Add acid with new plaster

[mas985]

There are two ways that I know of to start a plaster pool. A chlorine start or an acid start. Most pool builders will use a chlorine start as this is a safer means of starting a plaster pool.

An acid start requires a lot of acid to drive the alkalinity to zero for about 3 days. The paster dust from the pool then dissolves and brings up the alkalinity and the calcium hardness. The PH must then be brought up to at least 6.8 after three days. The biggest problem with this method is that if not done correctly, it can trash your plaster.

The chlorine start is safer method but requires a lot more brushing. However, even this has it's variants. My plaster installer recommended this proceedure:

1) Fill pool
2) Add chlorine for 1-3 ppm.
3) Add enough acid for a PH of 6.8 and keep it there until all of the plaster dust is gone which is about a week.
4) Brush all plaster surfaces three times a day for a week then once a day for another week. Brush all plaster dust to main drain.

This seems to have worked pretty well since all of the surfaces are very smooth.