New Pool needs how much clorine and acid?

Hi All

We just filled our brand new inground pool. It is going to be a SWG pool, but we are told not to use the SWG for at least two weeks. Not sure why, but I knew from this forum that I needed to start with clorine anyways so I would put wear on the SWG.

I think we have about a 40000 gal pool, and the pool company put in four gallons of acid and clorine shocker. The acid I'm told is to help clean the plaster. We supposed to brush the plaster twice a day to remove residue caused by the acid.

He put in clorine shocker of some type and said we don't need to worry about clorine for a while. I have other things on my mind, so didn't ask what that meant.

At this point I have a cheap tester given to me with our pool. I know I need a better one.

My question is do I need to keep the acid up for the plaster and what is that measure? Do I need to watch the clorine of just wait a few days as was told? How do I order a new tester?

Thanks for any and all help. I hope this is the right place to post questions.

Beary

Hi Beary,

Congratulations on the new pool...40000 gallons, wow, that's a big one!! I'm going to let someone else address the acid start-up for your pool. That's the way they commonly start new plaster pools. The normal range for pH is 7.2-7.8, once you get your pool established, but I don't know what to tell you in terms of if it needs to go lower because of the new finish. I'm sure one of the others with plaster pool experience will chime in soon.

Do you know what kind of chlorine he put in the pool? And did he say anything about coming back later, or is that the only startup that you're getting? Did he mention putting any stabilizer in the water? Without stabilizer, the chlorine he put in there will likely be gone in a few days, thanks to the sun. You really need to find out if he put any stabilizer in the pool--a quick call to them should confirm that. In the meantime, test your water for Cl at least daily, and if the level gets below 3, then you're going to need to add some bleach to the water to keep algae from growing in it. And if they didn't add any stabilizer, you need to. You can get it from WalMart, Lowe's, Home Depot, or most any other store with a pool section. It's also called conditioner, balancer, stabilizer, but the ingredient is cyanuric or isocyanuric acid. Add it through the skimmer, but don't backwash or re-test for it for about a week. Follow the label directions for how much to add based on 40000 gallons for a target of 40-50 ppm. You can always add more later.

You do need a good test kit....most of us use Ben's PS234 (see it at Poolsolutions.com), and some of us use the comparable Taylor kit...I've never used the Taylor one, I have Ben's, and I can tell you that it measures everything I need it to. There is also a kit with a salt level test, which you'll need eventually, too. At a very minimum, you can go to WalMart and buy their 5-way drop-based kit for around $15 and it will measure what you need for now, including stabilizer levels. One of the other important tests that you need to do is for calcium--with a plaster pool if you don't keep your calcium level up high enough, the water will leach the calcium out of your plaster, causing pitting and rough spots in your pool finish. I believe 200-400 is the level you need to have.

Janet

Wow, that is great info, thanks aylad. Lots to mill over. I love this place.

Beary

As far as test kits go....the Walmart kit has some issues with the calcium test that have been discussed elsewhere in the forum in the past. The other tests are fine for getting you started. This kit will only test Total chlorine and not the important free chlorine but it is the best value in a test kit for under $20! Ben's kit with the salt option is your BEST value for the money. To get the equavalent in Tayor kits you would need a K-2006, a K-1000, and one of their salt test kits. This would cost MUCH MORE than Ben's PS234s kit and you will run out of reagents much faster with the Taylor kits. Otherwise they would be idenctical (the Taylor kits will also give you acid demand and base demand tests which really are not necessary except under very special circumstances and in the hands of a pool operator well versed in pool chemisty)
I have the walmart kit, several taylor kits and Ben's PS234s (along with some other speciality kits that most people never have a need for and some cheapie kits....I admit I'm a chemistry set freak!:D)

Also, most important of all....WELCOME TO THE FORUM! You found the right place to learn how to take care of your pool properly and economcially!