New Northeastern Pa Build

[kimkats]

Okay here we go!!! Lets work on that PH. It will be a battle but you will win! Go step by tiny step. We do not want to crash. Ready?

-Use pool Math.
-Call your PH 8.0 in the now column. Put 7.2 in the target area.
-Put the amount of acid called for by Pool Math with the pump running AND brush the pool.
-once done brushing retest the PH.

It may not be at your target as we really do not know where your PH is right now soooooooo Do above again and again until you see the PH in the 7s. Once you hit the 7s then you know what your PH is at.

Watch your TA close as it is going to go lower with all of this. Once you get your PH in hand push your TA up to where your plaster warranty wants it (100).

This is going to be an on going "battle" while your plaster cures.

I am going to send this out now so you can start working on the pH.

 

[kimkats]

Now the FUN part!!!!!!!!! I Love, love, love your steps and benches!!! That tile and the mickeys are purrfect! The tile guys did an awesome job! The curves and cuts and spacing, well everything is great on it!!!

Your kids! Look at those faces.........those smiles are wonderful! That is what it is all about! LOL on the water truck pic....What clowns they are! I bet they give you a run for your money!

thanks for sharing this with us!

Kim

 

[jimim]

Thanks Kim! That's for the help and compliments!

ok so I brushed cause I got to work for a few hours then I'll be back home. I'll add acid and brush again. Then retest. At that point even if it's only 45 mins or something I can test. Add acid and brush again. Back to back?

 

[jimim]

Oh can I Vacuum instead of brushing this pm after acid cause I got some dirt I want to pick up. Plaster company said fine cause no wheels just a brush head. Then test?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and everything is on and open. Drains. Skimmers. Returns. Pump on full power 24/7.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Your pictures are great, but not as great as the smiles on your kiddos!!! It all looks so wonderful! Isn't it all exciting?!!!

pH: Wow! You've got some lovely hot pink pH going on there (NOT!). But MA will take care of it.

Dirt pile: Read back on post #347 about using some type of skimmer socks in the skimmers. They will filter a good bit of dirt. But if it's a decent size pile of dirt, then vacuuming is probably the best bet. Just be gentle with your new baby! No harsh scraping of the plaster - just gentle brushing or vacuuming of the dirt pile. And the plaster company is right, no wheels yet.

skimmers: You know they are working when all the 'surface junk' is gone! Lol!!!

chemical dosing: Just like Kim says.... add a little, wait a little, test again.... add a little, wait a little, test again (see, it's a repeating refrain!)

Misc: I spied those daylillies in the background of one of the pictures! Omg! I know you're amazing with landscaping, plants, etc from you grandfather, and I WILL need to see more when everything settles down!!!

Suz

 

[notbaker]

Pool looks great Jim! Also, now I know who to call for when I need water for my pool.

 

[jimim]

Lol. Yes all my daylilies are coming in right now. I have some crazy double daylilies out front I have pictures of those on my Flickr page if you click on one of my pictures and go to flowers. Thanks for the compliments the kids are so happy.

I'm being very gentle I'm going to try to hover the vacuum over the pile of dirt even. Frank told me the bottom drains won't grab the dirt because it's in a pile. There is no surface junk whatsoever in the pool. While brushing this morning I did notice a lot of dirt kicking up on the bottom. Plaster dust? I really think I need to give it a vacuum today because I do see debris on the bottom here in there.

So as soon as I get done treating this morning I'll get home and start my whole test dump brush retest routine.

Brushing stinks by the way. I have to get a pattern down for when I'm brushing because I have no idea what I did and didn't do because of the pool not being geometrically sized.

And I know I'm gonna be doing all this in the rain because all it's doing is raining.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

OOOOO, I can't wait to check out your flower pictures!

I chuckled over your plan to "hover" the vacuum over the dirt. I love that!! It's a perfect visual - hope I can remember to use it with others.....

When things get stirred up, that's when your drains and skimmers will be able to help. Again, the skimmer socks will be a big help. You will SEE the results of what the skimmer socks can do compared to none. Knee highs, thigh highs, hair nets..... true skimmer socks are more expensive, but you can rinse or wash them to reuse. (Turn them inside out and swish in a bucket of water is the easiest way- I've read)

You and Ctrav can commiserate together on the brushing bit! Kim, I think we need some videos of those two having fun brushing!! I'd love one of Jim brushing in the rain! But, DON'T do it with any lightning around!!! Be careful! We'd like you to stick around!

I have the freeform pool, too. I usually brush by sections. For me, sunshelf then steps (I have 7); shallow end walls then floor; spa wall; deepend bench/step out; deepend walls then floor. And you know, I'm exceptionally regular with my brushing!!!

Even in the rain, I bet you're smiling the whole time working on your pool!!!

Suz

 

[jimim]

Pool looks great Jim! Also, now I know who to call for when I need water for my pool.

hey man. ya only game in town. they are great. owner is brian. great guy!

you get my builder BTW?

jim

- - - Updated - - -

ok it stopped raining for a few minutes. i'm getting out there now! test, drop acid, vacuum, retest, since repeat! lol

jim

 

[AmyJo]

Well done! It looks amazing! Great job. [emoji4]

 

[jimim]

Well done! It looks amazing! Great job. [emoji4]

Thanks Amyjo!

- - - Updated - - -

So what did you guys do today. I did work, but then I dropped a bunch of acid. . . in the pool. and cleaned 12 heads of lettuce in-between wanting for the acid to move through the pool.

Untitled by Jim, on Flickr

So right now BEFORE last acid drop 30 mins ago the pH was still above 8.2

As of right now:

Last night 28oz
This AM early 28 oz with a brush
This afternoon at 2 PM 28 oz with a vacuum
1 hour later 64 oz.

So that is the totals as of right now. again didn't test after 64 oz cause it was only 30 mins ago. going to go brush as soon as I bag this stuff up.

I was going to measure and drop as needed every 60 mins?

jim

 

[SuzfromTexas]

I say get the pH down below 8,and then talk. You still don't know exactly where it is.

 

[jimim]

As of right now:

Last night 28oz
This AM early 28 oz with a brush
This afternoon at 2 PM 32 oz with a vacuum
1 hour later 64 oz. with a brush
1hr 15 mins later 64 oz with a brush after this post

last test was before this last 64 oz a few mins ago. lets say 6:30 PM

Help!!! lol

jim

 

[kimkats]

Let make the testing and dropping tighter. Lets do it every 30 mins........we need to get that PH down. Turn your pump on HIGH to help mix up the water once you add the acid.

Kim

 

[jimim]

Kim, pump is on high.

I got news!

I'm on the board! In the game.

pH: 7.8 still high but now i'm on the board to know what's going on.
TA: 60 went down.

so it's been 45 mins since I added last round of acid.

tomorrow I need to be at 7.2-7.4 and TA of 100.

In the morning tomorrow they want me to take my levels to:

FC: 1.0-3.0
Ph: 7.4-7.6
TA: 80-120
CH: 200-400

So my questions:
1. when should I add acid again tonight and how much you thinking?
2. when should I add the baking soda and how much? to get to 100 says 12 lbs
3. what is my plan for tomorrow morning? order of chemicals?
4. what should i target for all the above?

thanks!

jim

 

[kimkats]

Man that took some acid but you did it!!! Good job

So my questions:
1. when should I add acid again tonight and how much you thinking? You can add it right now. Put in current 7.8 and target of 7.2 and add what Pool Math tells you to.

2. when should I add the baking soda and how much? to get to 100 says 12 lbs add the baking soda 15 mins after you add the acid. Again do what Pool Math tells you to. I would brush to mix it all in real good.

3. what is my plan for tomorrow morning? order of chemicals?PH first, TA second, FC last

4. what should i target for all the above?Follow what the warranty holder says! What they want is what matters until they turn you loose.

Kim

 

[jimim]

Man that took some acid but you did it!!! Good job

So my questions:
1. when should I add acid again tonight and how much you thinking? You can add it right now. Put in current 7.8 and target of 7.2 and add what Pool Math tells you to.

2. when should I add the baking soda and how much? to get to 100 says 12 lbs add the baking soda 15 mins after you add the acid. Again do what Pool Math tells you to. I would brush to mix it all in real good.

3. what is my plan for tomorrow morning? order of chemicals?PH first, TA second, FC last

4. what should i target for all the above?Follow what the warranty holder says! What they want is what matters until they turn you loose.

Kim

sweet!

what about cya? that gets added also tomorrow. where does that go in the order?

when i say what should i target, they gave me ranges.

they are: FC: 1.0-3.0
Ph: 7.4-7.6
TA: 80-120
CH: 200-400

so what should I use in pool math? down the middle? high end? low end?

thanks Kim!

Again so excited! was really getting worried!

 

[kimkats]

what about cya? that gets added also tomorrow. where does that go in the order? Add it first thing as it can be sitting in the sock in front of the return while everything else is being worked on.

when i say what should i target, they gave me ranges.

they are: FC: 1.0-3.0 Aim for 3
Ph: 7.4-7.6 aim for 7.4
TA: 80-120aim for 100
CH: 200-400 aim for 300

so what should I use in pool math? down the middle? high end? low end?

We want FC at high end as you need it to fight yucky stuff

PH at low end because new plaster will push it up

TA-middle for now

CH-middle for now

You can add everything at the same time except for FC and muratic acid! bleach and m. acid do not play well together. Everything else gets along.

OH and WHY would anyone wash 5 heads of lettuce at one time????

Kim

 

[jimim]

what about cya? that gets added also tomorrow. where does that go in the order? Add it first thing as it can be sitting in the sock in front of the return while everything else is being worked on.

when i say what should i target, they gave me ranges.

they are: FC: 1.0-3.0 Aim for 3
Ph: 7.4-7.6 aim for 7.4
TA: 80-120aim for 100
CH: 200-400 aim for 300

so what should I use in pool math? down the middle? high end? low end?

We want FC at high end as you need it to fight yucky stuff

PH at low end because new plaster will push it up

TA-middle for now

CH-middle for now

You can add everything at the same time except for FC and muratic acid! bleach and m. acid do not play well together. Everything else gets along.

OH and WHY would anyone wash 5 heads of lettuce at one time????

Kim

not 5 heads 12! Lol. It all was ready to be picked at once from the garden or it would bolt. Which means seed and then it doesn't taste good.

Ok on everything

except:

how long between chlorine and acid?

sock! Say what! I think I missed something when reading. I got to go read now. I thought I toss it in?

edit: I just read. In the skimmer in a sock. Like a white gym sock? Pour it in and tie it and throw it in one of the skimmers? Says it might not dissolve for a day or so and to not backwash. Also level of it might not register for a week? So I just let it dissolve and don't worry about that level testing? I bought Clorox brand.

kim you said in front of return? Not skimmer? So tie off a sock hang it on string in front of return using a rock so it doesn't slide into pool?

 

[SuzfromTexas]

I might have missed it, but were you given a target range for CYA? You need to know what your CYA level is to know what your minimum and target FC's should be?

If you don't have a CYA target, I guess the reverse will work. So if Kim says use FC 3 as your target (the high end of their target range), then using the Chlorine/CYA Chart from Pool School (here: Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart ), I would use a CYA target of 30.

CYA 30 gives you a minimum FC of 2 which gives you a tiny bit of wiggle room and a target FC of 4-6. Hopefully, your instructions will let you start creeping up to that on the following day - Sunday.

CYA 30 to begin with tomorrow is good, because I have in my notes from Patrick_B during Cliff's beginning days: "CYA should be brought up slowly in a new pool."

*** Note: Baking soda will cloud the water if added n the same day as CH increaser. I haven't found anything that says that's harmful, but just to let you know. And now I can't find anything to verify this. I just have it in my notes.