Start a Freshly filled pool using Soft Swim®, Baquacil® or biguanides

Starting a freshly filled pool to be sanitized & maintained with Soft Swim®, Baquacil® or biguanides is not that much different than starting a chlorine or bromine pool.

1.  Find out the TRUE number of gallons of water in your pool.  Many problems develop because folks just don't know how many gallons of water they have!  So, they're either over or under dosing.  Either are bad.  Use this chart to help you.

2.  Whether you're filling the pool with city or municipal water or using well water, treat the water for heavy metals.  Heavy metals include iron, copper, manganese.  Although there may be only trace amounts, that could be enough to give you problems such a using a LOT of BioGuard® Soft Swim® "C" Shock.  Eliminate that problem first.  Use Soft Swim® Stain Control at a rate of 1 qt. per 10,000 gallons.

3.  Balance the pool water. Adjust pH to 7.4 - 7.6, Total Alkalinity 125 - 150 ppm, Calcium Hardness about 200 ppm.

4.  IF THE WATER IS GREEN (DUE TO ALGAE) OR VERY DIRTY CONSIDER SHOCKING THE POOL FIRST WITH BIOGUARD® EASY SHOCK & SWIM.  This will help to kill any excess algae or bacteria getting you off to a more successful start.  Allow to circulate about 24 to 48 hours after which time the chlorine level should be close to ZERO.

5.  Add initial dose of BioGuard® Soft Swim® A Algicide - 1 qt per 20,000 gallons or 8 oz. per each 5,000 gallons.

6.  CHECK THE CHLORINE LEVEL.  If the level is under 2.0 ppm, shock the pool with 1 gallon of BioGuard® Soft Swim® C Oxidizing Clarifier per 10,000 gallons or any part of 10,000 gallons.  Pools with about 15,000 gallons should use 2 gallons BioGuard® Soft Swim® C.  Pools with 19,000 gallons to 27,000 gallons should use 3 gallons.  This dose will neutralize any trace amounts of chlorine & oxidize other "waste" in the water.  Allow to circulate for 12 to 24 hours.  Maintain BioGuard® Soft Swim® C at a level of about 60 ppm.

7.  OPTIONAL - Begin adding BioGuard® Optimizer Plus®.  Add over several days at a rate of of about 2 lbs. per 1,000 gallons.  Readjust pH as necessary with BioGuard® Lo 'n Slo pH Decreaser.

8.  Add 1 1/2 Gallon BioGuard® Soft Swim® B Bactericide & Sanitizer per 10,000 gallons.  BioGuard® Soft Swim® B Bactericide & Sanitizer should only be added in increments according to actual gallons in the pool.  Avoid overdosing.  Follow the table below for best results.  These doses will bring the "B" level into the 30 to 50 ppm range that we are looking for.  These doses are based on actual field experience & may not exactly match manufacturer's dosages.
 

9.  Follow regular maintenance procedures.