Re: FAQ: Common Spring Startup Errors

[CarlD]

Go with Poconos...Al knows more about it than I do.

For some reason I thought your CYA was 60--hence the higher shock.

My concern with the pump and filter is if the pump's flow rate is higher than the filter's, it won't filter correctly

[Poconos]

Do the 1 psi rise in pressure. Any more and I suspect you'll just be wasting DE. If you are indeed vacuuming small stuff you'll see the pressure rise quickly even to the fully blocked point so keep an eye on the pressure.
Al

[vanhout]

Pool got noticeably clearer today. Still not where I want it, but notably better. I'm pretty encouraged.

I lost a good 3-4 ppm of FC again over the last day. I'm going to keep the FC up at 15 for another couple of days.

I think that DE was a really good tip. So, everytime I backwash I put in more DE?

Thanks for the tips, this is as good as the pool has been yet this year.

[Watermom]

Yes - until you get your pool really clear and then you don't have to, although you still can if you want. I have a sand filter and I don't, but some people with sand filters routinely do add DE. It is a matter of preference. Glad it is looking better. I'm glad the DE tip seems to be working for you. Hopefully it won't be too much longer until you have sparkling clear water.

[jmcst25]

Within Ben's 'sticky' he recommends "drain and refill .... If you don't drain, plan to consume a LOT of chlorine, getting rid of the ammonia and urea....."

If you had high CYA levels (> 70 ppm) last fall, you may consume as much as 200 ppm of chlorine in the clean up process. (~ 80 gallons of household bleach, for a 20,000 gallon pool!) "

Draining / refilling might be cheaper than chemicals depending on where you live. ( just be safe in draining).

Good luck.

[vanhout]

The 200 ppm estimate might not turn out to be too far from correct. I've used over 70 gallons of 6% chlorine, which in my pool is 116 ppm. That's in 16 days.

If it happens ever again I think I would partially drain and refill. I'm on a well, and it would take a long time to fill 8 or 10k gallons off the softener.

[vanhout]

Still fighting. Water is still cloudy. Not bad, but not perfect. It ate 6 ppm of CL in 24 hours with CYA of 50, it wasn't that sunny.