Tried searching but couldn't find what I'm looking for. Had my pool drained and acid washed. I'm currently refilling it with city tap water. I will be testing the water first thing after its full. What's the first water balance I should do after the test? PH? Alk? CYA?...
Fresh refill. What to do first?
- Thread starter mendez4047
- Start date
There will be no CYA in the water, so you need to add that and get some FC in the water to prevent algae. Nothing else is very critical. Keep the pH in the 7s. Might want to add some CH if too low.
We can give better recommendations after seeing the test results. Here is some info on water chemistry.
TFPC for Beginners
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
Recommended Levels
PoolMath
TFPC for Beginners
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
Recommended Levels
PoolMath
Easy.
1) Pump running half an hour or so
2) Test everything but CYA (because you won't have any in tap water)
3) Adjust pH if needed
4) Fumble around with CYA and a sock. If you're not positive of your pool's volume, shoot low. You can always add more later.
5) By the time you've filled the sock and placed it in the skimmer or suspended it in front of a return, you've probably killed half an hour.
6) Recheck pH. If it's not between 7.2 and 7.8, adjust it again.
7) Add 2 ppm bleach. Your CYA will be close to zero so soon after adding, so don't overdo the bleach target for a couple days. Just keep it at 2 or 3 the first couple days. Odds are, it will all disappear every day at the beginning. That's normal.
8) When the CYA is all dissolved, maintain FC adequate for your targeted CYA. If you tried for 50, target 6 when you dose.
9) Check pH every day and adjust as needed. With SoCal tap water, high TA will tend to drive pH up fast until you get it worked down some. The acid thirst will decrease in time.
10) After a week, check CYA. Maintain FC level adequate for that level of CYA. If you need to add more CYA, add it.
11) As soon as the water is warm enough to swim in, it's safe to get in.
By the end of the first week, your pH should be fairly stable and the pool should hold some residual FC overnight. After that, it's easy. Just keep the pH in range and feed it every day with bleach such that the FC never dips below the minimum for your CYA. In a couple weeks, you'll have figured out your pool's personality and daily maintenance will be no more difficult or time-consuming than brushing your teeth. If there's any other questions about the chemistry, help is only a post away.
1) Pump running half an hour or so
2) Test everything but CYA (because you won't have any in tap water)
3) Adjust pH if needed
4) Fumble around with CYA and a sock. If you're not positive of your pool's volume, shoot low. You can always add more later.
5) By the time you've filled the sock and placed it in the skimmer or suspended it in front of a return, you've probably killed half an hour.
6) Recheck pH. If it's not between 7.2 and 7.8, adjust it again.
7) Add 2 ppm bleach. Your CYA will be close to zero so soon after adding, so don't overdo the bleach target for a couple days. Just keep it at 2 or 3 the first couple days. Odds are, it will all disappear every day at the beginning. That's normal.
8) When the CYA is all dissolved, maintain FC adequate for your targeted CYA. If you tried for 50, target 6 when you dose.
9) Check pH every day and adjust as needed. With SoCal tap water, high TA will tend to drive pH up fast until you get it worked down some. The acid thirst will decrease in time.
10) After a week, check CYA. Maintain FC level adequate for that level of CYA. If you need to add more CYA, add it.
11) As soon as the water is warm enough to swim in, it's safe to get in.
By the end of the first week, your pH should be fairly stable and the pool should hold some residual FC overnight. After that, it's easy. Just keep the pH in range and feed it every day with bleach such that the FC never dips below the minimum for your CYA. In a couple weeks, you'll have figured out your pool's personality and daily maintenance will be no more difficult or time-consuming than brushing your teeth. If there's any other questions about the chemistry, help is only a post away.
Here are my test results:
FC 0
TC 1.0
CC 1.0
PH 8.2
TA 175
CH 250
CYA 0
So from all your responses, I should work on PH first then CYA and Chlorine?
FC 0
TC 1.0
CC 1.0
PH 8.2
TA 175
CH 250
CYA 0
So from all your responses, I should work on PH first then CYA and Chlorine?
Yes. pH first. It may actually be higher than 8.2, so do not be alarmed if your acid dose doesn't bring the pH down to where you thought it would. Dribble the acid into the return stream with the pump running and then go mess around with the CYA granules and the sock. That should take you half an hour at least, at which time you can recheck pH. It just has to be between 7.2 and 7.8, don't obsess on it.
The CC comes from the chloramines they put in the tap water to prevent corrosion of the pipes or something. Don;pt get excited about it. Odds are, it will all be gone by sundown.
The CC comes from the chloramines they put in the tap water to prevent corrosion of the pipes or something. Don;pt get excited about it. Odds are, it will all be gone by sundown.
How long should I run my pump? Normally, I would run it for 5 hours a day, but that was before the fresh refill.
I'd stick with whatever time you normally run for per day. I like to divy up my pump run times into two sessions of 2 - 3 hours each. Short answer is run your pump as long as you need to in order to achieve the desired water clarity and filtration.
You need to run at least 30 minutes prior to testing and 30 minutes after any chemical addition. Might want to run more while getting the CYA to dissolve.
Then read this: Determine Pump Run Time
Then read this: Determine Pump Run Time
Thanks all for your help. I think I've got my water chemistry under control. Just a quick question. I'm using liquid chlorine, but it seems like I have to add chlorine every other day. Is that normal?
5/1/15
FC 0
TC 1.5
CC 1.5
PH 7.4
TA 150
CH 250
CYA 20 ( steadily climbing after 4lbs was introduced via a sock).
5/1/15
FC 0
TC 1.5
CC 1.5
PH 7.4
TA 150
CH 250
CYA 20 ( steadily climbing after 4lbs was introduced via a sock).
You need to feed the pool every day. Letting FC go to zero is an invitation for algae. It's also unsanitary once people start using it.
Wowzers! Daily! I'm going to be a poor man real soon. I think I'm going to consider the chlorine pucks.
My pool costs me about a buck a day during the season. Less in winter.
If you start using pucks, your CYA level will increase, which means the minimum FC level needs to be raised, which means more pucks, which means your CYA level will increase even more, which means the minimum FC level needs to be raised, which means more pucks, which means your CYA level will increase even more, and on and on and on. Eventually, the pool will get cloudy and or green and the pool store that sold you the pucks will sell you hundreds of dollars of algaecides, phosphate removers, shock powder, green to clean, whatever. It will end up costing far more than roughly a quart of 12.5% bleach every day.
But hey, it's your pool, you can put whatever you want into it.
If you start using pucks, your CYA level will increase, which means the minimum FC level needs to be raised, which means more pucks, which means your CYA level will increase even more, which means the minimum FC level needs to be raised, which means more pucks, which means your CYA level will increase even more, and on and on and on. Eventually, the pool will get cloudy and or green and the pool store that sold you the pucks will sell you hundreds of dollars of algaecides, phosphate removers, shock powder, green to clean, whatever. It will end up costing far more than roughly a quart of 12.5% bleach every day.
But hey, it's your pool, you can put whatever you want into it.
Don't forget Richard that after the pool store sells them all the potions and they do not work, they will then say you need to replace water ... they will say "chlorine lock", but really it is because your CYA is too high. You guy have an abundance of cheap water over there right 
If
the water is clear and
pH is between 7.2 and 7.8 and
FC is above minimum for your CYA according to this chart and
Water is warm enough for your liking then
Yes :splash:
Is there chlorine in it? Is it clear? Yes, if the pool is clear and chlorine is above min and below shock level for your CYA leve then you are fine to swim. Chlorine CYA Chart
- - - Updated - - -
I like richard's answer better, I left off ph!
- - - Updated - - -
I like richard's answer better, I left off ph!
Awesome! Water is in great condition thanks to all your reaponses. Will be jumping in this weekend (mid 90's in So Cal). Thanks everyone.
Similar threads
