Need some advice/thoughts. Our new 18x36 inground vinyl SWG pool finished filling Wednesday last week. Electrician was supposed to be here Friday to wire up the pump and SWG so we could get things rolling, but we're having a scheduling battle with them. I want to see if it would be a bad idea to go ahead and get some bleach into the pool water to help protect it some since we can't run the pump/SWG yet. I have a Dolphin Premier that I started running Saturday in the pool to pick up debris and some of the backfill dirt that splashed into the water when it was raining. I realize that there isn't circulation and filtering going on, but the Dolphin does at least move the water around a bit....which is what got me thinking. (TF100 is supposed to arrive this afternoon, so I can get solid measurements to based from). Currently pH is at 7.2, so I know I want to raise that some. But, the main goal is to provide some sort of protection while I battle schedules to get the electrician on site. Thoughts on adding bleach to help?
HELP - New pool installed and filled, electrician is delayed
- Thread starter kraftchick
- Start date
Also...water is very cloudy at this point, can't see the bottom in the deep end anymore, and not sure if that's the water turning south, or our NC red clay silt suspended.....I believe it's mostly the latter as it clouded up soon as I started running the Dolphin and it stirred everything up.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine each evening and run the robot to mix it up.
Keep doing that until you have the pump running and are able to get CYA in the water. Then follow the FC/CYA Levels
Keep doing that until you have the pump running and are able to get CYA in the water. Then follow the FC/CYA Levels
Thanks mknauss! I assume my current FC is 0 (I'll test with the TF kit this afternoon when it comes in)....but what you are saying is to get current FC measurement, then calculate the volume needed to get FC up to 5 ppm based on our 26,500 gallon water, in the evenings? Second question, just to make sure I got ya....when you say "liquid chlorine" do you mean to get pool specific liquid chlorine, or is grocery store non-scented bleach good? Had an above ground Intex a few years back and am used to using Clorox unscented.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
With no CYA, you can just add the 5 ppm FC worth of LC. It will be nearly all gone after a few hours of sunshine on the pool.
You can use bleach. All Clorox has Cloromax which should not be added to a pool.
You can use bleach. All Clorox has Cloromax which should not be added to a pool.
Andrew_D
Well-known member
- May 8, 2020
- 163
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
- SWG Type
- Hayward Salt & Swim 3C
Floater and pucks? Since it is a new pool, there is no chlorine or cya in there now. Floater would get some of each in (I'd still add more liquid chlorine too though). Once test kit arrives, you'll be able to test the cya to know where you're at.
FYI, I use pucks to manage my cya level. At 30, I put the floater back in. At 50, I pull it out. Pucks are OK to use as long as they aren't you're only chlorine source and you are aware of what your cya level is.
Andrew
FYI, I use pucks to manage my cya level. At 30, I put the floater back in. At 50, I pull it out. Pucks are OK to use as long as they aren't you're only chlorine source and you are aware of what your cya level is.
Andrew
Thanks for the help folks! I did a liquid chlorine treatment last night and tested this morning....have the FC at 5 ppm currently...very cloudy day here today so hopefully it will sustain some and I'll check it again this evening. Still on the hunt for new electrician. As far as CYA, any ideas on getting CYA level up without pump circulation...would it even be worth trying if all I have is the robot that I can run around?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I would not do CYA until you have the pump operating. CYA granules can stain a liner so you do not want it to sit on your liner surfaces.
Put a sump pump in one end and put the end of the discharge at the other end. It'll provide some mixing in the pool until your pump is running.
Will hold on the CYA, new electrician supposed to come by this evening. So until pump is running, as mknauss suggested, going to focus primarily on keeping FC up and running the robot around. I tested pH yesterday at 7.2 and added recommended Borax amount today per Pool Math app to raise pH target of 7.6. Alkalinity only measured at 20, so picked up some Alkalinity Increaser from Lowes last night. Same question here, would it be safe to treat water with Alkalinity Increaser (and just robot to circulate things a little), or could that stuff hurt the liner surface also? Overall goal until I can get pump going and CYA in, is to keep FC to 5 each night, pH at 7.6 and TA at 70.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You can add baking soda (alkalinity increaser - cheaper at Walmart as baking soda) anytime. Be careful though, your liner only really cares about the pH. Keep it in the 7's.
Ha ha....was wondering where to find bulk baking soda....Pool Math app called for 17 lbs....thought that might look a little funny with a shopping cart of about 40 of those little orange Arm & Hammer boxes in the grocery store.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Most Walmarts sell the 7 lb bags.
I would not add that much. Like I said, no real reason to spike the TA. As you add CYA, your TA will rise some from the cyanuric alkalinity you will be adding.
I would not add that much. Like I said, no real reason to spike the TA. As you add CYA, your TA will rise some from the cyanuric alkalinity you will be adding.
And that's the reason why I came here to ask my questions......awesome forum!!!!
Costco for the large bags of baking soda. Don't be too concerned about hitting the exact pH number. With a SWG, the pH creeps up over time. I have never added Borax to my pool to raise pH.
Orion7319
Well-known member
- Jul 1, 2020
- 1,287
- Pool Size
- 19775
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I buy baking soda like that sometimes at the grocery store as I have a difficult time finding the big bags of it locally (I usually order it online). Once the person ringing me up at the register said to me “You must have a lot of baking to do!” To which I simply replied “You have no idea...”
Brand new vinyl 26000 gallon SWG pool. Pump will be wired today so we can start running. Have been adding liquid chlorine daily to help keep algae bloom away. No CC’s at the moment. Would like to start my CYA....going from 0 to 75....pool math app says to add 17lbs dry or 5 gallons liquid CYA to bring up to 75. Before adding that much, just wanted some human input/thoughts?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Go in steps. Add 30 ppm worth of CYA first. Use the sock method. Once that is fully dissolved, wait a day and test the level. Then Add another 30 ppm worth of CYA. Dissolve, test, and then you can sneak up on the 70-80 ppm range.
Manage your FC based on your expected CYA level.
Manage your FC based on your expected CYA level.
I see...good advice instead of trying to hit it all the way to 75...sneak up on it. Is the dry/sock method better than liquid to get it started to 30....any problem with initial to 30 being liquid? We have back to back 75 sunny weather days yesterday and today....my goal is to get chlorine to stabilize at least some....been adding liquid chlorine each night but it burns off so quick the next day