New here and looking for answers!

[PoolConfused]

Hey all. Can't wait to learn more about the BBB method as that is what I want to use when we get the pool set up. We are not setting it up until I have and know what to do with the chemicals. We got an Intex 18' x 48" ultra metal frame pool. I have read over the recipe and 7 day start up plan but of course I am a little confused.
1) why is it called 7 day start up when it should take a day to fill?

2) with the bbb method why am I having to buy dichlor?

3) after the initial fill and chemical adding where do I go for there? That's where I get lost because of having to use the dichlor and not just the bleach and borax and baking soda.

4) will I only ever need bleach baking soda and borax? Or are there other things that I will need to add to balance things out.

5) can I use a 5 way test kit?

Sorry for the questions and I hope someone can clear it up for me.

Thanks in advance!
Christina

[BigDave]

1) It usually takes people 7 days to get dichlor - If you get it before you fill, just do the bucket test for metals and start right in on the Intex Pool Care Plan.
2) "BBB" isn't a recipie but a catchy name that reminds us that we don't have to buy poolcare products in the pool store. That said, some things only come from pool store, like any type of chlorine stabilizer - CYA, dichlor, trichlor.
3) Dichlor is great for starting new water because it's the quickest way to raise the CYA in a pool. Some CYA is necessary - too much makes a pool hard to control.
4) Nope, sorry, sometimes other chems are necessary. Stabilizer (CYA) is necessary to keep the sunlight from stripping chlorine from the pool. Sometimes Muriatic Acid is needed to lower pH.
5) Maybe for a little while, tell us more about it. You will need (everyone does) a K-2006.

Welcome!

[Watermom]

Hi, Christina, and welcome to the Pool Forum!

I'll try and answer some of your questions for you.

1) Even though it only takes a day to fill, it takes you several days to get your chemistry balanced. The recipe tells you what to add each
day based on the volume of your pool.

2) BBB doesn't just mean you use bleach, Borax and baking soda exclusively and never anything else. It is actually more of a philosophy
about pool care. Basically it is just learning to test your pool yourself and use only what you need to use to keep your water balanced.
There are some grocery store equivalents for some of the expensive pool store chemicals but BBB does not mean that you will never
use pool store stuff. We can teach you to use what makes the most sense for your pool.

3) Use the directions in the recipe which tell you what to use and when. A freshly filled pool will have no CYA (cyanuric acid, also called
stabilizer) in it. CYA is kind of like sunscreen for your chlorine. Without enough in there, your chlorine will quickly be lost to the sun.
So, you have to introduce CYA to the water which is where the dichlor comes into play. Dichlor is a stabilized form of chlorine which
means that it has CYA in it. So, it kills two birds with one stone --- adds chlorine and also CYA which a newly filled pool will need. You
only use Dichlor for awhile or otherwise your CYA will get too high, which you don't want. So, after you have been using dichlor for about
a week to 10 days, you test the CYA. You'll use dichlor until your CYA level is built up to around 50ppm. Then, you'll switch to just using
bleach as your source of chlorine.

4) You will discover what your pool needs when you test. If you post current readings, someone here can advise you about what you need.

5) A 5-way kit (as long as it is a drops-based kit) is OK to start with but it is limited. The chlorine test can only read to 5ppm and there
will be times when you'll need your chlorine to be higher than that. It also does not have a CYA test in it, I don't believe. (Is it an HTH
test kit?) We still think everyone needs a good kit. The one we recommend is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy). You can't buy it
locally, but you can get it through this link:> http://pool9.net/tk/

Hope this helps. If you have more questions, we'll be here and will be glad to help.

Super Simple Start-up Recipe:> http://pool9.net/ssr/

By the way, the SSR has directions for using bleach and for using dichlor. The directions for using the bleach for the initial doses are there for people who need a few days to get the dichlor. But, if you already have the dichlor, then you should start out using that instead of bleach.

[Watermom]

Looks like Dave and I were posting at about the same time!

[BigDave]

@Watermom: Sorry for the simul-post. I think we pretty much agree.

[Watermom]

@Dave -- No need to apologize. It's all good. And, you're right, we are pretty much in agreement with the advice.

[PoolConfused]

Thank you! I haven't set the pool up yet because I want to be sure I have everything before I set up.

1) so if I go ahead and order the dichlor then I don't need to do the start up plan correct?

2) how do I add the dichlor as it is filling?

3) where can I get the best priced dichlor and how long does it usually last?

Thank you again. I just want to be ready and I don't want my pool to turn green or cloudy! I can't view the links that were posted either. When will I have permission?

[PoolConfused]

4) and after I stop the dichlor how much bleach do I add to it daily?

[BigDave]

1) Yep, dichlor will provide chlorine to keep the pool clean while building CYA.
2) Maybe dissolve it in a bucket first. Make sure it get dissolved.
3) The Kem Tek product on the Super Simple recipe page or the Pool Brand from Sam's Club are usually fairly priced.
4) About the same as dichlor. As you test daily you'll learn to adjust the dosage to what your pool needs.

[Watermom]

1) so if I go ahead and order the dichlor then I don't need to do the start up plan correct?

You still use the start up plan in the recipe but just not the top section of the recipe where it talks about using bleach. Read on further down and it explains how much dichlor to add and when to add it.

About not being able to see the links ----- We are usually pretty good about telling people this but apparently forgot to tell you. But, until your registration is completed, you will only be able to see this section when you are logged in. So, copy the link and the paste it in a browser window after you log out.