The first 28 to 30 days are crucial for a new pool because this is when the plaster surface cures or matures. This process continues for the next 8 to 10 months. During this time, the pool’s alkalinity and pH levels will rise, which can cause scaling (roughness), gray streaks and spots, and pitting if not properly maintained. To preserve the beauty of your plaster finish, it’s important to follow a careful maintenance and start-up procedure.
Chemical Maintenance
Initially, the pH of your pool will rise quickly. You’ll need to balance the chemicals to prevent scaling and hydration issues. It usually takes about 30 days to stabilize the pH and alkalinity with proper care. Your Clear Tech Pools technician will have added the initial treatments at startup. During the first few weeks, you will need to adjust and test your water chemistry several times per week, and then check it weekly thereafter.
Always pre-dissolve all chemicals before adding them to the pool water. Remember to add chemicals to the water, not water to chemicals.
Avoid adding any sanitizers or chlorine for the first 72 hours. After this period, bring a water sample to the store for testing. Once the test is completed, the store staff will guide you on any further steps.
Adjust the alkalinity first, aiming for 80-120ppm, then lower the pH to below 7.2.
At the start, add a sequestering agent to help crystallize and filter out any metallic contaminants. This helps prevent staining or scaling. Since UV light can degrade these chemicals, it’s important to replenish them as part of routine maintenance.
When the pH and alkalinity levels are correct, you can add the Mineral Cartridge along with the Chlorine Pack. After shocking the pool (1lb per 10,000 gallons), avoid swimming until the chlorine level drops below 3.0ppm.
Brushing and Regular Maintenance
For the first two weeks, brush the pool twice daily. This helps the plaster cure properly and removes any plaster dust on the surface. While brushing, you might notice plaster dusting and cloudy water. This is normal and will clear up with proper treatment and brushing. Although twice daily is sufficient, more frequent brushing is beneficial.
It’s normal for your plaster finish to have minor imperfections such as slight crazing or color variations. Maintaining your new pool might sound complicated, but it’s quite simple. Just a few minutes per day for the first two weeks and a couple of times a week thereafter can greatly extend the life of your plaster finishes.
This post was written by a professional at Clear Tech Pools. Clear Tech Pools offers Pool Cleaning Service Wesley Chapel FL. Our company was founded by local residents on the principles of hard work, exceptional customer service and a focused attitude. It is these qualities, along with our outstanding performance that keeps our customers satisfied. We have built, renovated and serviced thousands of pools in the area, and we have a long list of references available for all of our services upon request. Our staff of professional technicians have extensive training for fast and efficient service. We maintain our excellent reputation for quality by maintaining friendly relationships with our customers.
