Don't LOOK for the dot. Just glance in then back out. If your see it at a GLANCE then pour to the next line.
Having a pool built and need advice
- Thread starter voidpointer
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,238
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Barely faint is fine. Don't agonize over it. +/- 10 ppm is fine and round up.
CYA Testing - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,238
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
I went off the instructions on the card, which said to stare down the tube as you pour into it.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,238
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
People have different techniques. Use whichever one feels best to you. Just be consistent.
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Ok I finished all the tests and logged them into PoolMath. I appreciate all the help folks. Honestly the testing wasn't bad at all, I think I just need to get comfortable & faster at it now.
Couple of things to wrap up:
Couple of things to wrap up:
- I didn't take salt readings
- I didn't take pool temp because I don't know what instrument I'm supposed to use for that.
- When I am cleaning up, I left the caps off of the CYA bottle, and the daily pH/Cl test. I figured if I didn't, the water droplets inside of them would not evaporate. For the two bigger test tubes, I was able to stick my finger inside with a paper towel to dry them. The others are too small for that. Is this the proper way to pack up the test tubes?
- Based on my test results, pH, TA, and CYA are out of recommended range. Is there anything I need to do (or ask my PB to do) based on these results? How do I know which are "normal" for a new plaster?
Mine have always done fine with only shaking them all out after rinsing. I cap the block and the CYA squirter (still wet) and put the kit away.
Adjust the PH as needed. The TA is plenty close enough and will come down the rest of the way on its own.
CH- what's the CH of your fill water? If it's low you can add some but it the fill water has higher Calcium, the CH will rise on its own soon.
CYA is low for a SWG but ok for using liquid chlorine, as you're doing right now.
Keep that FC in or above target range at all times. (6 to 8). 2s are below minimum and a one way ticket to swampville.
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
You can but you don't need a 100 pack. Lol.
I just kept an eye out and something else I ordered came with them within a week or three.
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
By fill water do you mean water from the tap? My hose bib is hooked up to a device that looks like a toilet floater and fills the pool automatically when it gets low. At the moment I have no idea if it's had to run yet, or how often. Is it worth running another CH test on the tap water, or should I just keep an eye on the CH test from the pool? Honestly with the PB taking care of the pool for the first month, I'm not sure how often I should be doing all of these tests. I'd be happy starting them up after they walk away...
Regarding liquid chlorine: I have no idea if that's what the PB's pool maintenance guy is using. At first they had a couple chlorine tablets sitting in the skimmer buckets, but those aren't there anymore. I assume they only did that for the first day of plaster.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,238
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I think you will find it helpful to do your own testing and keep track of your changing water chemistry and what your PB is doing to it.
Otherwise you will take it over and maybe asking us why is your pool water this way? And we will ask you what was done and you will say you have no idea.
You are learning by observing before you need to take it on yourself.
Otherwise you will take it over and maybe asking us why is your pool water this way? And we will ask you what was done and you will say you have no idea.
You are learning by observing before you need to take it on yourself.
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
I think you already suggested doing the cl drop test daily, but for the other tests do I follow the card and do them once a week?
Also: What chemicals are a must-have to keep in my garage in case I need to adjust chemicals in the pool?
Thank you!
The 'autofill' tap out by the pool
Do you have a water softener ? If not you can test the water at the kitchen sink for Calcium and it's the same as the pool fill. If you do have a softener, it may or may not be hooked up to the pool.
Now that you have a test kit, check the FC daily with the power test and add liquid chlorine as necessary. The PB may not be back for days and you can inherit a clean looking algae problem that blooms right after the PB walks away.
FC and PH are daily.
The rest have good baselines and can be weekly.
Chlorine and Muriatic acid. Keep them separated though. MA can rust nearby metals from its vented cap so that works best in a deck box or such outside. (Locked/ secured if any kids present).
The others you may need on occasion are Borax and Baking soda and any grocery store / Walmart will have them. They also can wait a day or 3 if you ever need them.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,238
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Let your pool tell you the schedule. If you find the same reading day after day then you don’t need to do that test so often. So start with everything daily and then keep on doing the ones that are changing daily and stretch out the ones that are more stable. At a minimum do everything weekly.
Muriatic acid to lower pH and liquid chlorine.
Keep MA outside, not in the garage.
Here is a thread just for the SAFE storage of you pool chemicals:
www.troublefreepool.com
Storage of All Pool Chemicals
There is a lot of different threads on chemical storage so I compiled the "preferred" methods and seek clarification on some. Please comment on your storage and best practice. Muriatic Acid (MA) - everyone agrees it is corrosive and should be stored separately and preferably outside in a...
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,238
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Here is a thread just for the SAFE storage of you pool chemicals:
Storage of All Pool Chemicals
There is a lot of different threads on chemical storage so I compiled the "preferred" methods and seek clarification on some. Please comment on your storage and best practice. Muriatic Acid (MA) - everyone agrees it is corrosive and should be stored separately and preferably outside in a...
Chemical Storage and Safety - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Was this a typo? If not, what is a "power test"?
Thanks for the chemical storage & safety links. I did read most of the page. Honestly that whole topic seems like a can of worms so I'm not sure how much I should ask here. I'm thinking about storage boxes/cabinets I might want to get, and how many. I have bad back pain so those floor boxes aren't ideal. Something tall that I can open a door to get inside of would be ideal.
- The storage page says temps should not exceed 95F. Well, that's summer in Texas. So will I need to keep everything except MA indoors?
- Separating liquids and solids, and MA from CL means I will need at least 3 separate storage cabinets/boxes. Is that right? 1 for solids, 1 for MA, and 1 for other liquids.
- "Always add chemicals to water": I saw the PB's maintenance guy using a 5 gallon bucket to mix *something* and then he threw it in the pool. Is this wrong? Does that mean that any time I need to add something to the pool, I'm dumping it directly in the pool from a measuring cup? - Note for this, I fully accept that I will probably be learning as I go.
- Should I get a transfer pump right away for any MA I purchase? And if so, where is the best place to get it? Amazon? Or just walk into a pool store? I'll be honest, acid worries me a little bit. Any solution that doesn't involve me touching chemicals would be my favorite.
Like most things, I'm probably over thinking a lot of this. But all of this seems like useful information.
Yeah. Powder. With a D. Stupid fat fingers.
The solids can go anywhere you have room. Over the fridge, up top in a closet, under the sink......
There's a couple methods depending on what it is. Liquids (what you are doing now) get a pencil sized stream at a return. Pour it low to the water for less splashing.
You still have to fill the tank with MA. You might as well add it to the pool at that point.
You have plenty of time to wash any off you. Like minutes, not seconds. Pool water is fine to rinse with.
You can also buy the eco / green / less fumes kind that's half strength. You'll need twice as much but also less worry.
- Oct 8, 2020
- 572
- Pool Size
- 19440
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
What is the "tank" here? The videos I've seen for adding muriatic acid involved pouring the acid into a measuring cup, then into a 5 gallon bucket that already had water in it, and then pouring that into the pool. Just seems involved. I thought a transfer pump at least eliminated that first step, but maybe I'm misunderstanding.
I thought you were talking about adding a MA dosing system. There is a tank to fill and then it dispenses for you from that.
Pour right from the jug, into the pool at a running return jet. A little stream (no glugs) will disperse well. Then brush well after.
Pour the jug low, just above the water. It gets splashy if you pour it chest high.