My new pool to open on 6/25...here is the "store's" water analysis.

[Machster]

Howdy!
My beautiful new Owner/Builder pool will be done on the 25th. (Thanks to Ben's site for all of his inspiration..couldn't of done it without it!) Pool is roughly 17.5K and will utilize SWG in a month or so
Went to the pool store. Here are their #'s on my tap water:
FAC 1PPM
TAC 1
SALT 700
CH 200
CYA 0
TA 320
pH 8.2
No copper
Phosphates 100 PPB

I need some hand holding until I get my feet wet..no pun intended.
Pool is now posted on list. Thanks!..This is my first pool..so I know NOTHING except what I have learned here. The only thing out of the ordinary is the conditioner they recommended Natural Chemicals Water conditioner. for CYA.
Thanks for any help I can get!
Mark

[aylad]

Hi, and congratulations on the new pool!!

Just a couple of questions--in the info you put in the chart, you listed your depth in shallow end as 8", and depth in deep end is 6"--I'm pretty sure that's not what you meant??

You will definitely need to get some stabilizer in the water. You can look at the Natural Chmicals conditioner they recommended and see what the ingredient label says. If it's 100% cyanuric or isocyanuric acid, then that's fine. If it's cyanuric acid with any other goop added, then I would pass on it. You're going to need some muriatic acid on hand, for several reasons-you'll want to lower your pH, which is already high. You'll also eventually want to drop that TA a bit, too. Besides, normal SWCG operation tends to raise pH, so regular additions of acid are going to be necessary to keep it where it needs to be.

Otherwise you're looking pretty good--you can use bleach or dichlor for chlorination while you're balancing the water before your SWCG startup. Actually, this would be a perfect situation for dichlor, since it adds chlorine, adds stabilizer, and pushes pH downward.

We'll be here for whatever hand-holding you need, just ask :)

[waterbear]

2 points"
1. IF the pool has what is knows as a 'beach entry" then the shallow end of 8" could very well be correct.
2. Natural Chemistry's liquid CYA is a slurry of the sodium salt of CYA. It is fine to use but more expensive than regular CYA (and I believe more expensive than Dichlor). Its main advantage is that it dissolves fast so the CYA level is "there" when you add it with no waiting. Main disadvantage is the high price.

[Machster]

I have a shelf that starts at 8" and drops to 18"..then 3' to 6'. The Natural Chemicals liquid has more crap than just CYA. I was thinking the Dichlor from some of the other posts. How does Dichlor come? Powder or tabs? if tabs, should I put it in the skimmer basket?. Thanks for all of your great advice. Also going BBB as needed with the SWCG!

[waterbear]

I have a shelf that starts at 8" and drops to 18"..then 3' to 6'.
That is called a beach entry.

The Natural Chemicals liquid has more crap than just CYA.
Well, yes, it's the sodium salt of cyanuric acid, AKA 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-trione, sodium salt or monosodium cyanurate monohydrate. When in your pool water it forms sodium ions, cynaruate ions, and cyanuric acid, same as CYA AKA cyanuric acid or 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione minus the sodium ions, which are already in your water (and more will be added once you add the salt for your SWCG.


I was thinking the Dichlor from some of the other posts. How does Dichlor come? Powder or tabs? if tabs, should I put it in the skimmer basket?. Thanks for all of your great advice. Also going BBB as needed with the SWCG!
Dichlor is a powder, The disadvantage is that it is more expensive than CYA but it does dissolve quickly so the CYA is in the water faster. However since it also adds chlorine it has to be added over a period of time so the chlorine levels don't go through the roof so it is not a faster way to add CYA (like the liquid stabilizer is) and can actually take longer than just using granular CYA unless you only need to raise the CYA by a small amount Dichlor adds 9 ppm CYA for ever 10 ppm FC added so if you need to get to 80 ppm for your SWCG it will have to be done over time.
HOWEVER, IF your new pool is plaster then you might want to consider using trichlor tabs for the first month (Use a floater, don't put them in the skimmer). They add CYA at the rate of 6 ppm for every 10 ppm FC added BUT they are very acidic and will help you maintain the pH as the new plaster cures.