New Pool - Check levels (PB maintaining)

[amillionvoices]

Hi, our pool was filled on August 21-22nd. Relevant info can be found in my signature. The pool builder is maintaining right now but I am not sure they're doing the right things and would like some advice on whether I should be pushing on them or taking any steps myself (other than adding chemicals since they won't like that).

I know they put some muriatic acid and stabilizer in the pool already, not sure what else. The filter is running full blast. They also put 4 chlorine tabs in the skimmer basket (Wet Edge said not add chlorine this early in their start up guide but PB told me they own the warranty on the pool surface and this is how they do it). They brushed the pool yesterday and it wasn't cloudy at all, the water is pretty crystal clear at the moment. I told them not to start the SWG for 30 days, but they said they'd prefer to start it as soon as possible to keep the chlorine levels up but they would listen to me on this one.

I measured the chemicals early yesterday after their first visit, late yesterday after their second visit, and early this morning and got the following readings. Note that I am brand new to this!

	Early yesterday	Late yesterday	This morning
PH	7.4	7.0	7.1
TA	110	90	110
CH	100	130	120
CYA		50
FC		4
CC		0.2

Pool Math is telling me all sorts of things are wrong, but I don't know what's bad for a new pool start up versus fine, etc.

Thanks!

 

[HermanTX]

It is always a challenge when the PB is doing its thing and the plaster mfg. start up guide is different.
In general, salt should not be added for 30 days to new plaster. I would not turn on the SWCG.
Have you tested SALT? Did they add any?
Your pH, TA and CYA look ok for start up.
Your CH is good for first 4 days but should increase to min. 200ppm after 4 days

As a rule, chlorine tablets should not be set in a skimmer. Use a floater for the pool.

Note - you can use the 10ml sample for CH testing which will use less reagents and your number of drops will be x25. It looks like you are using a 25ml sample where the number of drops is x10.

Thanks for using a recommended test kit.

Also - be sure to register your Wet Edge plaster on their website and also keep track of test results during start up.

 

[HermanTX]

This is Wet Edge website for start up

Wet Edge | Startup Guide

wetedgetechnologies.com

This is the NPC website for start up

NPC Pool Start-Up Card Download - National Plasterers Council

NPC Start-up Card Free of Charge to Pool Owners! Get Yours Today! Available in English or Spanish Thank you for your interest in the NPC Start-Up Card. Click on a link below to download. English Spanish If you have any questions regarding the NPC Start-up Card, please contact Mila Pandzic at...

www.nationalplastererscouncil.com

 

[ajw22]

Ignore PoolMath recommendations until your start-up is complete. PoolMath does not know about the different start up chemistry.

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

When Should Salt be Added? In our industry, there seems to be some consensus to wait 30 days before adding salt to new plaster pools, yet some say it is okay to add salt within a couple of days of filling the pool. Who is right? This thread describes why it appears that the recommendation to wait 30 days before adding any salt is appropriate for most plaster pools, including quartz and pebble pools.

Why no heater use for first 30 days? With new plaster there is a lot of plaster dust in the water and the pH is usually very high. When you heat water the potential for scale formation in the heater increases significantly. The actual timeframe for waiting to use the heater has no real merit. As long as the plaster dust is under control and the pH is in range there is no reason not to use it. Your risk of rushing to use the heater is scale clogging up the heater coil.

Why no wheeled cleaner for first 30 days? Plaster is sufficiently hard once the pool is full of water. Pool cleaners can be installed and utilized after about two days if there is no plaster dust forming. The reason that tracks develop is usually from plaster dust being "packed down" by the pool cleaner wheels and then not removed by brushing. So it can look like an "indention" (and discolored) but it is not an indention. Brushing afterwards can help prevent the plaster dust from sticking on the plaster.

 

[amillionvoices]

> Have you tested SALT? Did they add any?
They haven't added any.

> Note - you can use the 10ml sample for CH testing which will use less reagents and your number of drops will be x25. It looks like you are using a 25ml sample where the number of drops is x10.
Thanks! I read that but wanted to get more accurate readings since I am new to this. I'll switch to the one that uses less reagents.

 

[amillionvoices]

Update. New levels from this morning. I took the chlorine tabs out of the skimmer after seeing FC this high.

FC: 11
PH: 7.4
TA: 90
CYA: 50
CH: 150

I'm thinking I should raise the CH >200 today and just hold the start up guide recommended levels until day 30 when I turn on the SWG?

 

[ajw22]

Update. New levels from this morning. I took the chlorine tabs out of the skimmer after seeing FC this high.

FC: 11
PH: 7.4
TA: 90
CYA: 50
CH: 150

I'm thinking I should raise the CH >200 today and just hold the start up guide recommended levels until day 30 when I turn on the SWG?

Yes, raise your CH a bit.

Start-up guides recommend keeping the FC below 3ppm to not bleach out the color in the new plaster.

 

[amillionvoices]

Start-up guides recommend keeping the FC below 3ppm to not bleach out the color in the new plaster.

I know, my PB added Chlorine tabs and I mentioned this and they said "this is how they do it" but I removed them this morning.

 

[proavia]

Ask your PB for a printout of the startup guide they are using.
If you get it, file it away with your other pool paperwork.

 

[amillionvoices]

This might be my last update since things are going pretty well. I’m waiting on salt and am planning to use liquid chlorine to keep things balanced until 30 days when I get the SWG going.

I took control of the pool from the PB on Friday. Added Calcium yesterday and got things to the following levels

FC: 5
pH: 7.6
TA: 75
CYA: 80
CH: 250
Salt: 800 (have not added salt yet)
85 degrees

Pool Math says my CSI is -0.21

I’m not sure why the CYA got this high unless they dumped some in on Friday because the TriChlor tabs wouldn’t raise it that much. I’m hoping I can dial it and FC in by switching to liquid.

 

[HermanTX]

Your CYA of 80 is perfect for use with a SWCG. Test again before you turn on SWCG.
Liquid Chlorine has salt so that may be part of the salt increase. Great that you have the Pro Salt test kit. Always test directly for salt before adding to ensure you know how much is needed.

Then follow the recommended FC for CYA using SWCG -
FC/CYA Levels