Finished Building My New Pool

[cjbyrd]

My builder just finished my new pool and told me not to worry about the chemicals right now but to add 1/3 of a gallon of muriatic acid once a week and the the Ph will start to balance out. Does this sound right with start up of a newly built pool ? I've been testing my chemicals weekly even though they told me not to worry about the readings right now and the Ph is still real high, around 8.6 after 6 weeks of adding the 1/3 gallon of acid.

 

[ajw22]

What type of pool? How long since water was added?

Please put details of your pool in your signature.

Post a complete set if test results and we will advise you on what to do. How is the water being chlorinated? pH should be lowered into the 7s.

I suggest you read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry and download PoolMath to help you determine chemical doses.

 

[cjbyrd]

Sorry, Pool was plastered and filled on April 10th its an 11,600 gallon pool with raised spa with a salt water generator. I'm not sure how accurate those ACE hardware store water link pool tests are but my readings today from them were FC 0.7 TC 0.7 CC 0.0 PH over 8.6 TA 94 ppm CYA 55 ppm. Salt levels are at 3000 ppm with generator running at 50 percent. all equipment is Jandy

 

[ajw22]

First thing you need to do is get yourself a proper test kit. See Test Kits Compared

Either the TF-100 Test Kits or the Taylor k-2006C.

We have found pool store tests inaccurate and unreliable. We believe in pool owner tests results.

You should increase your FC to 7-9 ppm and lower your pH into the 7's.

Read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[kimkats]

I am sorry to say that is not a good way to start your new plaster but we can help you over come it!

First the pH. It is going to be a battle to get it down. You HAVE to have a good test kit with enough regents to do many tests. For the pH you can get the Walmart test for pH but know you will need quite a few of the red dye for it. For all of the other tests you will need a much better test kit like the one listed above.

-pH battle- Using Pool Math as seen above set your target as 7.5 and your now as 8.2. Add as much muriatic acid as P.M says with the pump running on high. Let it run for about 15 mins. Then test again. If the pH is not in the 7s does again and repeat these steps until you get teh pH down into the 7s.

NOTE-your TA will go lower as you lower the pH so you will need to test it as well and keep it from crashing. Here is a link to what we use to adjust each level:

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Once you get the pH down in the 7s keep a close eye on it because as new plaster cures it will push the pH back up.

Kim

 

[cjbyrd]

Thank you for the info Kim. I thought adding the acid only once a week wasn't a good plan and figured my Ph should be tested and adjusted more frequently because my new pool already has scaling from the high Ph and parts of my new plaster feel like sand paper.

 

[kimkats]

PB know how to build pools............not so much how to care for them

 

[cjbyrd]

Should that scaling on the walls go away on its own once the ph and other chemicals are in check or will I need to brush it off with something more coarse than my pool brush? Also about how long after a new pool is plastered will the ph finally stabilize? I also want to add borax to my pool how long should I wait before I do that?