First time opening - Please check my plan for top-off water and chemicals!

[Sampo]

Hi friends,

I’m “pumped" to be opening my pool for the first time this year! I think that I’m all set with my plan for the cover and equipment. But would you please check my plan for my top-off water and chemicals? I’m shooting for a 3/23 opening, so my water temp will likely be in the mid 40s (but that’s just fine for a swim once the pH & FC are right! ).

When I peeked under my solid cover in January, the water was clear and I still had a FC=3.0 by FAS/DPD. The pH was off the charts: “The Pros” who closed my pool had tossed in a few handfuls of something in a blue float that took my pH from my 7.5 to 8.2+ on the day of closing (I’m still not sure if they said “borate” or “bromine” as neither made sense to me). Plus my pH always drifts up, so who knows -- it’s probably in the mid to high 8s .

Before opening, I'll need to add about 2” of water (about 1,000 gal). I think my well water may have some iron. I can use that risky water directly (I have used a bit before) -- or first process it through my water softener. I assume that I should soften the water to decrease any iron, especially since the added salt would just be a plus. Right? The other wild idea would be to start pumping rainwater from on top of the cover into the pool now (cover looks pretty clean), but I wonder if that would risk algae?

My previous opening was done by the same Pros from my PB. They put in a quart of “LES-IRON stain and scale preventer” when opening -- no ingredients on the bottle, just that it was “a special product of polymer chemistry”, lol . Should I be using some TFP-approved sequestrant for extra insurance? Or is that unnecessary since I don’t have any existing stains (see above re: possible Fe in water).

Last year, "the Pros” also dumped in a quart of "PRO-60 Algaecide” at opening (I assume Polyquat?). That seems unnecessary if I get my FC to target right away — right? Seems like a waste of money to me.

So in brief, should I use:
1) Softened water? or even cover water?
2) Sequestrant?
3) Polyquat?

Thanks in advance!

“CYA later”

Sampo

 

[Newdude]

1) Softened water? or even cover water?

I don't think 1000 gallons will make or break you. It's either already high in Iron, or likely can handle 1000 gallons diluted into the pool.

If the cover water isn't nasty, it's certainly in the right spot already. Lol.

2) Sequestrant?

Not blindly, as it sounds they've done in the past. They were either ignorant, or wanted to fleece you another $35.

3) Polyquat?

Algecide is for the winter, not the summer. Daily doses of FC will waste it in no time.

The pool service rarely understands, or does understand and wants to fleece you another $35. (Notice a theme ? THATs on THEM !!!)


From here on out, use the pool service for anything manual labor-y that you don't wish to do. But they are not allowed to touch your chemistry. At all.

Period.

We got you.

 

[Sampo]

Thanks! Awesome advice, as always! I’ll skip the sequestrant and polyquat. But just to be sure, softened water is also just fine for a pool, right? My PB said to not put softened water in a plaster pool — but from this forum I gather that’s nonsense.

 

[mknauss]

What is the CH level of your pool water?

 

[Sampo]

CH = 350 and very stable.

Help me understand how that value affects your answer.

 

[mknauss]

Then adding softened water is the correct thing to do. Monitor the CH in your pool water every month to keep the CH within the target range.

 

[Newdude]

My PB said to not put softened water in a plaster pool — but from this forum I gather that’s nonsense.

Well it would be nonsense in the southwest where they have tons of evaporation and hard water that spikes the CH in no time.

But in PA he is likely thinking that you get so much rain that the higher CH fill water will help keep the CH up.

Being geographically local to you I have soft water, the same rain and little evaporation and I would need to add CH with a plaster pool, 100% of the time. I would never need to drain for high CH.

What is the CH of the well water?

What is it's PH ?

The softener needs a low PH to filter iron.

 

[Sampo]

Ok, here are the results. This gave me a nice chance to try out my new Taylor K-1766 Cl- test that I got after you inspired me to consider a SWG this year. I also discovered that I'll need to troubleshoot my Speed Stir -- which works, but won't stay on. Anyway:

Incoming well water:
FC = 0 (obviously; buy hey - why not check?)
pH <<6.8 (about the color of the chlorine side of the comparator)
TA = 20
CH = 75
Cl <= 200

By default, all of my water (even to the outside spigots) gets processed through my whole house water system -- which I bypassed to do the tests above. The incoming water first goes through an acid neutralizer (with Calcite, CaCO3), and then through an ion exchanging water softener (with plain NaCl). Note: my softener was near the end of its capacity, and will be due for regeneration shortly - but it seems to be working based on the delta-CH.

Processed water:
FC = 0
pH = 6.8
TA = 50
CH = 0
Cl <=200

And you are correct that I've never had problems with my pool having too high of a CH. In fact, I occasionally need to add calcium.

 

[Newdude]

And you are correct that I've never had problems with my pool having too high of a CH. In fact, I occasionally need to add calcium.

A good chunk of the country dreams of having our low CH 'problems'.

So your PB was saying to use the 75 CH water without the softener to help add a little CH to the pool. It won't be much so I don't think you'd even ever notice it. We drain more than we fill usually up here.

However. With a PH under (and possibly well under) 7, there's a chance the softener may remove some or most of the iron in the well water, so use the softened water against the PBs advice.

 

[Sampo]

Got it. Thanks so much!