first post, AGP info and basic questions

[matt_e]

First off a quick hello, I've been lurking around for the past week reading and trying to absorb information. Wish I had found the site a few weeks earlier.

Last year we put up a 15 foot easy set intex walmart special pool. The kids loved it for a few weeks and I quickly realized there was some work involved in keeping the pool up. I threw all sorts of HTH branded products at the water and never really got anywhere.

This year I was determined to do better, the kids loved the pool and my goal is to keep them happy without becoming a slave to the pool.

With grand intentions I bought an Intex Sand filter & SWCG Combo. It features:
-1/2 HP pump (~1500 GPH)
-14" sand filter tank (55 LB sand capacity)
- Rated to produce 10 Grams of chlorine (sanitizer) / hour
- Also has a copper ionization function thingy (A couple chunks of copper that are situated after the pump before the sand filter) said to control algae.

We also upgrade the pool to a 16' x 48" metal frame pool. (~5000 Gal)

The pool has been up for 10 days and I have added the following during and since startup
125 LBS of salt
1.25 LBS of CYA (broadcast in the pool)

And ran the pump and chlorine generator 24/7 for 2 days and then 3 hours 2-3 times per day since (manually as the timer is only capable of 1 per day settings).

With the included strips I never really got much of a chlorine reading, out of fear I have added no more than 10 HTH 1 inch dual action pucks. Even with that I've never really got more than 2 FC.

Last night I added 8 oz of HTH super shock (52% cal-hyp)

I don't think I waited long enough to test the CYA so I'm not sure where that landed. Will post numbers when Taylor kit comes.

If my ability to determine the colors is correct my PH was 8.5 so I added 6 oz of HTH PH minus, it still reads high but I'm color blind or something so I'll wait to fix this.

I have ordered a Taylor K-2006C from Amato, it should be here Friday.

Oh I filled the filter with 25 LBS of zeosand.

after 10 days the water is clear, the pool has seen a fair bit of action (it is a neighborhood hit)

Questions:
Should I do anything right now? am I safe to wait to friday to do anything else.

With my PH being High (suspected high anyway). Do I want to do something to raise the alkalinity and then lower the ph (thought I read something like that somewhere).

is Zeosand good filter media, is it possible or a good idea to put DE media in place of the sand?

Should I do anything else while waiting for my proper test kit?

Thanks

-Matt

[aylad]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!!

If the pool water is clear, clean, and you're maintaining at least 4-6 ppm of chlorine in it at all times, then you're probably okay to wait til Friday to do anything else, chemically, except to get your pH down into the 7.0-7.8 range. If it's green, then you really need to shock it, but we can't tell you how high to raise the chlorine without a CYA level.

I see that the pH is high, and you can use either dry acid or muriatic acid (which you'll use a lot of, anyway, since you have a SWCG) to lower it below 8.0, just don't go below 7.0. As for your alk, you don't list a reading, so can't really advise you on that. YOur best bet is to go ahead and keep the chlorine in it, lower the pH, then wait until your Taylor kit comes to adjust anything else.

I like Zeosand, that's what I use in my IG pool filter. You cannot use DE in place of sand or zeo in a sand filter. If using sand, you can use a handful of DE to help filter finer particles, but my understanding is that you can't use DE with zeo at all.

Janet

[Watermom]

Hi and welcome!

Only a few comments to add to what Jan said. Are you aware that it is not chlorine that stains blonde hair green as is commonly thought but rather it is copper?

You have two places you are introducing copper --- "your copper ionization function thingy" and your dual action tabs.

Don't use the tabs. As for the copper ionization thingy, I don't know what to advise you about that. Any way to disconnect that part and remove the copper?

[matt_e]

I don't have a way to test CYA right now but I'm working under the assumption that it is 30, What will my ideal or target CYA be? it is in the sun all day ambient temps of 80+ most of the summer.

Based on the strips I have the PH is definitely in the 8.0 to 8.5 range (For lowering PH, I have dry acid, is muriatic better to use? I can get a gallon of 31% mix @ lowes for ~$8.50)

Based on the strips my TA is in the 100-120 range

The copper test strips that came with the unit show no more than 0.2 my family has darker hair but that doesn't mean we won't get some blondes in there. I'll stop adding the dual action tabs, but I don't think I can take the copper out of line without freaking the controller out.

[Watermom]

We typically recommend 40-50 for CYA levels but usually there is a requirement for most SWCG that is stated in the manual. I'm not sure about the Intex SWCG though.

If your pH is that high, you do need to use some acid to lower it. Muriatic or dry acid will both achieve the same purpose. But, I have to tell you that test strips are notoriously inaccurate. If at all possible until you get your kit, can you take a water sample to a reputable pool store and ask them to test it for you?

I'll let someone else advise you in regard to the copper in your system. I really have no knowledge about those Intex SWCG setups.

[matt_e]

I had to drain and refill, the ground settled creating a very lopsided pool (scary).

Filled last night, only thing added is 120 LBS salt to bring me to ~3000 PPM (for the SWG) and 92oz of bleach to shock.

Bleach was added @6am, water was tested @10am, pool has a solar cover on it.

Numbers from the Taylor kit
FC=10
CC=0
PH=7.8
TA=160
CH=180
CYA=0

I have Borax on hand that I had intended to add as a PH buffer and algae control, based on my numbers is this a good or bad idea?

I also have Muriatic acid to offset the PH rise.

Will also be adding CYA, Thinking I will target 50 PPM, this pool is going to experience a fair amount of splash and carry out.

Thanks for any feedback.

[Watermom]

Until you get some CYA in there and are getting a reading, you'll have to add bleach a couple times per day.

Your TA is a little high. See the info at the following link for how to lower it.

Guide to Lowering Alk

[CarlD]

For reasons I don't want to get into, HTH has gone from cheap alternatives to the more expensive companies (with the same ingredients) to mixing "concoctions" that are supposed to be "convenient" but can cause all kinds of problems--like "Double-acting" Tri-chlor tablets. Sounds good? But the double action is provided by copper, which, while good at killing algae, causes more problems than it fixes. They also lowered the content of the Cal-Hypo from 68% to 48% at WalMart's request. 48% dumps a lot more "inert" junk in your pool than 68% and you need a lot more to get the same chlorine level.

So we suggest you stay away from HTH chemicals generally. "Cocktails" of chemicals in one container are, pretty much always a bad idea.

You can completely take care of almost (but not all) any pool with the B-B-B basics: Bleach, Borax, Baking Soda, Muriatic Acid, and Cyanuric Acid (CYA/Stablilizer). For SWCG pools, you need to add...Salt. And for hard-sided pools you have to add calcium, or cal-hypo.

Carl