New owner-builder (kinda) in Arizona

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Great looking pool! Summer fun has begun. :paddle:

Since your SWG isn't on yet, you need to keep your levels at those for a Non-SWG pool. Refer to the Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart for you minimum and target FC for CYA of 60.

I'd seriously leave you CH alone - not add any. You're at the minimum for a non-SWG pool @ 250. And it will certainly increase with out evaporation here in the valley. Pool School - Recommended Levels

TA could come down a little - and will on it's own with acid additions.

It may be more helpful to us to know what levels you are shooting for instead of saying you added a little acid and chlorine.
 
Big Will said:
I'm watching your chemistry process closely so be sure to over document cause I will be doing this starting tomorrow
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I'm sure there are better people to "watch" than me!! But honestly, my pool looks great & it's been easy.

Initially, I just wanted to get some chlorine in the pool so it wouldn't turn green waiting for the pump to get started up & the guy to come help me with the automation.

My pool is only 9700 gallons, but the pool math calculator helps you see the effect of different quantities of chemicals for your pool size, so that's great!

After the pump got running, I added stabilizer (I used liquid - it's fast, but $$$), so my chlorine wouldn't burn up so quickly.

I also added an appropriate amount of acid once the pool pump was going to bring my PH down.

Since then, I've just been keeping track of everything & adding chlorine & acid as needed. It will be interesting to see how the pool acts/reacts as time goes on.

In 30 days I can add salt & start using my SWG, so that will be a whole new learning experience!

My biggest hurdle in this chemical process is getting used to higher chlorine levels. In the other pool I take care of, I float tabs (trying to switch over), & I keep the chlorine at about 3-4ppm. Bringing my new pool up to 7ppm seems high to me - I need to break out of my old mentality I guess!!

Good luck with your new pool Will!! Post a lot of pics please [emoji847]
 
I totally understand! Getting my head around the higher levels of FC was a massive hurdle for me as well. I discovered TFP just as we were finishing our pool. Some of what I read seemed crazy to me, so I ignored all the water chemistry stuff and lurked around learning all I could about equipment and plumbing. Family and friends told me "find a pool store you can trust, and do what they say." so I did that until I had time to read more about the chemistry.

It all clicked when I realized how much of the free chlorine is tied up with CYA, and how little active chlorine there is in the water. The TFPC system is much less 'harsh' than a well-run commercial/institutional indoor pool at 1-2 ppm FC without CYA. In fact, TFPC pools are not 'harsh' at all!

Mine at 70 ppm CYA and 7 ppm FC has about 0.04 ppm hypochlorous acid (HOCl, the 'harsh' part of active chlorine that does most of the work). A commercial pool at 1 ppm FC and no CYA has about 0.48 ppm HOCl, or ten times as much. When I SLAM my pool, I go to 28 ppm FC and have about 0.3 ppm HOCl, still less than the properly operated institutional pool. Ba da boom!
 
needsajet said:
I totally understand! Getting my head around the higher levels of FC was a massive hurdle for me as well. I discovered TFP just as we were finishing our pool. Some of what I read seemed crazy to me, so I ignored all the water chemistry stuff and lurked around learning all I could about equipment and plumbing. Family and friends told me "find a pool store you can trust, and do what they say." so I did that until I had time to read more about the chemistry.

It all clicked when I realized how much of the free chlorine is tied up with CYA, and how little active chlorine there is in the water. The TFPC system is much less 'harsh' than a well-run commercial/institutional indoor pool at 1-2 ppm FC without CYA. In fact, TFPC pools are not 'harsh' at all!

Mine at 70 ppm CYA and 7 ppm FC has about 0.04 ppm hypochlorous acid (HOCl, the 'harsh' part of active chlorine that does most of the work). A commercial pool at 1 ppm FC and no CYA has about 0.48 ppm HOCl, or ten times as much. When I SLAM my pool, I go to 28 ppm FC and have about 0.3 ppm HOCl, still less than the properly operated institutional pool. Ba da boom!
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Thanks for that! I kinda thought it was just me!
 
My pavers are almost done. Wow!! I knew having the decking done after the interior finish would cause debris to get in the water, but I had no idea what stone dust would do to the water!!!!

Ugh, any tips for clearing up this cloudy mess would be appreciated. I am running the pump at speed 4 (3100rpm I think). I brushed everything down as soon as they left. I figure I will repeat the brushing a couple more times tonight - of course it stirs everything up & makes the water look even worse [emoji24][emoji37][emoji33]

***seriously, don't do your decking after interior if at all possible!***
 
Keep the water as stirred up as possible, clean the filter at 25% above clean pressure, and give it time. Shouldn't take too long.

You can also let the dust settle overnight with the pump off, then use a manual vacuum, moving very, very slowly, to suck it up a bit faster. If you don't mind the water cost, you can vacuum to waste, or just let the filter do its job.

Good luck, I hope it clears quickly for you.
 

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needsajet said:
Keep the water as stirred up as possible, clean the filter at 25% above clean pressure, and give it time. Shouldn't take too long.

You can also let the dust settle overnight with the pump off, then use a manual vacuum, moving very, very slowly, to suck it up a bit faster. If you don't mind the water cost, you can vacuum to waste, or just let the filter do its job.

Good luck, I hope it clears quickly for you.
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How do I vacuum to waste? I've never done that.
Also it looks like "timeout" mode overrides automation, until I change it back to auto, is that correct?
 
Whoops, sorry, only vacuuming to filter. I forgot about cartridge filter. Vacuum to waste would require different gear, so please disregard. Someone with automation experience will help out with the other question.
 
Foosman said:
Service mode will disconnect the IntelliFlo from automation until you change it back. I believe timeout will disconnect it for only 3 hours then switch back to auto mode.
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Yeah, you're are correct! I read the manual & ran out before bed to change it to service mode. I let things settle overnight, so I'm going to try to slowly vacuum this morning. It's so cloudy, I wanna cry!

I'm thankful for you & everyone who is trying to help me though!
 
Big Will said:
Time to see the paver pics... I been waiting......
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Here's the last pic I took. I will try to take more.
afa7c661c2fd012959e0612501e42e40-1.jpg
 
Is the rest of your stones on the property still? Have they put the "sand" on/in yet?

I bet they will not fuss too much about "fixing" those bad ones. I can see why you would want them to!

Looks like the doggies are loving it already!!!

Kim:kim:
 
kimkats said:
Is the rest of your stones on the property still? Have they put the "sand" on/in yet?

I bet they will not fuss too much about "fixing" those bad ones. I can see why you would want them to!

Looks like the doggies are loving it already!!!

Kim:kim:
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There are still some pavers here, but I'm not sure what sizes.

They have not put the polymeric sand yet. Tomorrow they will do that & install umbrella sleeves & basketball sleeve.

Maybe I can fill some of the bigger holes with natural gray colored grout??

I can kind of see my main drain now. My cloudy water makes me very sad [emoji24]
4ed3e3002cc7b6d4b0a72548e775c975-1.jpg

I used the manual vacuum this morning, after turning everything off last night.

Here are my numbers. I think I'm just about where I should be. I have added the prescribed 13oz of acid & in a couple hours I will add the 25oz of chlorine.

FC 5
CC 0
PH 7.8
CH 225
TA 130
CYA 60
Temp 82 yay!

The dogs are pretty excited. My corgi loves water, so I need to keep an eye on her when I let them out there. I had my top step made extra big for her looong body to fit on[emoji7]
 

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