Read Pool School, but where do I even start!?

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ajw22 said:
Are you using PoolMath?

A gallon of 12.5% in your 15,000 gallons will raise your FC by 8.3.

The recommended target in the startup guide is 3 ppm to not bleach the color out of your new plaster that is still curing.
Click to expand...

I just went by the instructions on the label which said for new start-ups superchlorinate with 52-100 oz for each 10,000 gallons (15k gallon pool) so i did the full 128 oz since I have zero chlorine...did i just screw up big time???
I'm starting to think the PB didn't add any. The empty jug was just in a box of trash he left.
 
Be careful about what instructions you follow and that it is specific to your pool. Generic instructions on a bottle may not apply to you. The startup guide applies to your pool. Double check things you are not sure about before adding it to you pool.

The directions are fine for a vinyl or fiberglass pool. Or an old plaster pool.
 
trophft said:
I'm seeing in pool math app, I should have added 1 quart, 1 cup, 6 oz. of 12/5% bleach to bring FC up to 3ppm...but it shows my recommended range is 4.0-7.0 (when i have CYA 44)
Click to expand...

46 oz of 12.5% gets you 3 ppm.

Startup guide applies for first 28 days then you transition to TFP guidelines. PoolMath does not know you have new plaster curing.
 
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ajw22 said:
46 oz of 12.5% gets you 3 ppm.

Startup guide applies for first 28 days then you transition to TFP guidelines. PoolMath does not know you have new plaster curing.
Click to expand...

Makes sense...so now i just toss and turn and test in the morning and assess the damage??? I can't believe PBs leave this critical phase up to the homeowner to start-up and initial balance. TFP is helpful but it is also overwhelming the shear amount of info on this forum/site. My head has been spinning ever since they turned on the pump and drove away!!! :LOL::LOL::LOL:
 
I doubt any bleaching of color from one chlorine application will be obvious to you. If you did it every day it may accumulate. Don’t worry about it. These mistakes happen.
 
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ajw22 said:
I doubt any bleaching of color from one chlorine application will be obvious to you. If you did it every day it may accumulate. Don’t worry about it. These mistakes happen.
Click to expand...

Just ran water to pool store for PB's "required documentation" water test (will do full TF-100 when i get home from work at 3:00pm)
FC 0.26
TC 0.26
CC 0.00
pH 7.8
TA 71
CH 136
CYA 5 (went down from 45 yesterday??? I thought only way to lower CYA was drain water... :confused:)
 
Take the Pool Store test Results and file them and ignore them.

Post a full set of your TF-100 test..

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
WATER tEMP
 
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ajw22 said:
Take the Pool Store test Results and file them and ignore them.

Post a full set of your TF-100 test..

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
WATER tEMP
Click to expand...


Just got home, TF-100 results:

FC 0.0 (did not turn pink with R-0870 powder)
CC 0.5 (turned light pink after 5 drops of R-0003, then one drop of R-0871 turned it back clear)
pH 8.2
TA 90
CH 300 (11 drops of R-0012 turned blue but then back to red...on the 12th drop it stayed blue)
CYA 20 (could still faintly see the black dot)
WATER TEMP 93
 
trophft said:
Just got home, TF-100 results:

FC 0.0 (did not turn pink with R-0870 powder)
CC 0.5 (turned light pink after 5 drops of R-0003, then one drop of R-0871 turned it back clear)
pH 8.2
TA 90
CH 300 (11 drops of R-0012 turned blue but then back to red...on the 12th drop it stayed blue)
CYA 20 (could still faintly see the black dot)
WATER TEMP 93
Click to expand...

Startup guide says i should be at
FC 1.0-3.0
pH 7.2-7.6
TA is Good
CH is Good
CYA 30-50

So according to PoolMath can I just add one Trichlor tablet ( 7 oz.) to my in-line feeder and that would raise FC by 3.2, raise CYA by 1.9, lower pH by 0.17, and raise Salt by 2.6? Am I understanding it correctly?
 
You should raise your FC using liquid chlorine and lower your pH using Muriatic acid and add dry stabilizer to raise your CYA.

Adding that way your water chemistry will change within an hour. The tablets dissolve slowly over multipel days and you will be chasing your pool water chemistry for the correct values. Tablets are fine to maintain water chemistry but not to make big changes like you need.
 
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ajw22 said:
You should raise your FC using liquid chlorine and lower your pH using Muriatic acid and add dry stabilizer to raise your CYA.

Adding that way your water chemistry will change within an hour. The tablets dissolve slowly over multipel days and you will be chasing your pool water chemistry for the correct values. Tablets are fine to maintain water chemistry but not to make big changes like you need.
Click to expand...

That Great Value 7.5% bleach (yields 7.13% available chlorine) is all i have on hand, so should I just use the PoolMath caluclator using the 6% strength value? That indicates I need to add 3 cups 7 oz. to raise FC to 1ppm
 
According to Poolmath, I'm about to add:
2 cups 3 oz of muriatic acid (to lower pH from 8.2 to 7.6)
*wait 30 mins (brush sides and floors)
1 lb 4 oz of granular stabilizer in nylon sock in skimmer (to raise CYA from 20 to 30)
*wait 30 mins (brush sides and floors)
62 oz of 7.5% bleach (to raise FC from 0 to 2)
*brush again
 
Put the CYA in the sock into the water and get it dissolving. Then add the chlorine. Yiu don’t have to wait between that.

Wait 30 minutes and add the MA.

Stabilizer is a mild acid thst also lower your pH. So you will probably end up with a pH of 7.2-7.4.
 
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FC 0.0 (didn't turn pink after heaping scoop of R-0870 powder)
CC n/a
pH 8.2
TA 80
CH 300 (11 drops turned it blue, but then back to pink...12th drop kept it blue)
CYA 20 (can still faintly see the black dot)
Water Temp 93

So I'm adding
-1 lb CYA granuals in the nylon sock in skimmer
-47 oz of the 7.5% Walmart Bleach (until I can run to get the real stuff this evening)
*waiting half an hour
-2 cups of muriatic acid
-2 lbs of baking soda

I think I'm getting the hang of the old calculator online!
 
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Your FC should never go to 0. Having it at 0 lets algae take hold.

You either need to test more often or add more liquid chlorine and learn what routine is required to never find the FC at 0.

Don't add Baking Soda and don't chase your TA. Any TA of 60 or above is fine. Adding baking soda just makes your pH rise and you will yo yo between chasing the TA up and pH down. I know what the startup guide says but the TA is one area where what they recommend is not practical.
 
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