First time pool owner

[Crudy]

Hey everyone, just moved into a house with an unground pool (20k gallons) and fortunately stumbled across this website trying to learn how to use it and balance it.
I have read a lot of the pool school articles but it’s a lot of information so trying to retain it all and use it all correctly and chronologically correct is taking some time.
I’m posting pretty much for a check in and to see if what I’m doing is accurate so far. Water currently is cloudy and has not been vacuumed, just brushed yesterday.

Pool opened last Tuesday 5/14
They really just pulled the cover and started the pump up and shocked it. No vacuuming or anything. Not sure if that’s typical or not.

Yesterday afternoon test numbers:
FC: .5 (added a little over half gallon of chlorinating liquid per pool math)
TC: .5
CC: 0
PH: 8.0 (added about 10 cups of muriatic acid per pool math)
Calcium hardness: 350 ish
TA: 114
CYA: 5 (added 4 lbs of stabilizer split between 2 socks hung in front of the returns)

Double checked the levels I adjusted this morning
FC: I THINK was 1.5-2 ( I will double check after work)
PH: 7.6
CYA: 30ish

Also backwashed sand filter Saturday evening because pressure seemed high. (30 psi)
Backwashed and it went to 25 Psi, the lady who lived there before me said it stayed around 25 or so.

Let me know what your thoughts are, thanks a lot!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
'Taylor 2005 test kit with expired reagents lol' == time for a refill set! Go to TFTestkits.net and order a refill for the K2006C. You will get what you need to make your kit a proper test kit. You will need a spoon for the R0870 powder, ask for one when ordering.
If the reagents are suspect, just add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine to the pool with pump running each day until you get your refills.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[Crudy]

Ok just ordered the replacement kit, thanks!

 

[Crudy]

Just got home and tested the pool, heres what i got.
FC: .5
TC: 1
CC:.5
PH: 7.7
TA: 120
CYA: between 20-30 i believe. Filled up small comparator and could still barely see the dot.

Water is still fairly cloudy, maybe a little over 2 foot of visibility. Why might that be? high alkalinity?
Based on those those numbers, what do you think the next appropriate next steps would be? Continue adding acid for Liquid chlorine per pool math and more stabilizer to raise CYA? I just dont want to add stabilizer and other chemicals if yall think I'm going to have to SLAM at all.
Would it be a good idea to go ahead and put the vacuum in? Its an older polaris i believe, the one with 3 wheels. I had been waiting for replacement mesh bags to come in the mail which i received today.

Lastly, it said that i should not backwash my filter for a week after adding stabilizer. What happens if my pressure gets way up high like above 30 psi?
Thanks a lot, sorry for all the questions lol

 

[Flying Tivo]

You are ready for a SLAM Process. Go ahead and backwash and rinse your filter.

 

[Crudy]

Ok so i should SLAM? Why exactly do you recommend I do that now? Im just trying to understand the process of whats incorrect in order for me to SLAM. To be clear, you dont think i should continue to add a bit more stabilizer and chlorine and things will clear up in a few days? thanks for the help

 

[Flying Tivo]

CYA: between 20-30 i believe.

if in between you should round up so yoour CYA is 30.

Ok so i should SLAM?

Yes!

Why exactly do you recommend I do that now?

Pool is cloudy and FC is below recommended levels

Im just trying to understand the process

You need to follow exactly as described in the link.

To be clear, you dont think i should continue to add a bit more stabilizer and chlorine

To be clearer, No!
You can adjust the rest of the numbers after the SLAM.

 

[Crudy]

Ok gotcha. I am waiting on my reagent replacment kit to come in the mail. Should I wait to SLAM until that comes in, and just pour a half gallon of chlorine in per day like mknauss suggested? Also is there any harm in vacuuming now? Thanks a lot for the help, I planned on researching and learning a lot about pools before this one was opened but I just didnt get a lot of time between the time that i moved in and the time the pool opened so im playing catch up and paying for it I guess. Thanks again

 

[Flying Tivo]

just pour a half gallon of chlorine in per day like mknauss suggested?

You are correct!

Also is there any harm in vacuuming now?

Not really but live algae wont be filter, so its kind of useless.

Thanks a lot for the help

We will always be here for you!

im playing catch up and paying for it I guess.

Every single one of us here have walked the walk, so relax and enjoy the ride!