Stabilizer question

[scsteven]

Hello! We just filled our pool with water on Friday. I used a sequestrant to isolate any metals from our water. I then shocked the next day with liquid chlorine. I had the water tested, made the appropriate adjustments, and then that night, Saturday, I inserted our first Frog Bac Pac (I know, I know.... BBB- for us, we want to try some simplicity as we will be gone several weeks this summer). Anyway, knowing that the Frog uses tri-chlor I'm afraid to add stabilizer when I don't ever want to fight the stablizer battle of having too much down the road. My problem is that I don't have a chlorine reading at all. I understand that stablizer is meant to give the chlorine something to hold onto. My question is: should I go ahead and put some stabilzer in the water now so that my chlorine has something to hang onto? If I don't add stabilizer, how long will it take to get a CYA (and chlorine)reading just by using the Frog and a floater with 3" tabs in it?

[aylad]

If I don't add stabilizer, how long will it take to get a CYA (and chlorine)reading just by using the Frog and a floater with 3" tabs in it?

It'll take too long. You need to add a starter dose of CYA ( suggest targeting approx. 20 ppm, then use your pucks to increase the CYA 'til you get it where you want it. Until the CYA dissolves (can take a week or so), you'll still have to add chlorine daily to make sure that your pool stays clean.

Janet

[Watermom]

Jan is right. You're going to need to add some stabilizer and 20 is a good beginning level if you are going to then use trichlor. The only thing I will add is that I think for the first few days or maybe even up to a week, you should probably check your chlorine level a couple of times a day. You may find that at first you may need to add bleach a couple of times a day until the stabilizer gets dissolved.

[scsteven]

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I will do!