Yet another Texas pool build!

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Oh and he gave me a really nice Taylor test kit. I already have the TF100
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Kim my wife will be brushing.
 
Poor wife! She will not need any gym time for a while with all of the pool care/brushing.

That is an okay test kit. Notice the FC test only goes up to 10 which is fine for day to day use. Your test kit is MUCH better as it is a COMPLETE test kit.

I am going to post the link to the plaster start up. It has a part about adding bleach and cya. I will leave it to you as to what you do for FC.

Ask him if he added CYA the next time he is out.

Pool School - Start-up New Plaster

Kim
 
Ummmmmm you HAVE to get that PH up to at least 7.2

Low PH can damage equipment and is not good for the plaster.

You can turn the returns up so they roll the water.

Ph and pool equipment damage

It is going to be a balancing act with your PH for a while due to your plaster being so new.

It is going to ride up as the plaster cures. Use Pool Math (link of at the top of the page) to get how much MA to add to get the PH back down to 7.2

Kim
 
Ummm I am going to ask Suz and Janny if they are online. I really do NOT know how fast the new plaster will push the ph up.

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of course they are off line right now................Rock and hard place.....

Guess we will find out. I just know that I have always read that low PH is the hardest thing on your equipment BUT I am hoping he did not take it down to the danger area.

It DOES sound as if he knows what he is doing from what you wrote earlier.

I say let it ride and see what it tests as in the morning.

Kim
 
He said it would be 7.2 in the morning. We shall see.

Thanks I got the cabinet on Wal-Mart.com with free store pickup for 30 dollars.

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The only thing that has me worried is the low chlorine but I will follow directions.
 

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I'm SO excited for you, Umm!! It's finally done and you are moved on to chemistry! Oh happy day!! Can't wait to see that sparkling TFP water and your gorgeous finish! Whatever are you going to do with yourself when you no longer have a construction zone in your yard, and don't have to hound your builder? Of course that's after the railing... Maybe you'll get that in time for Christmas ;)

Thsnks to everyone who is posting helpful equipment and tips- I've been taking screen shots!

Blessings to you and your family!!
Denise
 
kimkats said:
Ummm I am going to ask Suz and Janny if they are online. I really do NOT know how fast the new plaster will push the ph up.

- - - Updated - - -

of course they are off line right now................Rock and hard place.....

Guess we will find out. I just know that I have always read that low PH is the hardest thing on your equipment BUT I am hoping he did not take it down to the danger area.

It DOES sound as if he knows what he is doing from what you wrote earlier.

I say let it ride and see what it tests as in the morning.

Kim
Click to expand...

Oh man, the one evening I'm needed, and I'm off line. I fell asleep at 6:30 and didn't wake up this morning til 8:00. I haven't slept that long since my teens.

Now my Internet is down, so I'm stuck to my cell.

If you waited til this morning on the pH, I think that's fine. My pH has no problem rising. Like you said, Umm, I usually try to raise it first with aeration (I think I only needed to do that once - I usually have to lower the pH).

Also, with this weather front we're getting, I'm assuming you've already had the rain we're now getting in Houston. Rain will help raise the pH.

Now, my other tip from TFP which I hold on to is this. I'm more careful when adding chemicals to RAISE numbers. Especially for CYA and calcium hardness. But I think it's a good rule for pH, too, with our plaster and soon-to-be SWG pools. So if you feel the need to add borax (I used 20 Mule Team from the grocery store cuz I have it on hand for my son's smelly cigar smoking clothes - yuk), use Pool Math to determine how much to add. Then I add a little less than it says to. When I get better at all this and am more sure of my gallons, I'll be able to better target amounts needed of chemicals.

Again, for now I go easy on chemicals that are trickier to lower. I can always add a tad more after a retest.

My other tip I hold onto came from Duraleigh. I've read many of his posts. My favorites of his stress to focus on keeping the chemical numbers within the TFP ranges. After a month or so, I started looking at the CSI numbers and getting all worried over those. Now I simply glance at the CSI numbers, but my main focus is on keeping the chemical numbers in the TFP ranges - Pool School gives you all those. There's more to learn from CSI numbers but that can come later and from the experts.

My other tip from TFP I love is to relax and enjoy taking ownership of your pool and water. For me it's a very empowering feeling. You won't destroy your plaster with one bad test reading. It's like a temperature reading for a person at the beginning of a cold. "Oh, it's rising a little or a little too low. Ok, no big deal, I'll just check Pool Math or Pool School and adjust (like with Tylenol)."

Or," Wow, the test (thermometer) says the chemical is really out of range. Ok, I'll ask TFP (the doctor) and find out just what to do. All will soon be well. "

I may be giving tips you don't need, but oh well... That's what old ladies do, right?!!

Just relax and enjoy your new pool ( or new baby)!!

Suz.
 
Suz I am glad you go the sleep you needed. Notice I did not text you as I had a feeling you were offline for a reason. Sleep is a VERY good reason!

All of those tips Suz shared are words to live by. Awesome insight into what a new pool owner goes through and learns as time goes by. What I love is she is willing and able to share this insight with others in such a way everyone can understand them! NICE JOB!

It will be interesting to see how high the PH went over night. Please share your findings when you have time.

Kim
 

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