Help with opening up a !0,100 gal AGP

[yardbird]

Hello,

I am just finishing the installation of a 15 x 24 x 52" Esther Williams AGP and getting ready to fill it. It holds 10,100 Gallons of water. I have been reading the posts and I want to make sure that I do not put any garbage into my pool. From what I have been reading, I need to add chlorine and also some CYA (but not too much!). Then I must test for proper PH and Alkalinity. Am I thinking correctly here? I do not want to add anything that will give me a problem. Also, before reading up on the BBB, I purchased 5 lbs of HTH "SUPER SHOCK N SWIM" which has 52% Calcium Hypochlorite and 48% inert ingredients and 49% available chlorine. Should I use some of this to get started...or return it and just use liquid bleach? I still need to get some CYA...my local BJ's and walmart are out of it, however. Thanks!

ps- A taylor test kit is on order, as per your recommendation.

[PoolDoc]

Return it . . . and get *dichlor*

Bleach is for later; right now, you need chlorine, stabilizer and a good pH level. Dichlor will add chlorine, stabilizer, and lower the pH. Buy borax at the grocery store to raise the pH back up. Later, when you have enough stabilizer, you'll want to switch to bleach. But, by using dichlor and borax NOW, you have very little to manage, and can get by with a cheap OTO / phenol red drops kit.

Also, complete the Pool Chart; it will allow us to tag your posts with detailed info on your pool, so we can respond better.

Ben

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+ If you need stabilizer, and have access to a Sams Club, buy their 24 pack of 1# bags of dichlor shock (www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=108822). Each bag will add about 7 ppm of chlorine, and about 6 ppm of stabilizer, per 10K gallons of water. Otherwise, order dichlor from Amazon:
Kem-Tek Dichlor 22 lbs (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEHZA/poolbooks)We do NOT recommend buying dichlor locally, otherwise, at least until you are an EXPERT reader of chemical labels. The chlorinating pool chemicals sold at Walmart, Kmart, Costco, and most other local stores are diluted blends, sometimes with copper and other products with bad side-effects.

+ It's much easier to answer your questions, when we have the details about your pool in one place. We often 'waste' the first few posts back and forth collecting information. So, please complete our new Pool Chart form -- it takes about 30 seconds, but will save much more than that.
Pool Chart Entry Form (http://goo.gl/cNPUO)

[yardbird]

Thanks for the info. I just completed the pool chart. Prior to reading your reply, I ordered a 50 lb bucket of Kem-Tek 3" Chlorinating tablets from Costco:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11617928&search=chlorine&topnav=&Mo=0&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode%20matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=chlorine&Ntt=chlorine&No=0&Nty=1&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial

These are just the 3" stabilized discs, I think...and appeared to be a good deal. I also purchased a 4 lb container of HTH stabilizer and conditioner (96% Cyanuric Acid). The container says to add 3 lbs of this to a 10,000 gal pool to achieve 30 PPM of stabilization.
I am returning the HTH Super Shock and Swim...as per your suggestion. Due to the fact that I now have the CYA can I just use regular shock packages...along with the 3 lbs of CYA to get to my desired result? I will also get the borax, of course.

Thanks again for your help!

[PoolDoc]

Depends on what's in the "regular shock packages".

You've got a problem, however. If you fully dissolved the 3# of stabilizer, you should now have a CYA level around 40 ppm. If you use much trichlor, your level will continue to climb.

I'd recommend using plain 6% household bleach to shock - that will not add CYA. A 96oz jug of 6% bleach will add about 5 ppm of chlorine to your pool.

[yardbird]

I did not put any stabilizer in yet because I was going to try to get the dichlor. I was just putting in 6% bleach so far. I went out and found some "4 in 1 shock plus" (made by aqua chem) and it states: active ingredient of Sodium dichloro-triazinetrione 58.2%, other ingredients 41.8%. A 24 pack box was similar in price as to what your recommendation was (I do not have a Sam's near me). What do you think of using that? The label also states: creates sparkling water, for all pool surfaces, reduces chlorine odor, does not increase ph. Is this similar to what you recommended?

[yardbird]

Well, I just called the manufacturer and have bad news. I asked if the product has stabilizer and was told that it does, in fact contain it. That was good, but I asked about the 41.8% of "other ingredients" and was told that there are clarifiers, filter aids, and buffers....all things that you do not recommend. Unless you tell me otherwise, I am going to return this and then use the stabilizer that I already purchased (product of china...ugh!!!)...along with doses of 6% bleach. How does that sound?

[aylad]

Yeah, that's why Pooldoc recommends the Sam's dichlor--we know exactly what's in it and what it will do to your pool water. We can't say the same about the generic clarifiers, filter aids, buffers, etc--who knows what all that is, and what it'll do?

I would return it, and go with your plan of adding straight CYA along withe bleach for the chlorine. By the way, when you get the 3" tabs, make sure you check the ingredient label for copper. Many chem manufacturers are adding copper to the pucks so they can re-label them as "dual acting" and raise the prices, but you don't want copper in your water because that's what stains things green (hair, nails, pool liners, etc.). Also, keep in mind that even if they don't contain copper, they DO contain CYA, so keep a really close eye on your CYA levels if you decide to use them. In fact, if you plan to use them, you might want to only add 1/2 the dose of granular CYA and just allow the puck use to raise the CYA the rest of the way.

[yardbird]

Ok, it is CYA and 6% for me, at present. I will return everything else. I will look at the label on the bucket of pucks when it arrives...I may just return that as well. The good news is that the pool is up and running!

[aylad]

The good news is that the pool is up and running!

......and that's the goal!! Good job!! :cool: