Can I start now on the BBB?

[kawfytawk]

We will be getting our AGP installed on the 16th. 16x32x52 Oval. We are planning to have it "dished out" in the center to about 5-5 1/2 feet. I will be filling it with the garden hose. I have been studying at "pool school" and have purchased the TF100 kit. Got it yesterday

Question, Can I test my water to see what I need to have on hand for the pool fill? Or...should I let the pool guys do their thing and convert to BBB later? I have never had a pool before so I may need a little hand holding to get the hang of all the testing and tweaking. But I am a quick study most times.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I think testing your fill water is a fabulous idea, so is starting BBB from scratch. There is no reason you have to let the pool guys put anything in the pool, in fact, I wouldn't!

We're good at virtual hand holding, LOL

 

[GCS]

Yep start right from the beginning!! Do not go with any pool store chemicals. Trust me on this one. We started with a basic intex and crappy test kit with all the pricey pool store chemicals and had plenty of problems. About 2-3 years ago I found this place bought a good test kit and switched to BBB and bang life got much easier in the pool world. Enough so that I jumped in deep this year with a new 27' round AGP.

Greg

 

[kawfytawk]

Which tests should be performed on plain ol tap water that has yet to be altered?

 

[GCS]

pH, FC, TA, CH

You can skip CYA since that would be zero.

Greg

 

[kawfytawk]

PH 8.2
TA 510 - I had to put 51 drops in Can that be right or could I have done something wrong?
CH 1
FC - I didn't do that...not sure how just yet (disclaimer - I am still figuring out test kit)

 

[kawfytawk]

re: FC ....ok got how I do that...these old eyes can't read the small print ..dang it...threw out my 51 drop test! lemme try that test over again. Practice makes perfect right?

 

[Richard320]

PH 8.2
TA 510 - I had to put 51 drops in Can that be right or could I have done something wrong?
CH 1
FC - I didn't do that...not sure how just yet (disclaimer - I am still figuring out test kit)

Yes, it's possible. Do you get a lot of scaling on coffeepots and shower heads? Are you using well water?

It's more likely that you forgot to add one of the reagents, or lost count, or used the wrong one. I've done that one a couple times. Now I put things back in the box rather than scattered all over the table top. You can use a 10ml sample so each drop is 25; saves reagent #9. Use 1 drop #7, 3 drops #8.

 

[Bama Rambler]

On the TA test, there have been reports of static electricity affecting the droplet size causing the TA to read artifically high. Wipe the tip of the R-0009 bottle with a damp cloth between drops and try it again.

On the FC test, put 10ml pool water in vial, add heaping scoop of R-0870 and swirl then add R-0871 one drop at a time, swirling between drops, until the sample goes clear. I usually add one more drop after it looks clear to me just to be sure and then I don't count the last drop.

 

[kawfytawk]

crumb....please forget the data I gave earlier. Here is what I got

PH 8.2 according to the small blue test kit
FC 3*.5 @ 1.5
TA 51*10 @ 510
CH 3*10 @30

I will redo the TA to double check on accuracy. Yes I do get lots of scaling. My stand alone ice maker suffers horribly

 

[kawfytawk]

ok redid the TA test and carefully wiped the bottle tip after each drop. I had a dramatic difference. It was 35 drops 34 if you are to record the very first pink tinge rather than red

so it would be TA =340-350

 

[JasonLion]

As soon as the pool is filled and the pump is running, the first thing to do is to bring your PH down to around 7.2. Because this is a very large PH change, you should do this in two or three steps, letting the pump run for an hour and retesting the PH to see how you are doing between each step.

If you have any problems with the PH rising on it's own quickly enough to be annoying, you should lower your TA down to below 150. But you will probably be able to simply lower the PH down to 7.2 any time it gets above 7.8 and be fine.

 

[kawfytawk]

so I should probably get some of that PH Down stuff at the pool store and then recheck both PH and TA? Will lowering the PH with one of those PH reducers have a strong affect on the TA?

 

[Thinkly]

Go to Lowes Home Depot etc. to get Muriatic acid. Much cheaper than what you get at pool store. TA will go down with pH. You can raise the pH (after it drops) back up with aeration. You can raise the TA back up with baking soda. (buy a large bag at Sams club etc. for cheap.)

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You won't need baking soda... as you will probably add water from time to time, the TA of your fill will increase the level naturally...otherwise it should stay pretty stable. To Lower the TA permanently use the Acid Aeration method described in Pool School.

 

[kawfytawk]

ok, so I will get the muriatic acid. It says that it could take a long time to get it lowered.....please tell me I am not in the "will take weeks" category. My husband wants it up and running for the 4th and is pushing for letting the pool guy set things up. I would like to do BBB.

OT...is anyone else having really long load times on this site?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yeah, it was slow a few minutes back.

High TA is not an issue that will prevent swimming, etc. All high TA means is the ph will drift up. When it hits 7.8, you simply add the acid to lower the PH back to 7.2. Every time the acid lowers PH the TA will come down. There isn't a real need to rush the process - the How To Lower TA article simple gives you the method to speed the process up. Without a super way to aerate, the process is slow. But, like I said, as long as you are testing PH daily and adjusting it as necessary, the TA won't be a problem.

 

[kawfytawk]

great! good to know

 

[Richard320]

ok, so I will get the muriatic acid. It says that it could take a long time to get it lowered.....please tell me I am not in the "will take weeks" category. My husband wants it up and running for the 4th and is pushing for letting the pool guy set things up. I would like to do BBB.

OT...is anyone else having really long load times on this site?

As long as the water warms up, there's no reason you won't be swimming on the 4th. Probably before the end of June, in fact! You don't have to clear out a bunch of algae or anything.

Your water sounds like mine. You'll be using a lot of acid. Just accept it. Here's a tip: When you punch numbers into Pool Calculator, it will tell you how much acid to add to lower pH. psst- be sure to enter the right strength - it varies. Further down there is a box that will tell you the effect of adding something. If you take the acid dose, say, 26 oz, or whatever it gave you above, in the box, it says it will lower pH x and TA y. TA drop will not be anywhere near where you want it. Just be patient. Add the acid to get pH down. Wait a day, recheck, repeat. If you have a way to aerate good, that speeds it way up. When I add water, it's usually 1 to 1½ inches, and I usually add a cup of acid right then and let the hose stream disperse it. Your numbers will, of course, vary. You'll figure it out quick.

 

[kawfytawk]

I just downloaded the pool calq. app on my iphone. That way I can take it with me to the store to get my chems. Thanks Richard, I will pay attention to the strength. I will figure out a good aeration method. Hopefully once I get this PH down, it should be a matter of just tweaking right?