How Do You Start The BBB Method from a Fresh Refill?

[markintosh]

As mentioned on my old thread, I was battling the algae and finally gave up and drained and power-washed. I'm doing some tile repair and fixing the light, but I'm almost ready to refill.

Where do I start with the chemicals? I still have some tabs, but should I put those in the chlorinator? Should I just refill and start testing and taking readings and adjusting accordingly?

Thanks! Mark

[madwil]

on refilling, I normally do an initial pH adjustment (once I can circulate water), then add chlorine about an hour later, then start with other factors...
The tabs won't hurt at this stage- will add CYA for you, along with chlorine- but I don't ever use them anymore (unless gonna be gone for a week or more)

[aylad]

Before you can decide what needs to be added,(other than stabilizer, you know you need that :) ) you have to know where your starting levels are. Test for all of them, come back and post them here, and add enough chlorine (I would start with bleach til we know what else your water contains) to get to 3-6 ppm. I would not start using trichlor until we know what your pH level is.

Be prepared to add more chlorine 2-3 times a day until you get some stabilizer in the water.

[markintosh]

Thanks guys. Refill is complete and water is circulating. Only had time to test for the following this morning:

Chlorine - basically 0 ppm
pH - ideal
CYA - basically none

I do have tabs in the chlorinator. I'm planning on doing another backwash/DE replacement tonight.

Sounds like I need to get bleach in ASAP and try to get CYA up too...

[CarlD]

Sounds good, but "ideal"is not really a reading. "ideal" pH can be anything from 7.2 to 7.8, but usually 7.3 to 7.6. If your pH is 7.5 or higher, the trichlor tabs are fine. Even if pH is lower, you can still use them but always have a box of Borax around so if pH dips to 7.0 or less you can immediately add the Borax and bring it back up. If your T/A is also very low, you can substitute Arm&Hammer Washing Soda for the Borax and it will bring up your T/A as well as the pH.

In any case, when using Trichlor tabs, you need to watch your pH at LEAST daily and your CYA weekly.

The one thing I like about Trichlor tabs in the spring or in a new fill is they erode. This means that you are getting a constant flow of chlorine into your water and there's no chance of FC dropping to zero.

I opened to fairly high pH, green slime and no CYA. After a mega-dose of LC to clear most of it, I used up all my di-chlor, which adds CYA and lowers pH, but not as much as Trichlor, then filled up my floater with left over trichlor tabs. Over two weeks I raised my CYA to just over 30ppm, added two boxes of Borax and one of Washing Soda, and now have a stable pH of 7.6 (hasn't changed in almost 3 weeks), a CYA of 30ppm, an FC of between 3 and 5, and a TA of 60--yeah, that low. But, since my pH is stable, why should I mess with T/A? After all, its JOB is to keep pH stable!

Carl

[markintosh]

Thanks Carl! I checked again and pH is sitting at 7.5.

I just replaced the DE, and I'm about to add CYA in the skimmer. Tabs still in chlorinator, and going to put in 2 gallons of bleach tonight. Hopefully we'll get some Chlorine to stick around...

Thanks! Mark