Newish pool owners- first addition of chemicals after new liner/trucked in water

[jtav12]

Hello!

We just had a new vinyl liner and variable speed pump installed this week. They did an awesome job but I thought they were handling the first addition of chemicals but they just said bring in a water sample. I did that today and was instructed to add 10lbs of PH down and 2 gallons of chlorine. During the day today I found this site through Reddit and started playing with the calculator which is giving me pretty different results so wanted to ask the group.

30000 gallons chlorine pool
Hayward 700 VS pump and Hayward sand filter
pH 8.2
TA 180
FC 2.0
TC 2.0
CYA 55
TH 400

Calculator showing just shy of 6lbs of pH Down vs. 10 from shop recommendation. I just don't want to screw it up off the bat. Also wondering how much ph down to mix with water in 5 gal bucket before adding and what speed we should have the pump working at for adding this stuff? Thanks for reading, we'll get better on our own quickly but I hate that the pool basically has no chemicals in it short of chlorinator running so want a quick answer this time around til we can read more.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Those test results are from the fresh water you took into the store to test?
Please do not use pH Down. That is sodium bisulfate. Use muriatic acid to lower pH.
Let us know how you got the test results and we can advise.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[jtav12]

Welcome to the forum!
Those test results are from the fresh water you took into the store to test?
Please do not use pH Down. That is sodium bisulfate. Use muriatic acid to lower pH.
Let us know how you got the test results and we can advise.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

Yes the results are from the water the pool was filled with Thursday evening, I took it to the pool store in a plastic bottle taken from just past elbow deep. Will be ordering a kit but best I could do for now. Would I be ok to use pH down one time and switch to muriatic acid in the future, or I just shouldn't do anything tonight? Thanks for responding!

 

[mknauss]

Either someone added chemicals, or that store is basically one I would never go back to.
If you have not added any CYA, there is no CYA in the water.
For now, add enough acid to lower the pH by 0.4. Not a big deal for you to have an elevated pH for awhile.
Add 3 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine each day until you get a proper test kit.

 

[jtav12]

Either someone added chemicals, or that store is basically one I would never go back to.
If you have not added any CYA, there is no CYA in the water.
For now, add enough acid to lower the pH by 0.4. Not a big deal for you to have an elevated pH for awhile.
Add 3 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine each day until you get a proper test kit.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it

 

[CamiS]

Welcome to the forum!
Those test results are from the fresh water you took into the store to test?
Please do not use pH Down. That is sodium bisulfate. Use muriatic acid to lower pH.
Let us know how you got the test results and we can advise.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

What is the issue with using sodium bisulfate? I kind of prefered it because it's easier to maneuver , and would really like to educate myself on the downsides. Thank you in advance!

 

[dfwnoob]

Sodium bisulfate adds sulfates to the water which, over time, corrodes and damages both metal (think SWCGs) and plaster. In a vinyl pool where you're using liquid chlorine it probably matters a lot less, but over time elevated sulfates can form crystals (which are effectively gypsum I believe) and damage liners.

Given the various drawbacks of dry acid, plus the higher cost, using MA just makes more sense and is the recommended way of lowering pH in TFP methodology.