Pool Install Ongoing

[danzgator]

Hello, Dan here. We are currently having our fiberglass pool installed and are hoping to be swimming by this weekend. I have ordered the recommended TF-100, salt test, and magnetic stirrer. Pool is filled and plumbed. We are just waiting on electrician and pool deck. I see a shock packet, so I assume that the contractor will throw that in when the pump starts running. What is typical besides that? Will they get it all balanced and ready for me just to maintain, or is it shock and then turn the keys over to me?

 

[Texas Splash]

What is typical besides that?

Hi Dan! Most often, you can expect them to add some stabilizer (conditioner) since new water has none. Make note of how much they add so you can figure it out (or verify via testing) later. They will probably add some liquid chlorine, and perhaps blindly dump some muriatic acid (MA) as well if your local pH/TA is a bit high. Will they really get it balanced fro you?........ I doubt it. They will probably give you test strips and/or not even really check themselves. At least that's been my epxerience. Regardless, you've done the right thing with the TF-100. Once received, do your full battery of tests and let us know if you have any questions. Congrats!

 

[danzgator]

Well, they didn’t do much. They left 2 1 lb packets of shockwave on my garbage can, told me dissolve them in water and add to the pool. They were missing a wire they couldn’t get anywhere yesterday, so didn’t get the pump started. I put the 2 lbs of shockwave in at about 5:00, before finding out the pump wouldn’t be running. The pool is blue this morning, so I decided to check the FC. Is it supposed to keep turning back pink again after turning clear? I got to about 40 drops, or 20 FC, and decided I should wait a few more hours to test.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Good morning Dan. Double check your "Shockwave" package, but that product is most likely cal-hypo, a combination of calcium and chlorine. Two pounds of of Shockwave in a pool your size should raise FC to 11, so double check your testing method. Did you use a 10 ml sample, or a 25 ml sample.

If your pump is not running, use your pool brush to make sure the cal-hypo is completely dissolved and well mixed. You don't want that stuff sitting on the bottom of your pool. Don't add any more chemicals in your pool until your pump is running.

 

[danzgator]

Calcium hypochlorite. 10 ml.

 

[danzgator]

Pump has been running for a couple hours now. Closing in on 22 hours from the time I threw the 2 lbs of shockwave. I’m still confused on testing the FC. I put the 10 ml pool water in the vile, I add the R-0870 and turn on the speed stir, it turns pink. Then I add a few drops of R0871, and it clears, but it turns pink again a few seconds later. It just keeps turning back to pink over and over again until I get tired of counting. Does that mean there’s a ton of FC in pool or is the count over the first time it turns clear?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I don't know what could be causing the results you described. I will give you a bump for some more help.

 

[danzgator]

I did the K-1000 test and I’m getting 0.5 CF and 8.2 PH. The pool guy installed a pellet chlorinator instead of a salt chlorinator for some reason. I’m going to open that thing all the way up to get some more chlorine in the pool. Will start researching how to lower PH, unless someone gets back to me before I figure it out.

 

[duraleigh]

It just keeps turning back to pink over and over again until I get tired of counting.

I did the K-1000 test and I’m getting 0.5 CF and 8.2 PH.

Let's get your chlorine pinned down....That K-1000 test is pretty reliable. Is the color yellow really faint?

The FAS/DPD test is very precise and will ALWAYS turn back to pink if you leave it too long. Once it goes from pink to clear, count those drops. If you leave the sample for more than about 15 seconds, it turns back to pink, invalidating the test.[/QUOTE]

 

[danzgator]

Yes, really light yellow. I’ve looked at it indifferent lights and with paper behind it and it’s not darker than the lightest level on the k-1000.

 

[duraleigh]

Yeah, so you have VERY little chlorine. So, the FAS/DPD (test with powder) should probably clear the sample with very few drops.....maybe 1-3.

Again, count the drops until the sample clears. (actually, count the drops until you see NO FURTHER COLOR CHANGE then, subtract that last drop and that is your FC).

The sample will turn back pink if you leave it much longer than about 15 seconds.

So post back your FAS/DPD test to make sure we are all on the same page.

Please read "The "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. It is essential you understand that info.

Next read how to lower your pH and get some muriatic acid to do so. Use PoolMath to calculate your dosage

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Dan,

You'll need to get your CYA level up using "chlorine stabilizer", but first, you need to decide how you're going to chlorinate your pool. How you chlorinate your pool will dictate the appropriate CYA level. Do you plan on talking to the builder about getting the SWG installed? The inline chlorinator you had installed will quickly raise Ch or CYA levels depending on what type of "pellets" it uses. Either way, you'll need to drain and refill every couple years or so. TFP recommends liquid chlorine bleach or a SWG. There are a few useful links in my signature, including the web-based version of Pool Math which a bit more user friendly than the app.

 

[danzgator]

Dan,

You'll need to get your CYA level up using "chlorine stabilizer", but first, you need to decide how you're going to chlorinate your pool. How you chlorinate your pool will dictate the appropriate CYA level. Do you plan on talking to the builder about getting the SWG installed? The inline chlorinator you had installed will quickly raise Ch or CYA levels depending on what type of "pellets" it uses. Either way, you'll need to drain and refill every couple years or so. TFP recommends liquid chlorine bleach or a SWG. There are a few useful links in my signature, including the web-based version of Pool Math which a bit more user friendly than the app.

Sprinkled about 3 lbs of dry acid in the deep end and about 5 lbs of cya in a sock in the slimmer. I have the pellet chlorinator on max. The pool builder said he’ll handle the salt chlorinator on Monday, which probably really means by mid week.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

What type of pellets are in the chlorinator (cal-hypo, trichlor)? You may have overshot the acid a bit. Make sure you mix it well with your pool brush. Keep the pump running for now. Wait an hour or two until the acid is dissolved and dispersed and post a full set of test results in this format for guidance. (It may take a day or two to get an accurate test on CYA, so don't worry about testing right away)

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

 

[danzgator]

There’s still about a third of the CYA left in the sock. Should I pull it out?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Are you SURE the builder did not add CYA? If not, you should be good on the CYA. 5 lbs. should get you to about 40-45 ppm which is good for a liquid chlorine pool. If/when you get your SWG, you'll want to increase to about 70 ppm. Once your CYA levels stabilize, you will base your FC level on the Chlorine/CYA Chart (link in my sig). If you're unsure if your builder added CYA, test before you add more.

You may want to remove that sock from the skimmer now and start giving it some good squeezes in front of one of your returns. It should be nice and mushy by now.