12'x20'x4' inground pool vinyl liner replacement

[kathylu]

Hi everyone Tomorrow is the big day...wallls are sanded, rust-free and spraypainted, coping repainted and sand added to the floor. My first liner installation tomorrow. Wish me luck! Thank you for this forum...awesome! Kath

[Watermom]

Hope you'll find 2 minutes to report in! Good luck.

[waste]

I hope all is going well with the install!

Don't forget to take pics!

[kathylu]

Hi everyone! The liner is in and starting to hold water! YEAH! There are a few wrinkles due to the very unique set up this pool (basically a shoebox in the ground with a customized filtering system my Pop came up with years ago) but I can live with them having saved my folks a few grand . Anyway...it's being filled right now and I'm reading everything you experts have to say about the BBB system. Not quite sure what I should put in chemically because the filtering system will not work until the pool is almost full (late tomorrow at the rate it is filling now). I've always used the HTH chemicals my folks buy and never had to start up a "fresh" pool. Should I use the bags of shock they bought or start with bleach? This is a sand filter...does the sand need to come from a pool store or will any fine sand work (just trying to save even more money lol)? I'll be posting before and after pics (might even have a few from the original pool from the 60's!) when it's swimable.
Thank you again for your wisdom and support Kath! YOU RULE!

[kathylu]

OOPS...there was a typo on that last post...sorry... I meant YOU RULE (Watermom..Waste etal)! The heat stroke I got the last couple days working on this project must have affected my typing abilities LOL! Kath

[Watermom]

What kind of shock did they buy? We are finding out this year that HTH has gone over to the "dark side" as Ben calls it and their products are not very good any more. You could just use bleach.

While you are filling it, you might want to go ahead and drizzle some bleach in there. It doesn't take long for an unchlorinated pool to have an algae bloom brewing. Just walk around the perimeter of the pool and slowly drizzle some in being careful not to splash you or the liner. Then take a clean broom or oar or something and stir it around.

You must use pool sand for the filter. Play sand or other types that you might buy at Lowe's or whatever will NOT work.

[kathylu]

Thanks for the response Watermom. My parent's awesome neighbor is monitoring the water fill for tonight. He's shutting the hose off before bed and will restart in the morning. I didn't add anything because there was only 3 inches of water in the pool and I was afraid the bleach would damage the new liner. What should I get as far as CYA? I'm not sure that I've ever used this...but it seems like you need to know what you're doing (I've read all the links from here) to use it. I'd also like to start off with the BBB method and not add anything extra unless needed. Thank you for taking the time to help me (all of you wonderful people). This has been hard because it's not even my own pool and I really,really appreciate your help. Said it before..say it again! This site is a Godsend!! Kath

[Watermom]

Kath,
Buy a 2 lb. container of CYA. It is also called stabilizer or conditioner. Check the label. If it says cyanuric or isocyanuric acid, it is the right stuff. Once the pool is full and the pump is running, pour it slowly into the skimmer so as not to clog the pipes. Then, keep your pump running 24/7 for the next 4 or 5 days while it is dissolving. That dose should give you around 35-40ppm. After a week, test it and report the level here.

During the first week or so until the CYA dissolves and starts to register, it will be hard to keep chlorine in the pool because you'll lose it to the sun. You'll need to add it at least morning and evening and if you're home, you can check it in the afternoon, too. When you test, add enough bleach to get the cl up to about 5 or 6. In this size pool, each quart of 6% bleach will add around 2ppm of cl.

Can't remember if you bought the recommended kit or not. At any rate, if you haven't done so, consider getting it. It will make life with this pool easier.

Post your pH and alk readings.