Brand New Pool - When do I start testing water?

[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.

[FNC1962]

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.

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.

[Watermom]

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.

[FNC1962]

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 !

[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 majority of pool owners do.

Hope you enjoy that new pool!

[FNC1962]

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.

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!

[FNC1962]

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?

[PoolDoc]

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.

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