New fiberglass SWG pool

RHanna

Well-known member
May 12, 2020
133
Gallatin, tn
Pool Size
19700
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair iChlor 30
we just got a pool filled and running. I thought maybe this subforum would be better to ask. I would think I would want my pump running 24/7 for now? Does the speed matter?
 
welcome to TFP you gota let us know your test levels and how many gallons pool is then we can help do you know how to use pool math app or web page ? it is a great tool and as all ways happy TFP
CL
PH
CYA
 
welcome to TFP you gota let us know your test levels and how many gallons pool is then we can help do you know how to use pool math app or web page ? it is a great tool and as all ways happy TFP
CL
PH
CYA
I’ll test it tomorrow morning. I’m worn out messing with this build. I have the kit that’s recommended but I wanted to wait until the pool was circulating. The pool is 19,700 gallons and I have the pool math app. I have some rocks in the pool that needs to be cleaned up, will that affect the testing?
 
We still need to do the deck but we plan on swimming anyway.
We had a Hayward cartridge filter that’s leaking out of the air release valve. Not very much but I wouldn’t think it would leak
 
Lookin SWEET !!!!!!!!!!
We had a Hayward cartridge filter that’s leaking out of the air release valve. Not very much but I wouldn’t think it would leak
Tighten the twisty knob if it is leaking out of the air hole. If it is leaking from the air release unit itself, spin the whole thing clockwise gently to see if it will seal itself better.
We still need to do the deck but we plan on swimming anyway
If its going to take a while, indoor/outdoor carpet is a cheap (~$1 / ft) way to keep the mud off the people and out of the pool. An even cheaper way is cardboard but it doesn't last long.
 
The leak is where the water/air would normally come out if you open it up.
That’s a good idea. I think I might get some paver stones 12x12. It’s only 9 feet from the deck so it won’t be very expensive. They said concrete next week (hopefully) I’m guessing the week after.
 
The leak is where the water/air would normally come out if you open it up.
Then its a twisty knob issue. Turn off the pump and twist the knob counter clockwise until it come out. Make it needs a wiping off if some gunk got in there. To put it back in you have to push it a little while you turn.
I think I might get some paver stones 12x12. It’s only 9 feet from the deck so it won’t be very expensive.
This is what i did. I had to cover alot of space to the pool and over to the diving board for a month. The indoor/outdoor carpet was cheap per foot, but I needed alot and would have thrown it out after. I have repurposed those stepping stones 10 times since.
 
I'll let the experts chime in but with a new pool running it 24/7 is a good way to clean it out after a new build. Is your SWG also running 24/7? You may not want that. I kept mine on the low/economy mode when running 24/7 but increase the speed when adding chemicals. Your pool looks great!
 

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I'll let the experts chime in but with a new pool running it 24/7 is a good way to clean it out after a new build. Is your SWG also running 24/7? You may not want that. I kept mine on the low/economy mode when running 24/7 but increase the speed when adding chemicals. Your pool looks great!
Thanks,
I don’t have the SWG running yet, I haven’t even dropped the salt in yet. The builder showed up with 4 bags and I’ll probably need another 3-400
lbs.
I plan on getting more salt and CYA tomorrow
 
Add liquid chlorine to get to your target level before turning the swcg on. The generator is to maintain chlorine levels.

test salt level before adding salt.
dont trust the builder to do this. My experience was poor startup. And algae because I figured that they knew what they were doing.
nice looking pool
 
As to your question, yes speed matters. Aside from minimums you might need for your swcg, lower speeds use disproportionately less power. For Pentair, for example, cutting the speed in half, reduces electricity consumed to one eighth. So it doesn't take a math major to figure that running twice as long at one half speed still reduces power to one fourth. For certain you wouldn't want to run 24/7 at full speed.
 
As to your question, yes speed matters. Aside from minimums you might need for your swcg, lower speeds use disproportionately less power. For Pentair, for example, cutting the speed in half, reduces electricity consumed to one eighth. So it doesn't take a math major to figure that running twice as long at one half speed still reduces power to one fourth. For certain you wouldn't want to run 24/7 at full speed.
Lol, I was a math major.
I have been playing around with the energy calculator on Hayward. I did notice double speed was more than double the energy cost.
 
FC 1
pH 7.6
TA 99
CH 100
CYA 35
Salt?
First day we dropped a gallon of 12.5% bleach. Next morning it looked like we didn’t have anything.
yesterday I added 2 gallons of liquid CYA abound lunch time to get that level up quick, 1 more gallon of shock about 1-2 hours after CYA and 14 40 lb bags of salt last night.

the readings above are this morning. So it looks like the chlorine is still going away pretty quickly. I guess I’ll start my SWG tonight since it will be 24 hours. I pretty much have all the salt dissolved last night.
I know I need to add more CYA and calcium. I have dry chemicals for both.
 
Your FC should not be dropping like that. Be sure to add chlorine based on a goal level, not just 1 gallon or two gallons.

This evening, add enough chlorine to get to ~10 ppm FC Circulate pool for at least 30 minutes. In the morning, run the pump for 30 minutes and then test the FC. Before the sun shines on the pool surface. You are doing a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
 
Your FC should not be dropping like that. Be sure to add chlorine based on a goal level, not just 1 gallon or two gallons.

This evening, add enough chlorine to get to ~10 ppm FC Circulate pool for at least 30 minutes. In the morning, run the pump for 30 minutes and then test the FC. Before the sun shines on the pool surface. You are doing a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
It looks like I've passed the test this morning so I was happy about that. I think maybe I was burning through so much chlorine because there was no CYA in the pool until the middle of the second day but now the chlorine is protected. I tested the CYA yesterday and it was at 35. I bought liquid stabilizer to get the quick results and I have dry CYA to bring that level up closer to the 70-80 range.

I bought the ph meter add on when I purchased the testing kit and I finally used it and compared the results to the K-1000 Test Kit and the tap water showed 7.5 for both. Then I tested the pool water and the meter showed 7.3 vs 8 on the test kit. I was surprised that the difference was so much. I read that higher chlorine can mess with the test kit but didn't expect that much. This morning the chlorine was sitting at 10. Is this a function of how much CYA is in the pool?

Last question, I'm low on calcium but I've been busy trying to balance everything else. I'm sitting about 125 and the pool math app shows 450 as ideal but I'm reading the pool school and it says 220-320. I thought the pool math app was the same as the pool school numbers, am I missing something.
 
Be sure you have the proper pool surface selected in Poolmath setup. A fiberglass pool needs no more CH than 200 ppm. To be honest, the level you are at right now is fine.
 
Be sure you have the proper pool surface selected in Poolmath setup. A fiberglass pool needs no more CH than 200 ppm. To be honest, the level you are at right now is fine.
Thanks for the quick reply. I know I don't want to overshoot the calcium and that's why I asked before dumping chemicals. I guess I bought a little to much calcium hardness from the pool store in the 45 lb bucket :) . I guess I'll be good for a while.
 

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