New Pool and have some basic questions

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Jean-ji

Jean-ji

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Bronze Supporter
Jun 14, 2018
93
Venice, FL
Pool school was yesterday and we are on our own with the pool now.

The pool builder requires a printed monthly pool water readout from a pool store to keep our warrantee on the PebbleTec finish if there is an issue later. A Taylor K-1004 kit came with other equipment with pool school yesterday. There is no CYA kit, but I the TF100 is arriving on Monday.

We picked up free testing kits from two local pool stores and a piece of PVC pipe to collect water at the two foot depth and we’ll compare the results from the stores and the one from our kit this afternoon, so we have a baseline.

I’m not sure where to store the muriatic acid and the chlorine. We live in FL and our garage easily gets in the high eighties and low nineties during summer and there is no ventilation unless the doors are open. We don’t have a shed, so I’m not sure where to keep the chemicals. Our pool equipment is on the east side of the house in full morning sun, it gets hot fast in the summer there, and rain. I’m thinking out of the sun, protected from rain. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
 
Jean-ji said:
Pool school was yesterday and we are on our own with the pool now.

The pool builder requires a printed monthly pool water readout from a pool store to keep our warrantee on the PebbleTec finish if there is an issue later. A Taylor K-1004 kit came with other equipment with pool school yesterday. There is no CYA kit, but I the TF100 is arriving on Monday.

We picked up free testing kits from two local pool stores and a piece of PVC pipe to collect water at the two foot depth and we’ll compare the results from the stores and the one from our kit this afternoon, so we have a baseline.

I’m not sure where to store the muriatic acid and the chlorine. We live in FL and our garage easily gets in the high eighties and low nineties during summer and there is no ventilation unless the doors are open. We don’t have a shed, so I’m not sure where to keep the chemicals. Our pool equipment is on the east side of the house in full morning sun, it gets hot fast in the summer there, and rain. I’m thinking out of the sun, protected from rain. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
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Yes storing liquid chems will be an issue for you, but in the least sunny, least hot area. Storing minimum amounts so as not to degrade may be only option.

As for the monthly print out, it shouldn't be a problem with the results as long as you keep the levels in the ranges we recommend. Just don't listen to their advice or buy anything they try to sell you. LOL
 
Keep your own set of test results as well. If you download the poolmath app for your phone, it will store backups every time you enter your results (may need the pay version but it is cheap) so you always have them. Download the app asap. Your results almost certainly will vary from the pool stores so keeping your own set of results can be used if some issue arises. Does pebbletec require this?
 
Welcome to the forum! :handshake:

I store our muriatic acid in a 20 gallon Rubbermaid trash can with a snap on lid. MA does not care if it gets hot. But storing out of the sun keeps the bottle from deteriorating.

Liquid chlorine is best stored in climate controlled area. Laundry room? Closet?

Take care.
 
I don’t know what Pebbletec requires. It seems like a reasonable request since the PB ultimately will be the one dealing with problems. They have their own team that services pools for the first six weeks, then they hand it off to the owner or a pool service company. They gave recommendations for pool services to use as well as two not to use. The tech yesterday told us to not use any algaecides in the pool, no matter who is recommending them.

edit: I found this on the Pebbletec site, they cover material failure, the pool builder is responsible for workmanship failures. This paragraph cites the chemistry requirement:

All claims for defective material must be submitted to PTI in writing and must specify the defects present in the material. All water chemistry maintenance documentation should be provided with the submission of the warranty request. Defects in PTI materials are covered for a minimum of 5 years from the date of installation.
 
Thanks, I’m overthinking this. I’ll keep the liquid chlorine where I keep the household bleach: a closet in the laundry room. The one pool store does refills and gives a discount on Tuesdays, so we will go that route for a while. It good to know MA doesn’t mind heat, but I’ll get a container and put it in a shady area near the poolcage.
 
Sorry to hijack your thread, Jean but I've got a question about storing MA as well.

mknauss - I like your rubbermaid trashcan with the lid idea. How close is too close to store that near my pool equipment? If I have it five feet away, could that cause me problems with the fumes getting to the equipment?
 
Jean-ji said:
I don’t know what Pebbletec requires. It seems like a reasonable request since the PB ultimately will be the one dealing with problems. They have their own team that services pools for the first six weeks, then they hand it off to the owner or a pool service company. They gave recommendations for pool services to use as well as two not to use. The tech yesterday told us to not use any algaecides in the pool, no matter who is recommending them.

edit: I found this on the Pebbletec site, they cover material failure, the pool builder is responsible for workmanship failures. This paragraph cites the chemistry requirement:

All claims for defective material must be submitted to PTI in writing and must specify the defects present in the material. All water chemistry maintenance documentation should be provided with the submission of the warranty request. Defects in PTI materials are covered for a minimum of 5 years from the date of installation.
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Ah ok I see what they are doing. Most failures is not going to be for material failure it is going to be something done wrong on the installation. It looks like PebbleTec just wants to see records which would probably also include your own testing and records. The PB is covering themselves since any failure is probably going to come back on them for repair or replacement since it would most likely be an installation issue so they want "official records" from a pool store since many people do not do correct maintenance. Of course, do what the PB requires.
 
I got test results back from the stores and used the Taylor K-1004 kit we were given.


total alkalinity 60 kit, 75 and 80 pool store
PH. 7.8 kit, 7.8 both store readings, one in range, the other high
FC 1-2 kit, 1.5 and 1 stores
Total Chlorine 2-4 kit 1.5 and 1 stores
pool stores showed salt at 3100, 3150, our SWG reads 3100

I don’t have the CYA test, one pool store showed 70 for CYA, the other listed stabilizer, is that CYA?, at 100. One showed calcium hardness at 325, the other 225

One report showed we were within recommended parameters, the other wants us to add a product called Total Alkalinity Increaser. That would be MA, correct?

One store tested for iron and copper which was negative. We have well water and do have bacterial iron that we treat for the house, not the water going into the pool
 

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We didn’t buy anything, and will pick up chlorine and MA tomorrow. I’m familiarizing myself with the tests and it doesn’t look like anything is too far out of range other than my total alkalinity was lower than both store, so I’ll retest tomorrow.
 
Jean-ji said:
We didn’t buy anything, and will pick up chlorine and MA tomorrow. I’m familiarizing myself with the tests and it doesn’t look like anything is too far out of range other than my total alkalinity was lower than both store, so I’ll retest tomorrow.
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Yeah actually your chlorine is out of range. Without an accurate CYA test it is hard to say but getting 70 and 100 by the pool stores if accurate means you need at least 3-4 chlorine and preferably 5-6. Low chlorine will result in algae very quickly so get it up asap!
 
PoolGate said:
Yeah actually your chlorine is out of range. Without an accurate CYA test it is hard to say but getting 70 and 100 by the pool stores if accurate means you need at least 3-4 chlorine and preferably 5-6. Low chlorine will result in algae very quickly so get it up asap!
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I agree, and I would suggest your order a TF-100 or a Taylor K-2006.

I have found that the 5 local chains' Pool store readings of CYA are ALWAYS wrong. You cannot do the CYA test properly indoors or via computer. You just can't.

I'm glad to see that the PB/ tech said not to use any algaecides. How refreshing that they realize how damaging they can be!
 
The TF-100 is arriving Monday, so all I can go on now is the pool stores.

The FC was lower .5-1 and PH up to 7.9 this morning. I wanted to do evening testing and adding anything needed then, but I felt it best to get chlorine and MA in this morning. I’ll take another reading this evening. It is blazing hot and sunny, so we’ll see if I hit our target or not.

I’ve been reading the manual on the SWG and threads here trying to figure out how the SWG and liquid chlorine work together. It looks like the LC is to hit my FC target and then I need to dial in what percent will maintain the FC, taking into account other variables and doing trial and error.

My water looked good this morning but seems more sparkly this afternoon. I’ll see if that’s my imagination or not when I test.
 
Numbers are better after testing this evening. The amount of chlorine and MA we used worked: increasing FC and decreasing PH
.
FC 3. I’m hitting the minimum if my CYA is 70 as the pool store results said
PH 7.5
CC is 0 now
TA low at 60, I need to look into that.
 
I’m understanding the chemistry better and relaxing. I don’t feel like I’m about to bomb out on a chemistry final. When the CYA test in the TF-100 gets here tomorrow, I can be more confident in my numbers. I’m not sure where to dial in my SWG yet either, it’s currently at 20%, and my FC is at 3 but I’ll wait until I get my CYA number to make changes.

I’ve read where I’ll get to know my numbers are off by the looking at the water. I’m thinking when I can see the light reflections on the floor bottom, like today, the water is okay.

Light reflections was the only thing I could think to call this, is there a better term or word for it?

42087760095_c5c23ab3b2_m_d.jpg
5 ft water
 
I'd bump up the SWCG to 50% and monitor your chlorine to see what it does. 3 is the bare minimum it leaves no room for error (or swimmers!) I would target 5-6 if I was you. I keep mine at @ 60%. It is rated for 40k gallons and I have 29k gallons. 60% keeps chlorine at 7-8.
 
Our SWG is rated at 40k gallons and the pool is 7.5k gallons. It looks like it needs more than 20% with the high temps and rain at this time in FL,, but I’ll wait to get my CYA test results. I will add chlorine to get the FC between 4-5 and then start bumping up the SWG in increments and see how it does. It will be trial and hopefully not much error as I find a balance with everything.
 

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