Good morning TFP gurus.... long time reader, first time poster. 
So, I have been reading as much of the information on TFP as I can for the past few weeks if not months. Brief background...We were extremely fortunate to be able to sign our pool contract in late may, and they broke ground on June 29th. Excavation was done in a day, and two days later they installed the walls, liner, pump, etc and we started filling with water. (16x32, 14,500 gal., pentair VS, IC40) So we have been teased with a pool for almost a month now... but we still have some work to go. Retaining wall and irrigation was just finished this week... and now we are waiting on our date for the concrete patio pour around the pool itself. They said they will pour the patio and then come back 1 or 2 days later to bring our robot vac, manual vac, hoses, etc. and teach us how to use our equipment, along with doing a final clean up around and in the pool (vacuum). It will def. need a good vacuum as there is some clay/sand/gravel in the pool from when they backfilled around the walls after pouring the concrete collar. (This will be a part of my main question in just a little bit)
I went ahead and purchased the TF100 test kit and starting using it this past weekend, I began testing and adding my long term chemicals in prep for getting the pool finished from our PB. I started with baking soda to get my TA right. Then balanced the Ph with acid, followed by a slow 2 day process of adding borax and acid to the pool, while continuing to check the Ph along the way. Finally I am now in the process of adding CYA. I placed about 2.5 lbs in a skimmer sock and placed it in the skimmer late yesterday. Gave it a few squeezes through out the evening to help it along. I'll add another 2 lbs today or tomorrow pending if the current sock has fully dissolved... then test in a few days to check and continue adding CYA if needed.
My current numbers:
FC: 5 (I'm still trying to get my pump run times and clorinator % settled in)
CC: 0
Ph: 7.5
TA: 90 (Slightly high)
CYA: 0 (just started adding... will test after a few days)
Salt: 3200 (we just had a LOT of rain, so that may be lower now. The water level is very high... but in anticipation of them coming to clean and vac soon, I know I'll loose some water, so I'll retest and adjust if needed)
I have not checked the calcium levels yet as it sounds like it is such a minor variable for my set up... BUT.... I plan on doing that very soon.
I feel I am on the right track.... the one big question I have is this.... despite my numbers being close, the water appears to have just a slight haze/cloudiness to it. On a cloudiness scale of 1 - 10... I'd call it a 2. Do you think the clay/sand/rock that have settled to the bottom could be causing this?
I have my pump currently running from 8am-6am (22 hours) and the pentair display is estimating about 40gpm flow. So I am turning the water over about 3.6 times currently.
Any thoughts or suggestions to help clear the water more before the PB comes out to do the final clean out?
I was thinking about adding a clarifier to see if that helps. But not sure if I want to go that route yet... unless the guru's here advise for that. Or I will definitely avoid it if that is the advise as well.
I'd love to have the water in the best condition I can so when the PB comes to finish the job, we can start enjoying our new pool ASAP.
Any thoughts, tips, or advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Gene-o
So, I have been reading as much of the information on TFP as I can for the past few weeks if not months. Brief background...We were extremely fortunate to be able to sign our pool contract in late may, and they broke ground on June 29th. Excavation was done in a day, and two days later they installed the walls, liner, pump, etc and we started filling with water. (16x32, 14,500 gal., pentair VS, IC40) So we have been teased with a pool for almost a month now... but we still have some work to go. Retaining wall and irrigation was just finished this week... and now we are waiting on our date for the concrete patio pour around the pool itself. They said they will pour the patio and then come back 1 or 2 days later to bring our robot vac, manual vac, hoses, etc. and teach us how to use our equipment, along with doing a final clean up around and in the pool (vacuum). It will def. need a good vacuum as there is some clay/sand/gravel in the pool from when they backfilled around the walls after pouring the concrete collar. (This will be a part of my main question in just a little bit)
I went ahead and purchased the TF100 test kit and starting using it this past weekend, I began testing and adding my long term chemicals in prep for getting the pool finished from our PB. I started with baking soda to get my TA right. Then balanced the Ph with acid, followed by a slow 2 day process of adding borax and acid to the pool, while continuing to check the Ph along the way. Finally I am now in the process of adding CYA. I placed about 2.5 lbs in a skimmer sock and placed it in the skimmer late yesterday. Gave it a few squeezes through out the evening to help it along. I'll add another 2 lbs today or tomorrow pending if the current sock has fully dissolved... then test in a few days to check and continue adding CYA if needed.
My current numbers:
FC: 5 (I'm still trying to get my pump run times and clorinator % settled in)
CC: 0
Ph: 7.5
TA: 90 (Slightly high)
CYA: 0 (just started adding... will test after a few days)
Salt: 3200 (we just had a LOT of rain, so that may be lower now. The water level is very high... but in anticipation of them coming to clean and vac soon, I know I'll loose some water, so I'll retest and adjust if needed)
I have not checked the calcium levels yet as it sounds like it is such a minor variable for my set up... BUT.... I plan on doing that very soon.
I feel I am on the right track.... the one big question I have is this.... despite my numbers being close, the water appears to have just a slight haze/cloudiness to it. On a cloudiness scale of 1 - 10... I'd call it a 2. Do you think the clay/sand/rock that have settled to the bottom could be causing this?
I have my pump currently running from 8am-6am (22 hours) and the pentair display is estimating about 40gpm flow. So I am turning the water over about 3.6 times currently.
Any thoughts or suggestions to help clear the water more before the PB comes out to do the final clean out?
I was thinking about adding a clarifier to see if that helps. But not sure if I want to go that route yet... unless the guru's here advise for that. Or I will definitely avoid it if that is the advise as well.
I'd love to have the water in the best condition I can so when the PB comes to finish the job, we can start enjoying our new pool ASAP.
Any thoughts, tips, or advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Gene-o
