Brand New Pool - When do I start testing water?

Supposedly, my new AG pool will be installed today. Lomart Summer Serenade 18' round, 52" walls, 1 HP Hayward pump, sand filter(not sure of size). The store is doing the install and opening. I will not be home , have to work. My question is , what do I need to do, as far as, testing and keeping water ready to swim in. they will be using my city tap water to fill pool per garden hose. I will be using the BBB method but have no idea what they (pool store) add initially. I have already purchased the Taylor 2006 c test kit. Thank You so much for what you do to help everyone.

Make sure to tell them NOT to add any chemicals! Many times when pools are installed, they throw a bunch of unneeded stuff into the water. I would double check on this and be clear that you don't want them to add anything!

That is a big pump for this pool. Any chance that you can switch it for a smaller one before it is installed? In the case of pool pumps, bigger is NOT better. What size is the sand filter that you are getting? If you can, find these things out ASAP. If they have your equipment way mismatched which is common on AG pool packages, maybe you can get them changed if you say something now before they are installed. Usually they pair a too big pump with an undersized filter and that is a bad combination.

Test your tap water. (Except do not run the CYA test as there won't be any in there and there is no reason to waste that testing reagent.) Post your results.

I will try to talk to owner. will this pump cause problems? What size should it be?

Also, they add stabilizer, 3" calcium based chlorine tablets and and also shock. They also said that they will add algaecide to the water.They said that they will install a 100 lb. sand filter. They stated that was the min size pump they would install on a 100# sand filter.

Having a pump that big on a 100# sand filter will make it likely that the pump will push the sand and other debris through the filter and back into the pool--which you may not notice at first, but if you ever have to clear up a bad algae bloom (and we all have to do that at some point) it's gonna be a real bear. See if they'll either upgrade the filter or downsize the pump. If all else fails and they won't do either, then Ben or one of the equipment guys may be able to tell you how to put a valve inline to slow down the pump flow.

I would absolutely not let the pool store start up your pool. Putting the stabilizer in isn't bad, IF it's not one of the chemical blends, but I absolutely wouldn't let them put any algaecide in the pool (you're asking for foaming problems from the start!). If it were my pool, I'd just tell them not to worry about it and you'll take care of it. If they won't give you a discount for not having to start it up for you, then at least just have them leave the chems at your house and tell them you'll do it. That way you can see (and we can help advise for, or against) what goes into the pool before it gets into your water. If they install the pool during the day, you can still add the chems to it that evening and it won't be a problem.

You are going to need a good test kit. IF your local WalMart has the 6-way hth drop kit, that's a good one to start with, but we very highly recommend the K-2006 that you can find on the testkits link in my sig. At the VERY least, get the cheapie OTO (uses red and yellow drops to measure pH and chlorine) and have that on hand. No test strips!!

We'll be glad to walk you through it--I just don't want the pool store to create problems for you from the very beginning, which they'll do if they add all that stuff to your water.

Thanks! I am at work for now and may be able to get home before they start filling. I purchased a taylor 2006 test kit.

Good idea to get the kit. I wish you could do something about your pump/filter combo before it is on there and yours. A 1hp pump and a 100 lb. sand filter is not a good combination!

What size filter would work with the 1 hp pump. What size pump would work with the 100 lb. filter.

I am not the equipment guru around here. I know time is of the essence since you are installing today. Ben is not online right now. Let me see if I can reach him for you to see if he can make a recommendation.

Thank You !!!

Alright. I just got off the phone with Ben. He says that your 1hp AG pump is about as strong as a 1/2HP inground pump and if you can get them to upgrade you to a 200lb sand filter instead of the 100 lb. filter, that would be a MUCH better combo for your pool. It may cost you a little more, but in the long run, it will be well worth it! Hope this helps you and hope your installers will cooperate with you on this. Don't let them hook up the other filter. Even if you have to wait a couple of days to get the other one, it will be fine. We can help you keep the water chlorinated and algae free even if you don't have equipment running for a few days. Let us know what you are able to do about this.

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Originally Posted by Watermom

Alright. I just got off the phone with Ben. He says that your 1hp AG pump is about as strong as a 1/2HP inground pump and if you can get them to upgrade you to a 200lb sand filter instead of the 100 lb. filter, that would be a MUCH better combo for your pool. It may cost you a little more, but in the long run, it will be well worth it! Hope this helps you and hope your installers will cooperate with you on this. Don't let them hook up the other filter. Even if you have to wait a couple of days to get the other one, it will be fine. We can help you keep the water chlorinated and algae free even if you don't have equipment running for a few days. Let us know what you are able to do about this.

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Well, I had just got finished upgrading to a 150 # sand filter at no charge when I received your reply. It will have to do for me. Thank you for your help. If you think I need to put some type of in-line valve in later, please, let me know. The pool will be filling this evening and they will cut in the skimmer and plumbing the pump and filter tomorrow.

OK. 150 lb. is better than 100 lb. I'll let Ben decide if he thinks you need a valve in there or not. I'll ask him to look at your thread later.

You're gonna love having a pool! Congrats!

Test your fill water this evening and post the results. Also, go to Walmart and get several jugs of plain, unscented bleach and a couple boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle). If you want to just add CYA separately, see if they have any while you are there. It may be labeled as conditioner or stabilizer. Check the label ingredients. If it says cyanuric or isocyanuric acid that's the right stuff. Just make sure it doesn't also have a bunch of other junk in it. You'll need about 3 lbs.

OR:

if you prefer to just use a stabilized form of chlorine for awhile which will add CYA and chlorine at the same time, you can use some dichlor. If you have have access to a Sams Club, buy their 24lb pack of 1# bags of 100% dichlor shock. 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

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. (You won't need all the bags of it because your CYA will get too high if you use all of it, but you can save the ones you don't use for next year.

Okay, Here are my test results. .08 FC, CC no change, PH <7.0 I added 40 drops and gave up (What do I need to do), TA 80 ppm, CH 20 drops no change, CYA < 30, .
Now, I had to wait till this morning to test because pool was still filling. The pool store will be here today to cut in skimmer and set and plumb the filter/pump.
I would really like to just let them add their start up chemicals stated in previous post and just enjoy pool for a day or two. Why not? This is a small town and the store has a good reputation. The pool, surely, because of small size cannot cost all that much to operate even if I buy chems from pool store. I do appreciate all of your advice and experience and do not wish to convey any thoughts otherwise. Like I said, I just want to enjoy pool for a few days. Your thoughts please? It's fantastic that you are willing to take up your time to help other people! Thank You !

The problem with just letting the pool store add stuff to your water is that you don't really know what all they are adding and some pool chemical companies are adding a lot of unwanted stuff to their products these days. However, if your preference is to let your pool store add their start up chemicals today, that is fine and is actually what the majority of pool owners do.

Hope you enjoy that new pool!

Thank you so much Watermom, Hopefully, I can figure out exactly what they put in.
Do you have any suggestions for my test results? Should I have added more drops for PH test, I used 40. This was my first attempt at testing.

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Originally Posted by Watermom

The problem with just letting the pool store add stuff to your water is that you don't really know what all they are adding and some pool chemical companies are adding a lot of unwanted stuff to their products these days. However, if your preference is to let your pool store add their start up chemicals today, that is fine and is actually what the and still did not get to ph scalemajority of pool owners do.

Hope you enjoy that new pool!

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I forgot to ask, How long after the pool is complete and they add their chemicals should I wait before taking next round of tests?

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Originally Posted by FNC1962

I would really like to just let them add their start up chemicals stated in previous post and just enjoy pool for a day or two. Why not? This is a small town and the store has a good reputation. The pool, surely, because of small size cannot cost all that much to operate even if I buy chems from pool store.

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Let us know what your results are . . . after the week is over. Actually, as long as you are happy with your pool store, you should stick with them.

Chemical mix and match -- a little advice from your pool store, and a little from here -- doesn't usually work well. If they have a good reputation, they've probably figured out how to make their goop work. We have not. And if you start trying to mix chemical advice from here -- based on plain generic chemicals -- you're likely to mess up their recipe for working with the exotic blends that pool chemical companies are trying to sell these days.

Best wishes for you and your new pool.

PoolDoc