If you have a new plaster pool or just had your pool resurfaced there is a special start-up procedure that needs to be followed to ensure the plaster cures properly.
NEW PLASTER POOL STARTUP
Filling the pool: 1. Do not allow anybody (children, animals, etc.) to walk on the uncured plaster finish. 2.. Fill the pool as rapidly as possible. It is good to use a filtering tube (such as a Hayward Bobby) to trap metals and minerals from the fill water source especially with well water. 3. Place all hoses in the deepest area of the pool with the ends protected by a rag. Do not allow any hoses to rest on the plaster finish as they can leave “hose marks.” 4. Do not add “Start‐Up” chemicals until the pool is filled to the middle of the tile border. 5. Never turn the water completely off while the pool is filling; fill without interruption. A fill ring (“bathtub ring”) can form in the plaster finish if the water is turned off and then on again.
Balancing the water: 1. Get the pool circulating as soon as possible. 2. For Average size pool 14,000 – 16,000 Gallons. Add 1 quart of scale inhibitor (Jack’s Magic Magenta). Add 4-5 Gallons Muriatic Acid. 3. Initially PH and Alkalinity will be very low with the first treatment. Check daily to ensure levels not exceed the following: TA (Total Alkalinity) to 70‐90 ppm. pH to 7.0‐7.4 ppm. 4. Operate the filter for 72 hours continuously – BYPASS HEATER. Note: a standing pool can start visible scaling. 5. Do not add chlorine for the first 48 hours. 6. Balance CYA (Cyanuric Acid / Stabilizer) level to 30 ppm.
Maintenance: 1. Brush with a combination of stainless steel and nylon brush every day for the first 28 days (twice a day is best). 2. The pool will continue to dust for several days, pH and TA must be monitored closely to prevent scaling. 3. As long as pH and TA are acceptable, you may now chlorinate the pool (do not go above 5 ppm for at least the first ten days as high chlorine can react with metals and minerals in the water causing them to precipitate out and stain the finish. 4. Monitor the calcium level (total hardness) and keep it between 200‐400 ppm. 5. A good preventative maintenance technique would be adding Jack’s Magic Magenta at a dose of 6-8 ounces weekly 6. Pools with Chlorine Generators (Salt Systems) can start up their systems and add salt after four weeks have passed. 7. Cleaners can be activated after four weeks as well. These instructions are generalized recommendations for most finishes. Follow the specific manufacturer’s instructions for different types of finishes and, where applicable, allow their instructions to supersede the above.