New Pool build

[Usilpool]

First Filter Clean:

Well I have done some reading in the forum and find it all very helpful. I had my pool built this spring and it has been in operation for 2 months. I have a Pentair C&C 420sf cartridge filter setup and it has a pressure gauge on it that has a rotating bezel which has beginning pressure and a red line at a higher pressure (10 psi) higher. At the startup it was about 9 psi and has now risen to about 20. I called my 'pool guy' and he said he would clean it for 80 bucks. As I am determined to ween myself off the 'pool guy' I decided to do it myself.

Saturday, I disassembled the filter and removed the 4 canisters. The process was not difficult and they were pretty dirty. There was also some sand in the bottom of the housing. As I don't have a sand filter I am thinking it is from the construction process of the new pool. I don't live anywhere near sand so I am assuming I won't see this again unless this blows in normally in the air and settles naturally in the pool. I hosed off the filters and reinstalled following Penair's procedure. It was all pretty straight forward and the new initial pressure was back down to 9 psi. I was pretty proud of myself until I noticed that I had put the top on with the gauge and air release pointed in the wrong direction so tomorrow I guess I will drain the filter, untighten the clamp and rotate the top housing to the proper position.

As I did not find this forum until a few days ago it looks like the proper procedure to maximize filter life and reduce cleaning needs is to do this process at least monthly (before it actually needs it). I will implement this from now on.

In addition, my Taylor complete FAS-DTP Pool Test Kit (K-2006) kit came in Saturday and I will do a complete workup of chemical levels today. I created an Excel spread sheet to record and track testing results. I intend to do this for a month and compare to the 'pool guy's' results after which I will take over the chemical managment myself. The 'pool guy' comes on Mondays so I will test Sunday and after he leaves to see the difference. I will post the results in a few days.

I will do an accurate (as much as possible) measurement of the pool this week to determine exact gallons. What pool calculator is best to make this determination? I will use this to make any adjustments in chemicals when I take over the process.

Is there anything I am missing as I prepare to take over complete pool management? I find the general cleaning process, skimming, cleaning the baskets and Kreepy Krauly only takes a few minutes each day. In fact, I go out in the morning and find it rather soothing to perform the process. Never figured I would like doing this. Actually, I don't have trees around the pool so there is very little to skim from the top and the bottom always looks clean (Kreepy Krauly looks like it is doing a spectacular job). The water is crystal clear to the bottom.

I am glad to have made the decision to build our first pool even though it took till I retired to do it.

[PoolDoc]

At the startup it was about 9 psi and has now risen to about 20.

I'm on my way to church, and can only take a minute, but you don't want to let that happen again. That sort of pressure differential can PERMANENTLY damage your cartridges by collapsing the pleats so they remain in contact with each other.

I am glad to have made the decision to build our first pool even though it took till I retired to do it.

If you've got grandkids, a pool is a great thing for them!

[Usilpool]

Thanks PoolDoc. I certainly will adopt a more frequent filter cleaner from this point forward.

Ok - I did a chemical test today using my new Taylor K-2006. Below are the results.

pH - 8+ (Pool guy shows 8 for last 5 tests with 8+ on his last test)
FC - 0.2 (Generally, pool guy always records zero weekly)
CC - 0.4
Cyanuric Acid - 45
Total alkalinity - 50
Calcium hardness - 625 (27 May pool guy recorded 250 but his last test on 16 June showed 625) Don't know what is going on here.
Filter pressure - 9 (after cleaning filters - same as startup pressure when new)

I have been reading all the BBB Method of Pool care and found it very interesting. It appears my pH has a pool normal of about 8 as it has been at that level for over a month with weekly treatment. As I have TA, Calcium Hardness and Chlorine out of kilter however, maybe it best to reserve judgment until I get things under control.

Don't know what happened to make calcium hardness jump way up. Not sure how to read this.

I can increase alkalinity based on BBB would like some help knowing what to do with the calcium hardness spike.

Chlorine as tested by pool guy is clearly not addressing the pools needs and he has not brought me into the loop. Looks like it needs more than just weekly treatment. He adds liquid chlorine when he comes and there is a chlorine tablet dispenser in the pool. He has always used one tablet which never lasted the week and put two in last Monday. There are partial tables left in the dispenser today.

The pool is a new pool in use for two months. It is plastered gunnite. It has about 10,000 gallons in it and has a water fall and fountain. I am assuming that all the aeration keeps the pool in the pH 8 range as this has been pretty consistent for over a month. The water is clear and I run the filter about 8 hours a day with the water fall and fountain. The Kreapy Krawly runs for about 3 hours but I have cut it back to 2 hours as the bottom is perfectly clean. I clean the skimmers out ever few days and there is never much in them except insects.

Would be glad to have some help with the questions I have.

Thanks.

[PoolDoc]

Constant aeration makes it impossible to maintain BOTH a reasonable pH (< 7.8) AND a reasonable TA (> 80 ppm). Your pH of 8 is NOT 'normal'; rather it's driven by the aeration.

The sudden spike in CH could be a testing error . . . or it could mean your very low TA is resulting in dissolving plaster! NOT GOOD!

1. Turn off your fountain and water fall, unless you are actually using the pool. You'll need to maintain some circulation in the spa. If you'll post pump, filter and piping pictures we'll see how that can be done, without so much aeration.

2. Watch the Taylor videos to make sure you are doing the test correctly. http://pool9.net/tk-guide/ Then retest TA and CH.

3. Lower your pH to just below 8.0. At the end of the pH test range of phenol red, the values you get ~6.8 or ~8.2 do NOT mean your pH is 6.8 or 8.2. Instead they mean that your water's pH is 6.8 *or* below, or else that your pH is 8.2 *or* above. However, it's worse than that, since a lot of people can't see the difference between phenol red at 8.0 vs 8.2.

If it works out that you DO want to keep your pool at 8.0 . . . you'll need to get a pH meter, so you can be sure your pH is *really* 8.0 and not something higher.


Ok, this may get confusing.

. . . or not. I tried writing a more complete explanation, but it was turning into a China Shop type post -- too complex to be useful to 99% of folks.

Here's the bottom line: we need to help you work out a way to maintain your pool without damaging your plaster OR having to constantly add chemicals.