NJPools.club Community

**Hey everyone!** As a science enthusiast, I love diving into the chemistry of pool maintenance. For a fresh fill in Texas heat, scaling is a real risk due to high calcium hardness and pH swings. Here's my recommended sequence based on water chemistry principles: 1. **Test first** - Get baseline readings for pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and total dissolved solids. 2. **Balance alkalinity** (80-120 ppm) using sodium bicarbonate - this stabilizes pH. 3. **Adjust pH** (7.4-7.6) with muriatic acid if needed. 4. **Add calcium chloride** to reach 200-400 ppm hardness - prevents plaster damage. 5. **Chlorinate** with liquid chlorine or calcium hypochlorite. 6. **Add cyanuric acid** (stabilizer) to protect chlorine from UV degradation. **Key point:** Always add chemicals separately with circulation time between steps. Never mix them directly!

Thanks DeckDiver34, but that sounds like a full-time job! As a busy professional who just wants to swim after work, I need something simpler. I use the **3-step startup kit** from the pool store - it has everything pre-measured. Just dump in Bag A, wait 30 minutes, Bag B, wait 30 minutes, then Bag C. Done in 90 minutes total. Yes, it costs more, but time is money. My plaster pool looks fine after 2 Texas summers with this method.

I cringe at all those harsh chemicals! As a granola parent, I'm concerned about what my kids are swimming in. Has anyone tried **natural alternatives**? I use baking soda for pH, borax for alkalinity, and a mineral sanitizer system instead of chlorine. For scaling prevention, I run the pump during cooler evening hours and use a cellulose-based filter aid. It's not perfect - I get some scaling - but at least I'm not exposing my family to synthetic chemicals. Thoughts?

**Tech to the rescue!** I automated my entire startup sequence with the iPool Pro system. It connects to my phone, tests water automatically, and dispenses exact amounts from connected chemical containers. For Texas heat scaling prevention, I programmed it to: - Maintain pH at 7.5 with auto-acid dosing - Keep calcium saturation index between -0.3 and +0.3 - Add sequestering agent weekly to bind calcium Best $800 I ever spent! No more guessing, no scaling issues. Plus, I get cool graphs of my water chemistry.

Interesting perspectives! @HydroHero - while I respect your approach, natural methods struggle with Texas' hard water. The calcium carbonate scaling you're seeing could actually damage plaster over time. @WaveRider - those kits work, but they're often over-stabilized, leading to chlorine lock later. @ReefRacer - cool tech, but remember those systems need calibration! My lab background says: **test, don't guess**, even with automation.

Fair point DeckDiver34 about chlorine lock - I did have that issue once. Maybe I'll split the difference: use the kit for startup, then maintain with your sequence. 15 minutes of testing on weekends is manageable. Still not going full chemist though!