Silly question - Just open it up?

[synapsid]

Hi Friends,

My AGP is still standing after its first winter. I'm getting ready to open it either this weekend or next. I am assuming the first steps are:

1. Drain water off the top of the cover
2. Untie and roll back the cover to remove it
3. Hook up plumbing
4. Fill
5. Run it for 24 hours
6. Check chemicals and start balancing them

Is that correct? First time reopener so I appreciate any words of advice.

Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

That's basically it. Here's our article.

Opening your pool- An easy to follow guide

Opening your pool can be stressful. This Pool Start Up guide teaches everything from start-up chemicals, covers, and more for your start up.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[newdude]

Weekends have been slow lately so it's likely you'll have several regulars sitting around waiting for the next post to come in if you hit any snags.

 

[synapsid]

Thanks fellas. Currently waiting for the water to finish draining off the cover.

 

[synapsid]

Water is clear as a bell! I connected the plumbing and it's filling up now.

 

[newdude]

Mix well once it's full.

Get some FC in there and Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Post up the full results once it's mixed.

 

[synapsid]

So after filling with hose water I tested and found

FC=8 (this surprised me, I checked again and got the same)
CC=0
CYA <30

Unfortunately when I opened the valves on the plumbing, I discovered a crack in some part of the heat pump. Water gushes out just from gravity. So, waiting for a service call until I can be up and running

 

[newdude]

Use a submersible pump to circulate the water. You can get the CYA to 30 and dose daily FC. It won't be polished with the filter offline, but it won't be a swamp either.

I'll take slightly dirty but sterile water, Any. Day. Of. The. Week.

 

[synapsid]

Ok! Heat pump was an easy fix, got the water circulating now. Only cost me a week

Readings are now
FC 2
CC 0
CYA below 30
TA 12
pH 7
Salt 2400

Any particular order i should start adding stuff?

Also— pool math tells me to boost the PH with 5 pounds of baking soda and the TA with 8 oz of soda ash. But wouldn’t the baking soda alone raise the TA?

Thanks

 

[newdude]

Baking soda is for TA
Borax is for PH.

You made a typo with 12 TA. What was it ?

Any particular order i should start adding stuff?

CYA to 30
FC to 8

TA to 60 or 70.

Salt to 3200

Ph is fine at 7 and will rise on its own.

 

[synapsid]

Baking soda is for TA
Borax is for PH.

You made a typo with 12 TA. What was it ?

CYA to 30
FC to 8

TA to 60 or 70.

Salt to 3200

Ph is fine at 7 and will rise on its own.

Not sure about TA maybe i messed up the test. It took only 4 drops to turn it from green to red. I’ll try again

 

[newdude]

Not sure about TA maybe i messed up the test. It took only 4 drops to turn it from green to red. I’ll try again

So that's 40 and not 12. go until the last drop doesn't make further change, then subtract that one.

 

[synapsid]

Baking soda is for TA
Borax is for PH.

You made a typo with 12 TA. What was it ?

CYA to 30
FC to 8

TA to 60 or 70.

Salt to 3200

Ph is fine at 7 and will rise on its own.

OK We're getting there! I started up the SWCG, that thing is a beast. It brought FC up to 14. I shut it off for now but I'm thinking I need to dial in a much smaller time to have it on, maybe just an hour or two a day?

This morning i'm reading:
FC 14
CC 0
TA 60
CYA 30
Salt 3000

I'm assuming this is safe to swim in, but could use a few tweaks. Should the CYA go higher?

 

[newdude]

It brought FC up to 14. I shut it off for now but I'm thinking I need to dial in a much smaller time to have it on, maybe just an hour or two a day?

Use pool math effects of adding (upper left menu).

Select SWG, then your unit, then you can mess with hours and % of those hours that it produces. For example, 50% of 6 hours is really 100% for 3 hours, spread out.

But yeah. Mess around and see what small tweaks will do to production.

Should the CYA go higher?

I'm in full sun and was seeing 4 to 6ppm loss a few weeks ago, which was crazy high for the early season for us. I'm already at 60 or 70 CYA. When you notice a loss above 4, or really that you're producing 4+ a day and the FC is holding, then you'll need to raise your CYA also.

******No raising CYA without an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.*******

1) the FC loss may be algae and not UV

2) every 10 CYA raises SLAM +4 FC and it gets expensive quick.

 

[synapsid]

Thanks. Last year was my first year and I never actually did an overnight test. I'll do it tonight - good to know that FC loss might indicate algae...I will check it out.

 

[synapsid]

Related question, does a solar (bubble wrap type) cover affect the overnight test? I've been leaving it on to keep the heat in but I can leave it off if it will get a more accurate overnight loss reading

 

[newdude]

Leave it open so everything can breathe.