I'm refilling my pool -- now what?

[laughingboy]

OK, based on the advice in the thread "Newbie needs advice interpreting first test results", I've completely drained my pool (15000 gallon pebble tec with cartridge filter) and it's currently refilling. What's the best way to start it back up?

I have the following:

-- my test kit

-- 2 bags of trichlor shock -- each 13.5 oz bag of Kem-Tek "Super Shock Quick" is supposed to treat 15-20k gallons. (67% trichlor, 60.3% available chlorine)

-- cyanuric acid

-- muriatic acid (in the past my pH has always been high)

-- baking soda

-- some trichlor tablets that could be pressed into service in a pinch

-- no bleach, yet :-)


My intention is to use the shock to start up and then switch over to a BBB regimen. I think I want to be targeting a 30 ppm CYA level; not sure about the initial FC level.

How should I proceed? Do I need to "superchlorinate" new water? Should I shock first?

Also, based on some other forum posts, I found a link to this pool calculator:

http://www.poolcalculator.com/

It has an option for setting goal levels based on troublefreepool.com, which also espouses the BBB method. Is that a good guideline for maintaining my pool once I've initially set it up?

Thanks,
Mike

[polyvue]

My intention is to use the shock to start up and then switch over to a BBB regimen. I think I want to be targeting a 30 ppm CYA level; not sure about the initial FC level.

How should I proceed? Do I need to "superchlorinate" new water? Should I shock first?

Also, based on some other forum posts, I found a link to this pool calculator:

http://www.poolcalculator.com/

It has an option for setting goal levels based on troublefreepool.com, which also espouses the BBB method. Is that a good guideline for maintaining my pool once I've initially set it up?
Hi Mike,

The most important item in your arsenal is the test kit (but you knew this) so don't be afraid to use it! Once the pool is filled and the pump/filter has run an hour or two, take a sample from 18" down from the surface of the water and do all of the tests. This will give you a starting point and inform decisions about how much muriatic acid will be needed to lower the pH (assuming it needs lowering) and your starting TA and CH levels, Free Chlorine / Total Chlorine levels, etc.

My opinion is that you don't need to shock a newly filled pool, but you will want to increase the chlorine to your target level and add cyanuric acid (CYA) as soon as possible. I think your plan to start with Trichlor (not in the skimmer) is fine, but others here may take a different view. If this were my pool (with no SWG) I would do all bleach or supplement one bag of the Trichlor shock powder by dumping in enough liquid chlorine or 6% bleach to raise FC to at least 3 PPM on the first day. The CYA may take a few days to come up to your target.

Don't be in a hurry to adjust everything. Start with chlorine and pH, a few hours apart. Then, if TA or CH need to be increased, do this subsequently but on different days.

To the best of my knowledge the chemical levels suggested by the option you selected in the Pool Calculator align with those recommended here.

Greg

[Poconos]

The only thing I'll comment on is shocking new water. If you're filling from city or a well that supplies drinking water, no need to shock. If from a stream, pond or a similar source then yes. Check for combined chlorine also.
Al

[Watermom]

I agree with what Al, our "Whibble konker" wrote except ------ if the pool sits for a day after filling without any chlorine in it, I would shock it just in case something could be brewing. It doesn't take long for a pool with no chlorine in it to have an algae bloom start even before you can see any green.