How long should I wait before adding acid?

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Z

zz28zz

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Mar 26, 2018
88
Austin, Tx
New plaster job done yesterday, acid wash in the evening. Pool just got topped off with city water.

Checked the fill water PH with my old Taylor kit and it was off scale (high). Took a sample to the pool store and they read 8.7 for PH. Got some test strips and they also show close to 9 for PH. Hard to believe city water is that high. (Last time I had to add a bunch of Borax). Got a case of 34% muriatic acid ready but not sure if I should wait till tomorrow of do it now. Pump is running 24/7.

With new plaster and a water feature (spa overflow), I only see the PH going up from here.
 
What plaster start-up guide will you be following?

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Get a good test kit - Taylor K-2006C or TFT Test Kits

You can't be doing a plaster startup correctly with test strips or running to the Pool store for inaccurate results.
 
No actual startup guide. Just using what I've learned here. Asked contractor but he didn't know. Brushed it today and didn't see any plaster powder.

Using my old test kit which looks like a Taylor that got rebranded (Leslies). Got a new Taylor kit on the way (2006C?). Did get a new bottle of R-0004 (PH measurement) for now.
 

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When is the last time the reagents in your old test kit were replaced?
Based on the looks of the test kit, it was either kept outside or in the garage or shed. So chances ae good the reagents are bad.
Best to store the test kit indoors in a climate controlled environment. Many store theirs in the indoor laundry room or kitchen cabinet.

Do yourself a favor and order a whole new test kit.
Test Kits Compared

Honestly - you've just spent thousands of dollars on your pool - don't cheap out on getting a quality test kit.
The TF-Pro or TF-Pro Salt would suit you well.

Also consider converting to a Salt Water Chlorine Generator and removing the chlorine tab dispenser.
Use of chlorine tabs is not sustainable and lugging liquid chlorine for a 30k gallon pool will get old real quick.
We recommend a SWG rated for 2 times your pool volume.
 
Thx for the startup card link. 1/2 gal of 31% HCL acid added. Pool Calc app says 1 gal, so expecting to add the other 1/2 gal in abt 4 hrs.

Proavia: New Taylor test kit is already on the way. Thought it would be here by now, but it got pushed back a few days. Current kit lived indoors but somehow got placed outside abt the time we started on big limestone project, so it's covered in limestone dust. I did buy some new r-0004 reagent just to verify PH was really 8.7..

Took water samples to 2 different pool stores. Most readings were close except TA. One store says 72 and the other store says TA is 140. My 3 year old Taylor kit changed color on drop #8 so I'm going with store #1. Main reason I took samples to pool store was for metals testing, which show very low at both stores.
 
1/2 gallon of 31% acid should lower your pH by around 0.5.

That is the maximum you should add in one dose.

You can retest in 30 minutes and do another dose until you get the pH into the 7s.
 
1.5 gals of 31% HCL and I'm now at a PH of 7.2.. TA was at 40. Added abt 12 lbs of baking soda. TA now at 80.

Dumped in 1 gal of 12% bleach earlier and filled tab dispenser. Zero chlorine. Added another gal of 12% bleach. Still zero TC.

CYA at around zero. Asked for CYA at pool store. Can I pour this directly into pool?. See pic.


Was thinking of desolving in bucket of water. Last time (9 years ago) I remember pouring the granular CYA into a sock and dangled it from a pole so it was mostly submerged.
 

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zz28zz said:
Last time (9 years ago) I remember pouring the granular CYA into a sock and dangled it from a pole so it was mostly submerged.
Click to expand...
Do this. Hang it in front of a return jet. Lots of squeezing will help it dissolve more quickly. Trying to dissolve it in a bucket doesn't work.
 
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