Draining/filling Pool

[JFS]

I have a 17K gal plaster/gunnite pool in SoCal.Currently in process of draining and will begin refill overnight. Draining 75% bcause calcium hardness 630, tap water is 240 (confirmed with city of Anaheim).Just received new Taylor 2006 test kit, have all chemicals. NOW WHAT ??? I imagine certain chemicals should be added while filling or right after it is filled in anticipation that they will be needed. My question is which ones and how much? I cant be testing for everything every 5 minutes or I will run out of chemicals in test kit.

I guess I need some kind of start up routine. I have been maintaining my pool myself for 25 yrs with no serious problems, but I think I have just been lucky. I have been visiting this forum almost daily for last 6 mo and was never aware of the complexity of the water chemistry, it wasnt that way when I started.I want to do it right this time

HELP-Joe

[RMS]

I have a 17K gal plaster/gunnite pool in SoCal.Currently in process of draining and will begin refill overnight. Draining 75% bcause calcium hardness 630, tap water is 240 (confirmed with city of Anaheim).Just received new Taylor 2006 test kit, have all chemicals. NOW WHAT ??? I imagine certain chemicals should be added while filling or right after it is filled in anticipation that they will be needed. My question is which ones and how much? I cant be testing for everything every 5 minutes or I will run out of chemicals in test kit.

I guess I need some kind of start up routine. I have been maintaining my pool myself for 25 yrs with no serious problems, but I think I have just been lucky. I have been visiting this forum almost daily for last 6 mo and was never aware of the complexity of the water chemistry, it wasnt that way when I started.I want to do it right this time

HELP-Joe

Water is complex, but you don't need to make it that way. Just remember the basics and you'll be fine:

chlorine 1.5-3.5ppm

pH 7.6-7.8, not 7.2. You'll use too much acid

Alkalinity 80-100

Hardness 150-250.

Cyanuric acid 50-70

Being in CA you probably won't need to add calcium to your pool, so 240-250 is fine. You did good in testing your fill water because you need to do this in order to have a starting point.

Chlorine...use about 1lb. of Calcium Hypochloride. This will bring it up to around 4ppm.

pH...depends on the pH of your water, but I wouldn't add any Sodium Bicarb. unless the pH is below 7.2. You'll need Sod. Bi

Alk. Increase with Sod. Bi....http://www.clean-pool-and-spa.com/pool-alkalinity.html will tell you how to raise it. The pH section will tell you how to raise the pH without much to the TA.

Muriatic Acid, gloves and goggles for safety

Chlorine tablets

http://www.clean-pool-and-spa.com can handle your questions

[chem geek]

Based on the Anaheim Water Quality Report, the water from the Lenain Water Treatment Plant has 135 ppm for Total Alkalinity (TA) and 290 ppm Total Hardness, but most of this is Magnesium since it reports only 68 ppm Calcium which if this is literally just ppm Ca then Calcium Hardness (CH) is around 170 ppm. I would verify your water with your own Taylor K-2006 test kit -- you don't need to test Cyanuric Acid (CYA) for your fill water since it will most certainly be zero.

After a fresh fill it's most important to add chlorine to prevent algae from growing and if you don't already have some CYA in the water then you could use Dichlor as the source of chlorine to add both chlorine and CYA at the same time, but don't add more than about 20 ppm cumulative FC using Dichlor until you know your actual CYA level in the water (if you left any of the previous water). You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate dosages.

Your pool plaster will not instantly dissolve if the CH is too low for a few days -- you've got time to handle that so don't panic. The only thing you need to get into the water in a hurry is chlorine so that algae does not start to grow; everything else can be handled over the next days as you get a chance.

[JFS]

Based on the Anaheim Water Quality Report, the water from the Lenain Water Treatment Plant has 135 ppm for Total Alkalinity (TA) and 290 ppm Total Hardness, but most of this is Magnesium since it reports only 68 ppm Calcium which if this is literally just ppm Ca then Calcium Hardness (CH) is around 170 ppm. I would verify your water with your own Taylor K-2006 test kit -- you don't need to test Cyanuric Acid (CYA) for your fill water since it will most certainly be zero.

After a fresh fill it's most important to add chlorine to prevent algae from growing and if you don't already have some CYA in the water then you could use Dichlor as the source of chlorine to add both chlorine and CYA at the same time, but don't add more than about 20 ppm cumulative FC using Dichlor until you know your actual CYA level in the water (if you left any of the previous water). You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate dosages.

Your pool plaster will not instantly dissolve if the CH is too low for a few days -- you've got time to handle that so don't panic. The only thing you need to get into the water in a hurry is chlorine so that algae does not start to grow; everything else can be handled over the next days as you get a chance.

I have some dichlor shock, should I throw a bag of that in and or some liquid chlor?

[chem geek]

If you are pretty sure you had Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in your water before draining, and I suspect you did, then just use the chlorinating liquid for now. When the water is filled up and mixed, you can test for CYA and then see if it makes sense to increase it by using the Dichlor.