Losing Chlorine Quick!

[jrm1855]

Hello! Brand new pool owner here(replastered pool on house we bought this winter) and I wanted to check in with the experts here on my current situation to make sure I’m not crazy.

This is Day 3 of startup on our new Pebble finish, so CYA doesn’t start going in until tomorrow. I’ve been reading TFP for months and have a TF100 test kit, so I took on start up myself to save a significant amount of money. Things were going great until a nasty rainstorm we had this morning where a lot of runoff and wind hit our home. Since then, I’ve been battling green cloudy water. This is the first day I’ve been able to add chlorine, per the Pebbletec provided start up guide. I got FC levels to 2 today while the sun was shining. Once it depleted(totally understand this is happening because lack of CYA), I added a good amount that was supposed to bring the pool to 3 after sunset an hour or so ago.

I just went out to check on the pool and the water is still cloudy and was surprised to see FC at <.5. So, just added some more using the Pool Math app.

But… that much FC loss in an HOUR? Theres no way I’m already fighting an algae problem and need to SLAM only 48 hours after the pool was filled… right? I’m not even sure that’s advisable with a fresh surface.

TA 110
FC <0.5 for now
pH 7.4
CYA 0

 

[ajw22]

It is not advisable to SLAM a pool until past the start-up period.

Keep adding chlorine and keep your FC around 3. Test and top off the chlorine as often as you can.

Then add CYA to the pool.

 

[jrm1855]

I do have some trichlor pucks and a floater from the previous owners. With more rain in the forecast, would this be a rare case to use? Or should I just continue dosing with liquid chlorine? We’re just a few hours from the Day 4 mark where Pebbletec advises to slowly start adding CYA.

 

[ajw22]

Just add the CYA ASAP. Trichlor will be to slow to dissolve.

Liquid CYA, while expensive, is the fastest way of getting your CYA up.

 

[jrm1855]

Thanks! I do have dry and liquid CYA on hand, but was advised by Pebbletec’s QA department to bring CYA up over a period of at least 3 days and to be careful bringing it up too quickly.

It is this product. Guess I should just use 1/3 a jug each day for the next the 3 days?

Pool Stabilizer and Conditioner... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZPF6BLJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[ajw22]

Decide whose advice you want to follow. Their advice already got you algae in your new pool.

I think you are being too tentative and the algae are going to replicate faster then you are killing it. You need to get a consistent level of chlorine to slow down the algae. And you need CYA to protect the chlorine.

I say get the 1 gallon in ASAP which will give you 30 ppm of CYA. Shake it up well and then after emptying the jug fill it up halfway with water and shake it up and empty it again. Repeat until you get all the active ingredients that settle on the bottom into the pool.

 

[jrm1855]

Thanks again. I will do that, I just didn’t know if this was confirmed algae or not. Which, sounds like is also your theory. I figured algae would be impossible this early, but it has been unseasonably warm since starting the fill on Saturday.

 

[ajw22]

Try and keep your FC at 3ppm adding chlorine as often as necessary.

What color and finish is your pool?

 

[jrm1855]

Blue surf in the Pebble sheen

 

[jrm1855]

Thanks for all the help. Pool is looking light years better. Can see the bottom and am planning my first use this afternoon! It is fairly clear with just a hint of cloudy. Still slightly questioning the chlorine usage, though. Demand is still pretty high! Does 4 dose additions seem normal?

 

[ajw22]

There is no normal. Feed the pool the chlorine it wants.