Order to Add Chemicals?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Van G

Van G

Bronze Supporter
Mar 22, 2016
255
Toronto
Opened our pool today and got it nice and clean. Water is a little cloudy but otherwise clean.

I closed very late last year when temps were low which would explain the lack of algae.

My test results:
Ambient Temp: 65F
Water Temp: 57F
FC: 0 (should I slam? or take to 5)
TC: 0
PH: 6.8 (113 oz Borax to 7.3)
TA: 60 (42 oz Baking Soda to 70)
CH: 125 380 oz CC to 270)
CYA: 50 (59 oz Stabilizer to 75)
Salt: 1300 (30 lbs to 1500 ppm)

Using PoolMath so I noted the amounts I need to add for targets.
I have Bleach, Stabilizer, Borax, Ice Melt, and Salt ready to go.
I'll run the pump for a couple days on low to help absorb the chemicals.

My questions:
What do I start with? Can I do some at the same time?
Which can be added at the same time?
What affect might some of the additions have on other numbers?
 
Not sure I would mess with TA. Use a bit of borax to raise pH.
Why add calcium? Fiberglass pool does not need that much.
CYA to 70 is good.
Salt as needed.

Add chlorine to get to 10 ppm FC. Do OCLT tonight.
Add borax. Add CYA via sock method. Add salt and let circulate 24 hours and start SWCG.
 
So this is what I thought I should do:
Don't need to slam given the water and ambient temp when it was closed.

Now:
30 oz cya in sock and in strainer
Half Jug of bleach
Dissolve box of Borax into pail and then add to water
20 lbs of salt spread on pool bottom and brushed in

Tomorrow
Test and repeat above until I have those numbers correct

Following day:
Tackle TA and CH
 
It's a little cloudy, so I would just go straight into a SLAM Process Borax to 7.2 pH and bleach to 20 FC. Brush and vacuum and leave the filter on. Test FC & CC just before bed. If CC is .5 or less and FC is 10 or better, leave the pump run and do the overnight loss test. If it passes that and the water has cleared up, then you can deal with the rest. If not. continue with the SLAM Process and take FC back up to 20.

I'd leave TA alone for the moment... it';s in range and the Borax will raise it a little bit. Go ahead and set the sock with the CYA in the skimmer to dissolve and add Calcium as you like. Just make sure you passed the SLAM before you raise CYA and CH. Higher CYA makes the SLAM harder and Calcium may cloud the water and confuse things.
 
Not what I expected this morning.

Last night 3 hrs after adding Borax and Purox my measurements were:
FC: 11
TC: 0.5
PH: 7.2 (using pen)

This morning:
FC: 15.5
TC: 0.5
PH: 7.3 (using pen), estimate 8 using K-1000

Water is very clear and I'm guessing the water hadn't thoroughly mixed in chemicals during last nights measurement, but the PH results are concerning - which do I trust Pen or K-1000?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Measured at 5 PM (8 hrs from last measurement):
FC: 11.5
TC: 0.5

Water is very clean, and cleared regularly of leaves (sunny & windy day).

Will add more Purox to bring it back up to 20 and see how it does before bed.
 
Last edited:
So do all the tests again once FC is below 10 and then adjust?

Which leads me to my original question, which order should I tackle adjustments?
PH
CYA & Salt (day or 2 to mix in)
TA & CH - do these concern me with a FG Pool?

Assuming FC will take a few days to lower but looks like we've got sun coming this weekend.
 
Van G said:
So do all the tests again once FC is below 10 and then adjust?

Which leads me to my original question, which order should I tackle adjustments?
PH
CYA & Salt (day or 2 to mix in)
TA & CH - do these concern me with a FG Pool?

Assuming FC will take a few days to lower but looks like we've got sun coming this weekend.
Click to expand...
Order depends on what needs adjusting. There's really too many if/then possibilities to type things all out. Once all the parameters are displayed in one spot, the order becomes obvious.

The chlorine will go down fast at the beginning and slowdown. It's a percentage of what's there, not a fixed ppm per hour. Almost like a half-life.

TA is needed to adjust pH. You really only need to worry if it is below 60. High TA will cause pH to rise faster and also contributes to a positive CSI. Too high a CSI can lead to scale, even in a fiberglass pool. But like I said, once all parameters are displayed in one spot, it's easy to figure out the order.

They will have changed some. You've added some salt via bleach and some TA via Borax. You may have added water and it can raise TA and pH. Maybe lower pH. Depends on the fill water. All these things change the results you had a few days ago which is why a new set of results is needed.

Once you have results, the rest is just dumping in chemicals. Some have a fifteen minute wait and some can just be dumped in whenever, but it can all be done in about an hour.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Van G
This morning:
FC - 12
TC - 0.5
Temp - 60


What FC is safe for kids to swim in? A certain someone is begging me and we’ve got sun here!

Expecting to be under 10 by end of day given full sun.
 
Last edited:
Van G said:
This morning:
FC - 12
TC - 0.5
Temp - 60


What FC is safe for kids to swim in? A certain someone is begging me and we’ve got sun here!

Expecting to be under 10 by end of day given full sun.
Click to expand...
Now is fine.

Your CYA was 50 so it probably still is and 12 FC is well below shock level.

If the water is 60F, someone won't be in the pool for long!
 
Sun driving temps past 65, but you are right - I'm the only one insulated enough to stay in for more than a jump.

Built an enclosure around my pool equipment so I'm waiting for the heat fab venting to ship in. Wow, was that a sticker shock!
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply