve the CYA or do I just run a normal 12 hr schedule?
Thanks to everyone for the help and info provided here. I have learned so much and am fairly confident that I can easily maintain my pool using the BBB method and get any help I might need for you all.
Mitch
On Tuesday, our pool will be installed, hopefully, just in time for my birthday on Thursday. It is a 16' x 24' Doughboy AGP with a Hayward 1 1/2 hp pump and 230T sand filter.
Thanks to you all, I will be starting out using the BBB method. I have the TF 2006 test kit and did a test of my tap water. Here are the results:
FC 1.6
CC .4
pH 8.0
TA 40
CH 40
CYA 0
I used the ingenious and invaluable pool calculator and it came up with these numbers to reach ideal param's:
Add 47oz of 6% bleach to reach 4ppm FC
Add 4.4oz of 31.45% muriatic acid to reach 7.6 pH
Add 53oz of baking soda to reach 70ppm TA
Add 53oz of stabilizer to reach 40ppm CYA
The notes talked about what the effects are of adding these chemicals and I am alittle unsure of what to add and in what order.
My assumption would be to add the bleach first, by pouring it in front of the return with the pump running. Then add 3/4 of the stabilizer to the skimmer, after removing the basket first. Test for CYA after a week and then dose again if needed.
It says when I add CYA, that it will lower my pH, which is good b/c it's alittle high, so I shouldn't do anything to adjust the pH until all of the CYA is dissolved, correct?
When should I do anything about the low TA, b/c the notes say it will raise my pH?
Also, do I need to shock the pool to start with, since my CC is at .4? I have read once it reaches .5 to start shocking. Should I just leave it until I test to .5 or higher?
Last thing involves start-up: Can someone explain the process of when my pool is finally full, what I do next? Do I start the pump and let it run for 24 hrs and then start dosing? Do I let it run for 24 hrs, then backwash, then add chemicals? Something totally different? And when I add the CYA to the skimmer, do I let the pump run 24/7 for the week to dissolve the CYA or do I just run a normal 12 hr schedule?
Thanks to everyone for the help and info provided here. I have learned so much and am fairly confident that I can easily maintain my pool using the BBB method and get any help I might need for you all.
Mitch