New pool-what to do?

[PoolPatient]

We have a new 24' round above ground pool that holds 15,000 gal. We live out in the country and have filled pool from local water supply co. We will eventually start salt water system when water is right. AS of right now I am trying to lower TA which started at 280 and PH was 8.2. I am trying the muratic acid and aerating. Yesterday I put 3 qt muratic acid in and this morning i put 3 qt muratic acid in. The PH is now 7.0 and TA is 230. So, i suppose it is working, but. CH is 1,CYA is 0,FC is 0. Do I need to be concerned with this now or after I lower the TA? Also, I took water sample to pool company and they tested. Everything was the same as when I tested except TA. They say it is 146 when I am getting 280. I use a Taylor drop kit.
Also, do I need to increase CH to 180+ ppm as the pool store suggests?
Thanks in advance, what do I do next?

[duraleigh]

what do I do next?

Chlorine, chlorine, chlorine!

Add enough chlorine daily to keep around 2-4ppm in the pool. You will soon have algae unless you keep the pool sanitized.

Read the sticky's at the tops of the forums. They will tell you more and give you appropriate levels to balance your water. Chlorine should be your immediate priority.

[Simmons99]

CH - important for plaster/concrete pools

[PoolPatient]

Day 3 of lowering TA with muratic acid and aerating. After 2.5 gal of muratic acid, addding 2-3 qt at a time twice a day, my TA is 200 down from 280. My PH has been staying at 7.2 the last 36 hours. I think a problem is approaching though, I will soon have to add water to the pool. This heat is taking water from the pool. I am afraid if I add water I will be right back where I started. I would still like to know if CH has to be increased in a vinly lined pool if you are going to use salt system and if hardness is added will it help keep other problems away?

[dawndenise]

I am not personally familiar with any salt systems for above ground pools, but I know that you can consult your owner's manual that should indicate the water chemistry targets for proper operation of the system, including calcium. If you don't have your system yet, you might try downloading the manual from the mfr's website.

"...will it help keep other problems away?" No...Hardness will not keep away algae and it will not sanitize your water, keeping the icky stuff at bay, so be sure to follow duraleigh's advice to keep your chlorine in proper range based on your CYA/stabilizer reading.

[GraceByDesign]

A vinyl pool has no calcium need. It is generally stated here that a level between 0 - 500 is acceptible for a vinyl pool.
If you have a heater, you do need calcium. I saw a recommendation from Ben that said 60ppm is probably enough.
By "salt water system" do you mean that you want to add salt to your pool, or that you are going to purchase a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? I do not think calcium has any bearing on a SWG, but I could be wrong about that. If you are simply salting your water for the 'soft-water feeling' then the less CH the better. Hard water has loads of Cal and Mag, and the less you have the softer the water.

[PoolPatient]

I have read all of that, and maybe my pea brain is on overload. Our supply water is very soft, it only has 10 to 20 ppm calcium to begin with. It is a SWG that we are going to use. I was afraid that if we dumped all that salt in the pool, it might be one big slimey mess with the water being so soft. We are currently using 3" chlorine tablets untill we get TA down and can hold PH to a decent level. Thanks for the input.

[GraceByDesign]

trust me, I know the "overloaded pea brain" feeling!

Just keep your water balanced and the salt will not adversly affect it. What I've read indicates the salt may actually help keep your chemistry more stable

[duraleigh]

Poolpatient,

Be very careful with the use of the tabs. They will drive your pH down pretty quickly and yours is as low as it should go. Clorox would be a much better choice.

[PoolPatient]

I got busy and quit posting on here. After two weeks of slowly adding muratic acid and aerating our TA came down to 90. Also after adding some stabalizer to get CYA up, the chlorine lasts much longer and everything is just fine. We decided to forget the salt for now. All we do is put a little bleach in each week and a little muratic acid every 1-1/2 to 2 weeks. Our water is crystal clear and we are enjoying the pool very much. It is still very hot here in NE Texas. I have had to add a few hundred gallons of water to the pool each week. The air must be thirsty.