Commissioning new AGP-Help with liner issue needed!

[CBerger02]

Our pool (18’x33’x4’ oval, cart filter, Liquid chlorine, TF-Pro test kit) went up last fall and for many reasons never got completely filled above the return. Currently the pool is a few inches below the skimmer and I have a few things to do to wrap up the plumbing and completely fill it.

Right now, the water is slightly cloudy, with some green on the bottom and lots of dead bugs on top. I have not added any chemicals to it yet.

How would you recommend I start this thing up? I would like to get it cleaned up so that I can get some practice in maintaining everything before summertime comes. I know usage by people will change how I need to upkeep it, but I will just adapt.

I can test to see what pH, TA, and CH are and add from there once it is filled and circulating.

Can I assume FC and CYA will be zero since I haven’t added anything? Then add based on PoolMath calculations?

Should I stick with solid stabilizer and LC for the startup? I’ve read of people using tablets to bump up their FC and CYA values to establish a baseline. Or should I get right to SLAMing once pH and TA are in band?

I also have a Dolphin robot that I haven’t even opened yet.

Appreciate you guys! I have already learned a lot here.

 

[PoolStored]

Can I assume FC and CYA will be zero since I haven’t added anything?

I would go ahead and test anyway. Test a full panel of test results.

Then add based on PoolMath calculations?

With visible algae, I would start the slam process. Print the SLAM article out and keep it with you...Link-->SLAM Process

Should I stick with solid stabilizer and LC for the startup? I’ve read of people using tablets to bump up their FC and CYA values to establish a baseline.

Yes. Stick with solid.

Or should I get right to SLAMing once pH and TA are in band?

Yes, but you will need dry stabilizer for the SLAM if your CYA is 0.

I also have a Dolphin robot that I haven’t even opened yet.

I'd start the slam process. When the algae is dead, throw the dolphin in to help collect it and circulate the water.

 

[CBerger02]

Finally finished plumbing and the pump has been running for about 24 hrs on slow speed. Cleared up quite a bit of pollen. Filter pressure is about 4-5 PSI on startup. Going to clean it before my first batch add of CYA because I can't clean it for a week after the add.

First test results at 69 degrees
pH: 8.0
CYA: 0
OTO Cl test: 0
TA: 30

Pool Math says to add 2800g of CYA so that's what I'll do first.

Should I start the SLAM after CYA is dissolved, or should I balance TA and pH first?

 

[mknauss]

Start 3.5 pounds of stabilizer dissolving using the sock method. As long as you add the stabilizer that way, you can clean your cartridge filter as needed.
Add 10 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine. Once stabilizer is dissolving, use 12 ppm FC as your target and maintain following the SLAM process.
Adjust pH to 7.2 - 7.4. The stabilizer will lower pH a little. It will also raise your TA a little.

 

[CBerger02]

The 2800g (~6lbs) dissolved pretty quickly. I hung a fine mesh bag of it in front of the return with the pump on high speed and it broke up pretty quickly. I'm sure much of it is still in particulate form throughout the pool yet to be dissolved, which leads me to my next question: should I leave the dolphin robot out of the pool for a day or two to give the CYA a chance to dissolve? I got an ultra-fine filter in the mail today but am hesitant to use it.

 

[mknauss]

Bummer you added so much. Now your CYA is closer to 50 ppm. So your FC levels raise to 20 ppm for the SLAM.

Be careful if any stabilizer granules reach your liner. They can stain the liner. I would run the cleaner and try to get them out.

 

[CBerger02]

Bummer you added so much. Now your CYA is closer to 50 ppm. So your FC levels raise to 20 ppm for the SLAM.

Be careful if any stabilizer granules reach your liner. They can stain the liner. I would run the cleaner and try to get them out.

Always learning here! Thanks, will get on it. I'll let the robot run for a couple hours and then add some LC.

 

[mknauss]

Add the chlorine now!

 

[CBerger02]

Add the chlorine now!

Chlorine added! 3 gallons. Will retest in about 2 hrs and follow the SLAM process

 

[CBerger02]

OCLT night results:
FC: 17.5 ppm
CC: 0.5ppm

I measured CYA too but it was cloudy out so I'm not sure of the accuracy. 70ppm, which is a bit higher than I was expecting.

 

[CBerger02]

This morning's OCLT results:
FC: 17ppm (0.5ppm drop)
CC: 0.5ppm (same as last night)
Water is still cloudy so I added FC to SLAM levels and will clean the filter and run the robot when I get home today.

 

[Newdude]

Water is still cloudy

Cloudy/milky is usually dead or mostly dead algae. It shifts from a chemical battle to a mechanical battle to filter it all out.

Maintain slam to retain the upper hand, but it's much easier to do so now without the FC holding well.

Brush and vac at least once a day as the surfaces may still have layers of algae protected by biofilm.

 

[CBerger02]

Brush and vac at least once a day as the surfaces may still have layers of algae protected by biofilm.

I have a drain line downstream of my filter but upstream of the return. Should I do a small purge of that line while the pump is running to get some chlorinated water through there?

 

[Newdude]

A drain line shouldn't ever reinfect the pool because it's separated by a valve and isnt pressurized, but it can't hurt and it only takes 15 seconds while you're out there, so.

 

[CBerger02]

Day 3 of the SLAM after filling the pool. Water looks good, hard for me to tell if I need to keep chlorine at SLAM levels. Measured my CYA today, reading ~75ppm. So my SLAM chlorine levels are around 30ppm which sucks for my wallet, but that's a lesson learned. Robot has been running almost nonstop with ultrafine filter.
Should I keep SLAMing?

 

[Newdude]

Water looks good, hard for me to tell if I need to keep chlorine at SLAM levels.

Lemme know when you can post here :
How Clear is TFP Clear?

Once it's clear, you move onto Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

 

[CBerger02]

Lemme know when you can post here :
How Clear is TFP Clear?

Once it's clear, you move onto Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Definitely can't post there yet. But I have seen less than 1ppm FC drop on two OCLTs. So I should raise my FC tonight and keep going?

 

[Newdude]

But I have seen less than 1ppm FC drop on two OCLTs

Ok so that's a huge plus. Maybe you're still filtering old pollen, or got a bunch more. If i passed with 0.5 or 0 loss on 2 consecutive nights, I'd let it drift to just above high target while I waited for the filter to do it's thing. I went cloudy every spring at my old place and just had to wait it out. (After the 2 passes)

How's the filter doing ?

 

[CBerger02]

Super windy by me so lots of dust and bugs, but no leaves or other organics.

What do you mean by drift above high target? The chlorine level?

I've cleaned the filter two days in a row. Yesterday wasn't bad. I'll clean it again tomorrow. Seems like it's just particulates I'm waiting to filter out.

 

[Newdude]

What do you mean by drift above high target? The chlorine level?

Yes. Let the FC fall back near target range, but basically treat high target as your temporary minimum FC.

If it's still cloudy in 4 or 5 days, OCLT. Then go back to waiting with the slightly elevated FC.