New Pool Need Guidance with chemicals

[Newdude]

my PH is at 7.8 should i get it lowered to 7.2 first by adding acid and then wait? check again and then add bleach?

Exactly !!! And well done. The MA hits plenty quick. A good stirring for 30 min will more that do it. Then prove you hit the target (as always) and SLaM away. (Also proving you hit the target).

Seeing a theme here ????

Test
Add
Prove.

 

[SunnyP2000]

Exactly !!! And well done. The MA hits plenty quick. A good stirring for 30 min will more that do it. Then prove you hit the target (as always) and SLaM away. (Also proving you hit the target).

Seeing a theme here ????

Test
Add
Prove.

great thanks

 

[SunnyP2000]

Sure. Use up the bleach. Just test FC after 30 minutes or so to see what it added. Low speed on the pump is fine.

When I run the pump at low speed (50%) needle on filter doesn’t really move. Is that normal? When I run the pump at 85% it jumps to 6%.

 

[mknauss]

When I run the pump at low speed (50%) needle on filter doesn’t really move. Is that normal? When I run the pump at 85% it jumps to 6%.

That is fine. No issue.

 

[SunnyP2000]

@Newdude , @mknauss wanted to provide you guys update. started SLAM few says ago and keeping FC levels of 18 as per POOLMATH(see my logs) . running pump on 85% for 12 hrs and then LOW(50%) for other 12hrs. i think i want to say it getting better, not as cloudy. anyway i will keep at it. Why does water looks so much clearer in shallow end then deep end? I do have few questions.

1. Should i be checking any other chemicals while slaming? i am guessing NO
2. Whats the best spot to get water sample ? i have searched and got mixed answers (deep end, mid point, away from skimmers and return)
3. when cleaning skimmer basket do you have to turn pump off ?

Thank you again helping me while i am trying to tackle this.

 

[Newdude]

Thank you again helping me while i am trying to tackle this.

Anytime. And if me and Marty are busy at the moment, there’s an army of friendly helpers beside us

1). FC is all you need to test now.
2). Reach down a foot or 18 inches with a cup upside down as grab a sample there
3) you can clean the skimmer basket while running but have to obviously turn off the pump before getting t the pump basket out if it needs a cleaning too. Pollen and whatnot can make its way to the pump sometimes.

 

[Newdude]

Why does water looks so much clearer in shallow end then deep end?

More water to see through equals more algae / dead algae to see through. You steps will be the clearest, then the shallow end, then the deep end.

. running pump on 85% for 12 hrs and then LOW(50%) for other 12hrs. i think i want to say it getting better, not as cloudy

So you understand the current struggles, this is what’s happening. ‘Turnover’ is a myth because although you have pushed XXXX total gallons through your filter, each individual gallon has not. At first, 100% of the water going through the filter has been unfiltered but as it returns and mixes, that % of the next amount of water decreases. And decreases and decreases.

So let’s go with easy math here for discussion purposes...... with a full pool volume though the filter, half of the pool water made it through. On the second ‘turnover’ it is a 50/50 mix of unfiltered water and another 50% comes out leaving you with 25%, The third pass makes it 12.5% removed, then 6.25% and so on. You are somewhere towards the end where it gets miserable because the awesome progress at 50% filtering slows to a unnoticeable standstill at 3%..... then 1.5%. And even slower at .75% with each ‘turnover’. The pool looks great compared to how it started, but still not quite perfect.

P-O-P here for sure. But back to the runtimes and speeds. If the only way out is to pass the water many many many times, running at slower speeds adds even more time to the battle. 85% will save you a good chunk of electricity comapared to 100% while still pushing a lot of water through the filter. But the time lost to 50% may not make up for the savings in the electric bill. Or it might, You are the one paying your bill, not me. Lol. Just something to consider as you wait.

 

[SunnyP2000]

More water to see through equals more algae / dead algae to see through. You steps will be the clearest, then the shallow end, then the deep end.

So you understand the current struggles, this is what’s happening. ‘Turnover’ is a myth because although you have pushed XXXX total gallons through your filter, each individual gallon has not. At first, 100% of the water going through the filter has been unfiltered but as it returns and mixes, that % of the next amount of water decreases. And decreases and decreases.

So let’s go with easy math here for discussion purposes...... with a full pool volume though the filter, half of the pool water made it through. On the second ‘turnover’ it is a 50/50 mix of unfiltered water and another 50% comes out leaving you with 25%, The third pass makes it 12.5% removed, then 6.25% and so on. You are somewhere towards the end where it gets miserable because the awesome progress at 50% filtering slows to a unnoticeable standstill at 3%..... then 1.5%. And even slower at .75% with each ‘turnover’. The pool looks great compared to how it started, but still not quite perfect.

P-O-P here for sure. But back to the runtimes and speeds. If the only way out is to pass the water many many many times, running at slower speeds adds even more time to the battle. 85% will save you a good chunk of electricity comapared to 100% while still pushing a lot of water through the filter. But the time lost to 50% may not make up for the savings in the electric bill. Or it might, You are the one paying your bill, not me. Lol. Just something to consider as you wait.

So you suggest run 100% 24 hrs ? Here are pics of my pool not sure if you can tell it’s cloudy or not. I am not an expert and never had a pool but been in many and I think it doesn’t really look clear enough.

 

[mknauss]

Second picture looks pretty good. The first one looks blurry.

If you can pass the OCLT, I would say you are done. Especially if you are not seeing any debris on the floor of the pool. Turn off the pump overnight and see if any debris collects on the pool floor.

 

[SunnyP2000]

Second picture looks pretty good. The first one looks blurry.

If you can pass the OCLT, I would say you are done. Especially if you are not seeing any debris on the floor of the pool. Turn off the pump overnight and see if any debris collects on the pool floor.

1st pic is deep end and that's what i always felt it seemed little cloudy.

 

[Newdude]

So you suggest run 100% 24 hrs

Full throttle is rarely recommended, even for priming, but 85% is great. You need volume through the filter. More volume equals less time in SLaM. There’s no 2 ways about it.

But that doesn’t pay you electric bill so feel free to make it last longer at 50%.

am not an expert and never had a pool but been in many and I think it doesn’t really look clear enough.

You will know when it’s stupid clear. It either is or it isn’t. Pretty Clear-ish is GREAT and many steps in the right direction, but not quite there.

 

[SunnyP2000]

Full throttle is rarely recommended, even for priming, but 85% is great. You need volume through the filter. More volume equals less time in SLaM. There’s no 2 ways about it.

But that doesn’t pay you electric bill so feel free to make it last longer at 50%.

You will know when it’s stupid clear. It either is or it isn’t. Pretty Clear-ish is GREAT and many steps in the right direction, but not quite there.

ok thanks i dont think i am having any CL loss overnight but i am still not sure if water is that crystal clear stage so i will keep up with slam? i have read few places regarding clarifier . when is that used?

 

[mknauss]

Turn off the pump overnight and see if any debris collects on the pool floor.

 

[Newdude]

ok thanks i dont think i am having any CL loss overnight but i am still not sure if water is that crystal clear stage so i will keep up with slam?

Holding the FC well points to all the algae being dead and to the last bit floating around needed filtering. Again. You will know when it’s clear-clear. If you’re questioning it, it’s not quite there. Turn the pump off like Marty suggested and maybe what’s left falls to the floor and you can vac/robot it out.

i have read few places regarding clarifier . when is that used?

Do not read those places. Ever. Never ever. They fooled me myself yesterday. 3 seemingly legit blogs agreed so it had to be true. Lol. Nope.

Clarifier is the ultimate pool store sale. It binds up loose particles only to cause new filter problems which they have a fix for as well of course. That’ll be $175. Come back next week.

 

[SunnyP2000]

Holding the FC well points to all the algae being dead and to the last bit floating around needed filtering. Again. You will know when it’s clear-clear. If you’re questioning it, it’s not quite there. Turn the pump off like Marty suggested and maybe what’s left falls to the floor and you can vac/robot it out.


Do not read those places. Ever. Never ever. They fooled me myself yesterday. 3 seemingly legit blogs agreed so it had to be true. Lol. Nope.

Clarifier is the ultimate pool store sale. It binds up loose particles only to cause new filter problems which they have a fix for as well of course. That’ll be $175. Come back next week.

Got it thanks

 

[SunnyP2000]

so i just checked my FC level and its 13.5 . actually tested twice to double check . this morning it was 17.5 and i added CL to reach 18. so i am adding enough to reach 18 again. it was a nice sunny day today and my pool get good 7-8 hr of sun . This much CL loss is that normal?

 

[mknauss]

That is a bit high if your CYA of 50 ppm is correct.

 

[SunnyP2000]

That is a bit high if your CYA of 50 ppm is correct.

let me do another test to confirm . is it ok to do CYA Test right after adding CL or should i wait.

 

[mknauss]

Nothing effects the CYA test other than very cold water. The test does need to be done with bright sunlight.

 

[SunnyP2000]

Nothing effects the CYA test other than very cold water. The test does need to be done with bright sunlight.

ok np i'll wait till tomorrow to do the test CYA should be around 50 . should i let the pump run tonight and leave it off tomorrow or you think i should try that tonight?