We had our pool installed this week and the water level is almost full now. I’m waiting to hear when the electrician will be here to run the line for the pump. Can I manually add both cya and chlorine and brush walls and floor well to get started? I just don’t want to start out with water problems. I have the TF 100 test kit but have not tested levels yet. Should I start there and add the recommended amounts?
Waiting on electrician
- Thread starter Jennk2
- Start date
I cant see why not. Im a new owner though. You could also rig up a pump in the meantime and go a swim.
Enjoy!
pS Im asuming you used good water to fill!
Dona test right away!
Enjoy!
pS Im asuming you used good water to fill!
Dona test right away!
Yes we had water trucked in, just finishing up with hose but it is very clear so far. My kids were already itching to jump in yesterday after backfilling around the pool in the heat! I’m not sure how long I can hold them off!
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,148
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
J,
Congrats on the pool! Please post a complete set of test results and readABCs of Pool Water Chemistry if you haven't already. TFP methods are simple and unambiguous. Test results drive everything.
Great to have you here!
Chris
Congrats on the pool! Please post a complete set of test results and readABCs of Pool Water Chemistry if you haven't already. TFP methods are simple and unambiguous. Test results drive everything.
Great to have you here!
Chris
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,148
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
+1 on the TF 100! I've had mine 6 years and just bought refills about every other when they're on sale. We swim several times per week or more year round. Pool is always perfect to swim in largely because we have this great test kit that will last forever. Test often to start especially for pH, FC, CC. Once you get to know your pool and get comfortable with the test procedures you'll be able to back off to a couple times per week.
Here are the levels I got
FC 0
TA 290
CYA 0
PH 8.2
The TA seems really high, I’m not sure if I did something wrong testing or if that is correct? I knew the FC and CYA would be 0 but didn’t expect TA at that level.
FC 0
TA 290
CYA 0
PH 8.2
The TA seems really high, I’m not sure if I did something wrong testing or if that is correct? I knew the FC and CYA would be 0 but didn’t expect TA at that level.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,148
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
That's pretty high but we'll deal with that later. Get your FC up to 5 ppm with liquid pool chlorine only. You can get it at Big Box stores or WM (Pool Essentials brand). Get some 31.45% MA from HD or Lowes also. Need complete set of test results including your CC. Are you using the FAS DPD chlorine test or the oto? Needs to be the FAS DPD. Do you have some MA? You'll need to drop pH an hour after adding FC with pump running. Use Pool Math to estimate amount needed. Don't add more than amount of acid to change pH more than .4 pH units at a time.
This should get you started. Let me know if you have any questions. Please post a photo of the pool if you can.
Chris
This should get you started. Let me know if you have any questions. Please post a photo of the pool if you can.
Chris
Unless you have liquid CYA wait but start but adding liquid chlorine and keep FC up to a decent level To keep the water clear until the pump starts up.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,148
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Also, get some stabilizer granules from big box store. You'll need one that contains only cyanuric acid. You can get liquid stabilizer for faster results but more expensive. Granules are added to sock and hung in the skimmer. Squeeze a couple times per day and they'll dissolve in 2 days. Start with dose to bring it up to 30 ppm.
Chris
Chris
Oly
Gold Supporter
No pump yet? I would stuff several trichlor tabs in a floater and let the kids swim. Add some liquid chlorine after the kids are done at night and test your FC and pH in the morning. Use pool math to estimate and keep track what you are adding to the water. 
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,148
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I missed the pump issue. I understand the kid pressures but I wouldn't keep the pool operational more than a day or two without the pump. Maybe the kids can help brush the pool instead? Wouldn't be bad for them to sort of "earn the fun" if they're old enough. Pump circulates water through the filter to prevent build up in the pool. How long to run this way? Up to you how bad you want it to get but at some point you won't be able to maintain FC and that begins a downward spiral. Pucks will add CYA and FC. If you have them put in a floater but don't do this after you reach CYA of 30. If you haven't bought any use liquid chlorine. It will get your FC up faster. But you'll need to wait an hour or two to be sure its distributed evenly.
Chris
Chris
They are old enough to understand and we’ve got them busy helping prep for the deck anyways for now. I’m wondering if I should just stick to LC and brushing or if I can add the CYA in sock and brush or wait on adding that until pump is running?
you could get a few bags of powdered shock but make sure it's not calcium based.
If it were mine I would just add liquid chlorine and let the kiddo's swim away
If it were mine I would just add liquid chlorine and let the kiddo's swim away
Presumably you should add cya at startup, yes!
Use LC in the evening and cover your pool when not in use.
Okay we are making progress. Got the pump hooked up temporarily still waiting on electrician for the permanent one.
Levels are getting there:
FC 6.5
TA 280
CYA 30
PH 7.7
CH 200
So, do I leave the cya at 30, poolmath shows 40 is ideal?
Also, I should add muriatic acid to get pH to 7.2 to help lower the TA, right?
I know the Chlorine is high but I panicked and dumped a lot of bleach in before we got the pump working when the water started turning a green hue. I didn’t want to start battling algae from the beginning.
Levels are getting there:
FC 6.5
TA 280
CYA 30
PH 7.7
CH 200
So, do I leave the cya at 30, poolmath shows 40 is ideal?
Also, I should add muriatic acid to get pH to 7.2 to help lower the TA, right?
I know the Chlorine is high but I panicked and dumped a lot of bleach in before we got the pump working when the water started turning a green hue. I didn’t want to start battling algae from the beginning.
Good to hear. It definitely looks better already. The water was clear, just had a greenish tint to it when looking at pool that made me nervous. I did the CYA early this morning using the sock/skimmer method and left the pump on high all day. How long should I keep the pump going ? Can I put it down to low now and turn off tonight? I don’t want to leave it run overnight with the temp hook up the way it is. CYA was dissolved by 8am or so.