First timer, opening SWG intex 18 x 9 pool - question about timing

[Alexanders]

We are FINALLY filling our pool. It is 18 x 9 intex ultra xtr with 1200 gph sand filter and intex swg. This is going to sound like the dumbest question - what order/timing do I do everything. I have read all the forum start-up guides, but i don't quite get the order. (We also have the TF pro testing kit and the salt water tester). Here is my plan, please advise:

1. finish filling pool.
2. put in salt
3. run pump (without turning on SWG) for 24 hours
4. Turn on swg
5. Run pump and swg for ??? hours
6. Test water
7. Use pool math app to figure out what I need to add.

 

[mknauss]

After filling pool add 3 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine. Get 40 ppm CYA worth of dry stabilizer dissolving in the pool using the sock method. Add salt. Maintain FC by adding 3ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine every day until the salt is dissolved and mixed (24-48 hours) then start your SWCG set to create 3 ppm FC per day. Test CYA 24 hours after it is fully dissolved. Add more CYA to get to 70 ppm. Maintain FC in target range for 70 ppm CYA by adjusting SWCG output.

 

[Mdragger88]

1. Yes
2. Sure (don’t add it all at once do about 70-80% of what PoolMath calls for then test it in 24 hrs.
3. Add liquid chlorine {3-5ppm or so & cya (sock method){around 30-50ppm for now- you will test & add more after a day or two to get in the 70ppm range } as soon as u can circulate the water to dissolve the cya - this can be done before or after the salt but you want chlorine in the water asap.
You don’t want to wait for the swg to be up & running before you chlorinate your beautiful new water or else things will begin to grow
You will need to dose w/ liquid chlorine every day until your swg is up & running. It is not designed to get you to target fc levels from zero. Its a maintainer.
4. Like i said above test salt level after 24 hrs then add whats needed - after it has circulated a while you can turn on the swg.
Small additions of salt aren’t as big of a deal so you don’t have to let it circulate as long before turning on the swg.
5.Set the swg for like 8 hrs then test your fc , let that guide your adjustments. If its too low dose w/ liquid chlorine & turn swg up. Too high, turn it down etc. You never want to go below min for your cya FC/CYA Levels -
6. You won’t have any fc, salt, or cya on the fresh fill but you will need to test ph, ta, & ch to know what you’re working with.
as stated above you will add the fc, cya & salt using 0 as your current amount in poolmath to determine what u need.
You need to test the fc (the fas/dpd test w/ the powder) every day. Test The salt & cya 24 hrs approx. after adding them.
Once u can circulate the water u can adjust ph. Unless Ta is below 50 don’t worry about adjusting it for now.
Adding ch is not necessary in a vinyl pool but you need to know what you’re starting with as too much can lead to problems.
* Take aways… chlorine is paramount!
* post your results here & we can help u along

 

[Alexanders]

Thank you both so much. So, my pool is 4500 gallons. By my calculation, I should add 28 ounces of 6% bleach to get the 3 ppm of liquid chlorine. Does that sound right? Then, I will add 1.1 lbs of cya (in a sock in the skimmer). Sound right?

Another question (from my 9 year old kids) - how soon can we swim?!

 

[mknauss]

Numbers sound good!
Go Swimming!

 

[Alexanders]

Numbers sound good!
Go Swimming!

Thank you! I had a slight delay from a rookie mistake, I think. The pump didn't seem to do much. I thought it was because it was the cheap intex filter. I have some sediment on the bottom of the pool and it stopped working entirely! I backwashed, rinsed, everything. Then, I realized that it would work on recirculate but not on filter. Some searching on the forum, and I realized I was using 20/40 sand instead of just 20 sand. I changed out the sand and the filter seems to be working! I hope the problem was because of the sand and not the sediment on the bottom of the pool. I am going to try and buy a garden hose vacuum instead of using the filter vacuum.

I did go ahead and add the bleach (both days) and the cya. The cya does not seem to be dissolving in the sock and cya numbers are at 0. The pool is clear (but for some dirt on the bottom. Now, to add the salt!

Thanks for everything!