Just recently filled a new pool with water and am kind of looking over the shoulder of the start up company. Was checking calcium hardness with the TF-Pro test kit, and came out to 150. Pebble Plus start up says 150 is good (Start Up | Pebble Plus), and to keep it under 200. Went to enter test results into PoolMath, which says target is 250-650. Who is right, and anyone know why such a big discrepancy? Thanks!
Pebble Plus vs PoolMath for CH
- Thread starter mdbrown
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,964
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Follow your start-up guide for the first 30 days. PoolMath does not know about plaster pool start-ups.
After 30 days you can transition to TFP methods and levels.
www.troublefreepool.com
After 30 days you can transition to TFP methods and levels.
What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?
Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.
www.troublefreepool.com
To me, the Pebble Plus start up page makes it sound like I should keep it under 200 going forward, but it's a little ambiguous...Follow your start-up guide for the first 30 days. PoolMath does not know about plaster pool start-ups.
After 30 days you can transition to TFP methods and levels.
What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?
Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,964
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
At that point you need to decide whose methods you choose to follow. There are many opinions out there.
If you look around, there are about as many opinions about start-up chemistries as stars in the sky. Each thinks they are “right” and can anecdotally back that up. Bottom line, follow the lead of whoever provides the warranty on the finish. If they screw up too badly, it’s on their dime. (As a silver lining, there is some solid evidence that workmanship and installation technique matters about 1,000 times more than startup chemistry to the appearance and longevity of the finish. If they did the work properly, it will be fine.)
Appreciate the replies, but I'm not really worried about start up. For sure, we'll be following guidelines for the next couple weeks. It's after startup that I'm wondering about, where it seems like Pebble Plus is saying keep it under 200, but Pool Math suggests a much higher level.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,964
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Please provide a link to where they say that?
Start Up | Pebble Plus only covers the first 28 days. They say "These recommendations are adapted from the National Plaster Council Startup Instructions for Plaster Pools and have been reviewed and approved by them."
National Plasterers Council says- DAILY WATER CHEMISTRY AFTER 28 DAYS - Calcium hardness = 200 to 400 ppm
And PEBBLETEC Chlorine says Calcium Hardness 150 – 300 PPM after 28 days.
After startup, there are plenty of philosophies (personally I’m an Orenda disciple) but as a practical matter with a SWG it becomes a dance between the CH and TA so pH does not rise too fast. If you play around with pool math you’ll see you can keep your CSI within range but bumping CH and lowering TA (and a lower TA can help slow down pH rise).
The CSI in pool math is based on solid research and experience — there are documents on this site somewhere that explain how it was derived. If you follow it, you will do great (personally I follow a tighter -0.3 to +0.3 range and it’s not hard to keep it in that range).
The CSI in pool math is based on solid research and experience — there are documents on this site somewhere that explain how it was derived. If you follow it, you will do great (personally I follow a tighter -0.3 to +0.3 range and it’s not hard to keep it in that range).
They dont say it specifically. As I said, it's kind of ambiguous. The start up page says: "After the 4th day, the Calcium Hardness level should be adjusted slowly over the 28 day period not to exceed 200 PPM." There's nothing specifically saying to raise it afterward. But maybe that's just understood...
Thanks again
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,964
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Pebble Plus gives no guidance on ongoing pool care.
You are reading things into it that are not being said.
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