SWG and pool balancing questions.

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oh ya that's right i forgot. i see what my cya level is and then set the min max for fc.

so here is a question. when i first start up my pool. hopefully by the end of july. :) do i try to get the cya to a certain level or do i try and get the fc to a certain level. i guess what i'm saying is what things are the most impt to correct and balance first, second and so on? ph frist i assume. . .

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i like the app alot BTW. nice and simple and has what u need right at ur fingertip. very very cool!
 
By July?!? Sheesh! :-D

The answer to your question is both. :)

It is important to get your CYA up to 70-80. And it is even more important to maintain FC based on your CYA level. You want FC to always be above minimum for your CYA. So, when the SWG is about to turn on for the day the FC needs to be above minimum at that point. Adjust the SWG output to achieve that. As CYA goes up so does your FC level.
 
pooldv said:
By July?!? Sheesh! :-D

The answer to your question is both. :)

It is important to get your CYA up to 70-80. And it is even more important to maintain FC based on your CYA level. You want FC to always be above minimum for your CYA. So, when the SWG is about to turn on for the day the FC needs to be above minimum at that point. Adjust the SWG output to achieve that. As CYA goes up so does your FC level.
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july? am i pushing it? i hope not cause i'm going away in august and i want to be the one brushing the plaster, so i keep telling my guys just get me done by mid july.

anyway. . . with salt i shouldn't have worry about my cya level climbing much right? since i won't be throwing pucks in the pool. so once i start the pool i get my ph to where it should be but also keep an eye on the cya level but once it settles in that 70-80 range i check the pool math guide for the min max level for FC and get it to be towards the higher side to give me a buffer right?

with adjusting the swg that is a trial and error game correct when i first start using it correct? it's not like i'm going to be able to say oh i need my fc to be this so i need to run the swg at this percent for this many hours. correct?

jim
 
Jim,

Yes it is a trial and error setting on a moving target... :p

As the days get longer and the weather hotter, your pool will use more chlorine, So you have to continually adjust the SWCG for it.

Basically it is an open loop system and the SWCG has no brain. Your are the SWCG's brain and the one that has to close the loop.

Just for reference I went away for 21 days last summer and my pool was perfect when I got back...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
We were suppose to build last year into this year but my hardscaping came in at 70 plus so we waited a season. We were suppose to start this fall but then my wife decided we should do it in a 2 yr stage. My buddy agreed so the plan was to start in march but then we got a blizzard. March went. April we were suppose to dig and then the rains started. We r now in may. We started to dig monday but then hit sand so we needed to regroup.

Things with me happen slow cause I lean on my buddies and my dads buddies to save money but more impt to have guys working that want to do what is best for me. Ya takes time then. House took 2 yeArs. Basement 4 years. My theatre. Well that's my baby. It's on it's 4th year of build cause I only work on it when I have chunks of cash and the theatre is more of a journey not the destination. Theatre got out on the back again cause of the pool for my wife.

It all gets done but it gets done right. I'm young. I got time. Hopefully.

Anyway, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and trying to waste time waiting for things to get moving. The rain is killing me. All day today. Tomorrow sucks. Sunday is up in he air along with Monday.

By next Saturday I am suppose to have a shell though. Flash set up. Rebar setup. Gunite setup. So we will see.

Thanks for all the help since 2001. ;)
 
pooldv said:
LOL!! Somebody tells a story about how slow and steady wins the race. Taking your time and doing it right is always good in my book. :thumleft:
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I might not always win the race but I eventually get what i want and what now my family wants. At least I k ow it will be done right or as to the best of my ability and knowledge got me.

Rain rain and more rain today. We haven't had more than a couple inches of rain in 3 years now I decide to do a project out side and I live in a rain forest now.
 
Got another question. Sorry if these are dumb questions but I never owned a pool so I only know what I'm reading. I pulled the Startup for Diamond Brite. Their levels for chemistry are somewhat diff than you guys here. Do I follow the Diamond Brite ones for the breakin period and then change the chemistry to the recommendations here?

They like FC to be at 1-3 where TFP is 3-5. TA they like 80-120 where TFP is 60-80. CH they like 200-400 vs TFP is 200-400.

I was just wondering what you guys did.

Also they say to brush for 2 weeks. Did you guys do it more or less? I'm worried about when we go away the second week of August and not having enough time to brush for 2 full weeks before the trip or is that minor for that long of time?

jim
 

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Mr Bruce said:
Depends on your startup method Pool School - Start-up New Plaster If there is anything about a warranty, I would follow that exactly with a log.

Make sure you have a convenient source of acid. The Big Boxes are moving away from 31%, I get mine at a local hardware store.
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oh thanks for that. i totally forgot about the pool school startup. i was quoting from the regular pool school numbers.

thanks for the tip about acid. i'll start to find a place that always carried it.

i appreciate those tips.

jim
 
I would go 5 on FC level because you really don't want to have to SLAM a new pool.

TA you can go in the middle with 80. Lower TA will slow the rate at which pH rises. Also, adding acid to lower PH will slowly lower your TA.

What you are really trying to avoid is etching or scaling. The low end of water balance leads to etching which leaches calcium from the plaster and leaves pits in the plaster. The high end of water balance is scale which is excess calcium depositing on the plaster surface. Staying in the middle is where you want to be.

Brush diligently early to avoid having to do it for an extended period. You will see less and less plaster dust as you brush. Be sure they use a sequestrant, like Startup Tec, when they fill to help avoid scale early.
 
pooldv said:
I would go 5 on FC level because you really don't want to have to SLAM a new pool.

TA you can go in the middle with 80. Lower TA will slow the rate at which pH rises. Also, adding acid to lower PH will slowly lower your TA.

What you are really trying to avoid is etching or scaling. The low end of water balance leads to etching which leaches calcium from the plaster and leaves pits in the plaster. The high end of water balance is scale which is excess calcium depositing on the plaster surface. Staying in the middle is where you want to be.

Brush diligently early to avoid having to do it for an extended period. You will see less and less plaster dust as you brush. Be sure they use a sequestrant, like Startup Tec, when they fill to help avoid scale early.
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Ok so to follow up with that. Can I brush too much. Diamond brite says 2 weeks 1xday. I'm doI got quartz. Should I do more? Like a month? Can I hurt things? Stupid question but all this first brushing is outsidexthe pool cause u can't swim it during startup right? Is start up considered a full 28 days till u can turn on salt? You guys have 3 different start up methods builders use. Do you guys think one is better than the other?
Also say I can't find the 31 percent acid if it's half the strength does that mean use double the amount? So 2 gallon vs 1 gallon for every 10000 gallons?
Jim
 
The only problem with brushing too much is that your arms will fall off or your kids will whine, or both. :-D No, you can't brush too much or hurt anything. We were in our pool before it finished filling. Ask your PB what they recommend. Yes, you can use double the 15% acid if needed. You can change the strength of the acid in PoolMath so it will calculate it.
 
can u do that in the app or just on the site? i didn't notice that on the app.

thanks for all the information. i appreciate it very much.

rebar tomorrow, gunite wednesday. . . finally building that pool that i have been talking about since 2001. . .
 
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