Starting our pool up!

[emmahoffmann]

Hello!
Our new pool is filling up right now! I was just wondering.. how do I start with the chemicals? Our pool will be SWG and now I just need to know how much chemicals I need to add. Should I test the water once there is only salt in the pool and put the info into the pool calculator for the amounts of chemicals I need to add or should I add all the chemicals first? I'm a bit confused and I've read and looked at almost all of the pool school tabs. Just to confirm, I'm going to list the different chemicals to have on hand. Please let me know if I have something off. Thanks!

FC-raise with salt (bleach or chlorine for other pools)
PH- lower with muriatic acid, raise with borax, etc
TA- raise with a baking soda
CH- raise with calcium chloride
CVA- raise with cyanuric acid
Borate- raise with boric acid, etc

oh and another question. If I add a certain chemical will it raise/lower or change another?

 

[needsajet]

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here Thanks for doing a great post and reading Pool School

First get the pH right. Adjust to get it between 7.2 and 7.8, preferably on the low end until you know about your well water. Take a sample to a pool store and ask them to test for metals, but don't buy anything there. If you've ever had you well tested for quality, let us know the numbers for iron and copper.

Next, add 30 ppm CYA based on PoolMath. Later on, you can raise it again up to about 50 ppm CYA.

Likewise add bleach to get your FC to around 3-5 ppm FC. Always keep FC at 3 ppm FC and above, but not more than 12 ppm FC. When/if you go up to 50 ppm CYA, you'll raise the FC level per this chart: [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]

Add the salt at any time. 24 hours later, you can turn on the salt water chlorinator (SWG). The SWG is good at maintaining FC, but not good at raising the level. Salt by itself will not add chlorine, but the SWG will convert the chloride from the salt into sanitizer which then does its thing in the water.

Don't worry about the rest for now. Order a test kit and then you'll have the tests you need to adjust the other stuff. This one is optimized for TFP: TFTestkits.net

Yes, many pool chemicals have an effect on other chemistry. In PoolMath there's a little section at the bottom (Effects of Adding Chemicals) which will show you the effects you need to know about.

Have fun with the new pool!!

 

[emmahoffmann]

Thank you so much!

 

[emmahoffmann]

Oh! Are there any other good kits out there?

 

[needsajet]

You can try a Taylor K-2006, but you get less reagents. The TF-100 uses Taylor reagents as well, and from our experience here, these are the only reliable kits. You'll save back the cost of the test kit very quickly, and there's enough reagents for a couple of years.

 

[Azsunsets]

Did your PB, or interior finish contractor give the okay to use your SWG right away? I'm just asking, because I was told to wait 30 days after start up with my mini pebble finish.
It may be okay for your finish, but I just thought I'd ask...