Let Me Pull Up a Chair....

[PoolBoy14]

Hi Everyone.

Long time lurker - I found this forum right after we signed the contract and I've been reading up on what to expect ever since. Kinda like all the reading you do when you find out you're pregnant.

Well, today they put the water in the pool and now the journey begins for real. The PB still needs to finish permanent wiring for the pumps and my SWG, then I can begin tracking in Pool Math for real.

First question - I entered my initial values in pool math and somehow I made a mistake and entered my SWG production. Is there a way to delete this error?

Don

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! You can edit testing results. Go back to Poolmath, click on LOGS, then click the line you wish to edit.

 

[Oly]

Is your pump operational?
Any FC and CYA in the water yet?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Since your pool is vinyl-
Get some CYA in to a sock and hung into the water to start dissolving. Don't let it sit against the wall as its acidic.
As soon as you get that going, use Liquid Chlorine to up your Free Chlorine (FC) as you'd hate to have algae move in while waiting.

Aim initially for 30ppm CYA and 5ppm of FC. Stir the water with a broom or something to get it mixed in well.

Do you have your TF-100 test kit yet?? www.tftestkits.net
alternatively you could order a K-2006C pool test kit on Amazon (but it costs more than the TF-100)

Maddie

 

[PoolBoy14]

Yes, the PB wired the pump to an outlet temporarily. I've begun adding CYA and LC to keep it stable until the electrician comes today and gets everything up and running.

Yesterday evenings readings (TF-100 & K1766)

FC - 11
CYA - 45
PH - 7.6
Salt - 3800

Don

 

[cowboycasey]

Those are great numbers for starting out

 

[PoolBoy14]

Great. Thanks for the confirmation.

Hopefully today they can get the RJ-45 running and I can start to learn 'normal' on my pool.

 

[CTFocusST]

The CYA test is logarithmic so you can't interpret visually between the lines. Round up and treat that as a CYA of 50

 

[PoolBoy14]

Good info. Thanks!!

It was halfway between 40 and 50 and I wasn't sure if I should call it high or low or split the difference. .....Now I know.

 

[cowboycasey]

Your going to want CYA at 70 by the time you start the SWG up

 

[PoolBoy14]

Okay - got it, thanks. I had been adding it slowly to keep from overshooting. Planning to test this afternoon after ~ 24 hours of runtime since the water truck left.

 

[Newdude]

Hey PoolBoy !!! Let’s go over the basics to ease the transition as you learn a new system.

The CYA for a SWG needs to be higher because the unit adds chlorine at a very slow rate. The equivalent of standing there with an eye dropper, dripping a gallon of liquid over the course of the day. At any given moment the UV from the sun would eat the progress if it was only buffered at liquid chlorine levels.

As such, The SWG will not quickly make up any deficits, even if you Jack the production %. It can take it a day or days to catch up and BOOM, swamp. So anytime you see the need to get back to target, add liquid bleach and you’ll be there in a few minutes.

This is a GREAT time to learn right now. As the season winds down, you’ll be overproducing every few weeks once you dial it in. Then you’ll turn it down a bit and it will be good for another few weeks. Then you’ll notice a surplus of FC and turn it down again.

Next year will be the reverse until the halfway mark. You’ll start real low early, and slowly notice it needing more and more. So your whole season will look like this :

open
Adjust up
Up
Up
Up
Down
Down
Close

Every season is a bit different but whether you need 4 ups and 3 downs, or 2 of each, you’ll be testing regularly and see it coming before it matters.

At startup next year your salt will be lower from 3 ft or off season rain. Even with a solid cover, some fresh water will dilute it some. So you’ll test and bring yourself back to ideal. The April showers (which hit in July now ????!!!??$) will make you need a mid season top off. Don’t pay too much mind to the levels in between. You can go crazy chasing a perceived perfect level and the unit either works or it doesn’t. When it shuts off mid season, test and add to shut it up and go back about your way happy that it is happy. Your testing is more accurate than the unit, but unfortunately you cannot argue and plead your case with it. So every week at your equipment check, see the green production light and walk away slowly.

 

[PoolBoy14]

Wow @Newdude , that's a lot to unpack - but great info!

I'm not going to lie - it's a bit overwhelming right now trying not to miss a step and --> BOOM, swamp I'm sure I'll get into a daily rhythm like most folks I see here. But I am looking forward to the journey.
Thanks again.

 

[Newdude]

trying not to miss a step and --> BOOM, swamp

Like I said, once we dial you in, this time of year you’ll miss a step and BOOM. Too much but still totally safe FC level. A GREAT problem to have. there is safe leeway all the way up to SLAM level and zero leeway below minimum like you will be looking out for in the spring. By then you will long be a pro so don’t worry, You’re learning on easy mode right now.

When you get a few months of seeing how clear your pool is by accidentally running hot, you might not want to go back to regular target range. I didn’t.

 

[PoolBoy14]

When you get a few months of seeing how clear your pool is by accidentally running hot, you might not want to go back to regular target range. I didn’t.

That's interesting, by 'hot' I'm assuming you run FC above the FC/CYA chart? I'm guessing just for wiggle room not to swamp?

 

[Newdude]

That's interesting, by 'hot' I'm assuming you run FC above the FC/CYA chart

Yes. Exactly. I (and many others who ever want to think about it) run so that we lose our daily loss to the sun and end up sitting pretty in target range. My unit overproduced all the time so I forever had too much FC per the chart, but zero change of algae, As opposed to minimum FC and BOOM swamp.

I'm guessing just for wiggle room

100% for wiggle room. Life will pull you away from your preferred regular tests and things happen beyond your control in the meantime. Really hot days or freak storms. Or the Mrs invites 2 other moms over for the afternoon while you are at work and can’t up the FC level before it. So your covered before you need to be no matter what. And when a dance recital makes you skip a test, Still covered.

 

[Weasel2017]

I'm not going to lie - it's a bit overwhelming right now trying not to miss a step and --> BOOM, swamp I'm sure I'll get into a daily rhythm like most folks I see here. But I am looking forward to the journey.

It is a bit overwhelming at the start, I was in your same boat not long ago. Testing is your friend and you'll be shocked at how quick you can start dialing things in and understand whats happening in your pool. Testing and a lot of good help from the fine folks here will get you through in flying colors.

 

[Newdude]

Once you know your pool backwards/forwards you can cut that fine line of minimum FC as close as you wish. Watch it like a Hawk and you’re still good. I watched mine like Mr Magoo cuz I was hot. Yup. There’s a pool over there. Yup it’s still stupid clear. Lalalalalalalalalala. *went back to anything else but caring about low FC*.

 

[Newdude]

that's a lot to unpack - but great info!

It’s in your thread now and easily findable when you have the time to dissect it. And we will keep adding to it as we see the need so you have your own custom tailored guide in the spring when you forgot everything over the winter.

 

[PoolBoy14]

Thanks for all the encouragement! I might actually be able to pull this off!