Just Filled Pool Please help with BBB.

I just finished filling my pool this morning. But I'm completely lost on what to add first and then so on. I stoped by Leslies and I bought a pool water kit and my measurements are:

FC=.5ppm
TC=.5ppm
CC= 0ppm
PH= 8.0
ALK/TA=10ppm
CAL=10ppm
CYA= I never did see the black spot vanish at all!! (Maybe I did it wrong both times)
No SWG.
Volume= 15,085.24
Temp= Unknow
Gunite with Pebble Tec

Thanks for all of your help. I'm so ready to stop by Cost Co and buy The Bleach, Baking Soda, and Borax. Also do I need to buy a temperature gauge asap?


Elsa.

For now, the most immediate advice is to keep a minimum Cl level of 1 ppm. With no CYA (and you're not going to have any unless you add it), you 're going to have to test and add daily to keep a minimum of 1 ppm in your pool.

You need to go to a pool store or WalMart/Lowe's/home Depot/any store with a pool section and pick up a container of CYA (aka conditioner, balancer, stabilizer--the ingredient is cyanuric or isocyanuric acid). Follow the label directions to get your pool up to 24-40 ppm. If you add it through the skimmer, don't backwash or re-test for it for at least a week. Many people add it through a nylon stocking or a tube sock tied at the top and tied in front of a return or dropped into the skimmer. Either way, understand that it dissolves very slowly, so you'll need to keep an eye on it. Then as your CYA rises, so will your minimum chlorine level rise--see the "best guess" chart at the top of the chlorine forum.

I wouldn't worry much about a temperature gauge, the only thing I use it for is to determine whether the water's too cold to swim in--it's not a crucial part of the equipment.

With a gunite pool, I believe you're going to need to up your calcium level to the 200 range, but I'll let someone with a gunite pool address that.

YOu do need to raise your alk some, I'd shoot for the 80-90 range and use baking soda to do so. Once that's accomplished, you're going to need to add some muriatic acid to drop your pH to the 7.2-7.8 range.

Hope this helps, and congrats on the new pool!

Janet

Hi Janet, I also posted the same querie at the Garden Web and I got this reply but between both of them Here is where I'm still lost.

I was advise to do this: I ready to comply but I don't understand a few things. Also Does the order matter? If so do I do it:

CYA, Clorine, Muriatic Acid, Baking Soda. Also I know that I have to wait a week before retesting and applying more CYA if needed, but can I apply the bleach, Muriatic Acid, and Baking Soda back to back maybe a few minutes from each other?

3#, 9 oz of CYA ( Does this mean 3 measurements of 9oz each?) This would total up to 27oz of Cyanuric acid/stabilizer/conditior.

So how do I figure out how much is .6 gallons? Is there an easy formula to figure out this measurement?

24 oz. of muriatic acid ( Okay, and Clear on this part.)

14# and 11 oz. of baking soda ( Unclear on 14# What does that mean?)( Does it mean 14 measurements of 11oz each, so it will total up to 154oz of Baking Soda?)

I did try to use the Bleach Calculator and its a bit confusing since I only 2 out of the four requested boxes.

It request:

Pool Size Gal : 15085.24
Chlorine Strenght: 6%
Quantity of Bleach (Gal): ??? I have no idea...
PPM increased Desired:??? I have no idea...

Yikes, this pool chem is extremely confusing.

Thanks for your help it is deeply appreaciated.

Sincerly, Elsa. ( I guess you can tell I'm going nuts!!!)

3#, 9 oz means 3 pounds and 9 oz of cya that should be added. I would just add 3 pounds for now. Then after a week's time when you retest it, you can add more if you think you need it.

In a 15,000 gallon pool, each quart of 6% bleach will raise your chlorine level by 1ppm. Until your cya dissolves, you're going to have to test your chlorine level morning and evening and each time, add enough bleach to get your cl level up to about 4-5. You'll find that you will probably lose most of that in a day. But after your cya dissolves, you'll be able to just test and dose it with bleach in the evenings.

Another option for your source of chlorine is to use cal-hypo. This would probably be a good choice for you since your pool also needs to increase the calcium level to between 200-400. I can't help you with amounts, but the label should tell you how much to add per volume to achieve a desired chlorine level. If you do decide to just go with bleach instead, you'll need to add some calcium.

24 oz. of muriatic acid should take you down to a ph reading of about 7.6 which would be good. Pour it slowly in front a return jet. Be careful not to breathe the fumes or splash any on yourself.

In your pool, adding 2# (2 pounds) of baking soda will cause the alk to raise by about 10ppm. I would add this in 4 pound doses and sneak up on a target of 80-125.

You can add these things one after another - just waiting a few minutes between them and it should be fine.

Good luck. Let us know if you have any more questions. There is always someone here to help!