New Fill While Raining?

[DDillon]

Hi,

I'm new to the TFP forum and new to pools, so forgive me if this is a dumb question. We recently bought a house with an old fiberglass pool that required patching and a new layer of gel coat. We've finished this work and are now ready to fill the pool.

I was going to start filling it this weekend, but it looks like we're about to get 4-5 days of rain. Can I take advantage of the forecast and use this to help fill the pool? Or should I wait until the rain is over, drain the pool, then fill it with hose water?

I understand rainwater comes with organic material that may foment algae growth, and that it will affect the PH/Alkalinity balance. I assume these things can be chemically managed once I'm up and going but I'm not sure if this is naive. We were going to use a prefilter to help balance the incoming hose water, though I realize taking on rainwater will work against this.

The pool is an estimated 25,000 gallons. I don't know how long this will take to fill or and what the eventual ratio of hose-to-rain water would be. Any advice is much appreciated.

Daniel

 

[woodyp]

I'd at least get a couple feet of tap water back in there to keep the shell from floating. Then hope you get a deluge! (If you can wait that long!) I'll get 2 days of that and maybe 4 inches or so. You just never know.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum! :handshake:

Rain water is the best fill water there is. Typically near zero in CH, neutral in pH, metal free, etc.

If you are going to collect it off your roof through your down spouts, let the first 30 minutes of rain or so wash off the roof before directing your run off to the pool.

Add chlorine and be prepared to add CYA and test all levels.

What test kit do you have?

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

And add some water now, as woodyp says -- so the shell does not float!!

 

[DDillon]

Thanks woodyp and mknauss! Good to know. I'll start filling the pool before the rain, and then let it help me out along the way. Any idea how long it might take to fill about 25000 gallons from the hose?

I'm embarrassed to admit the pool has been empty for quite some time (many months) through several large storms...I didn't realize I was running the risk of a floated shell. I think I may be lucky in that the pool is situated on the high ground of a downward sloping backyard. I assume if it hasn't floated yet I may be in the clear.

We've got some aqua check test strips and a digital pH reader.

Thanks again for your help and the warm welcome.

 

[mknauss]

Good plan. How long? Depends. Most hoses from city water put out about 6-8 gpm. So it might take awhile.

I am going to suggest you get a real test kit. Strips are, well, worthless. Throw them away.

We recommend either the TF100 from TFTestkits.net or a Taylor K2006C. The C matters. Do not buy a kit on Amazon that is not the C size. If it is listed for ~$60, it is the wrong one.

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

What kind of 'prefilter' are you going to use on the water from the hose? Iron?

 

[DDillon]

Thanks again, mknauss. Duly noted on the test strips. We had them for a hot tub and they were garbage there, too. We'll explore getting a proper kit.

I believe we're using this prefilter: Pleatco Disposable 40,000 Gallon Swimming Pool and Spa Pre-Filter - PPS6120

Thanks.

 

[mknauss]

Might remove some iron if you have it. I do not see how they can claim it will remove scale causing minerals. Calcium cannot be filtered out.

Get the test kit ordered.