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jscozz_gw

Fill with well water?

jscozz
11 years ago

Did you use your well water for gunite mix, plaster mix and fill water? Or did you use some alternative source?

I am not concerned with flow... I use my well for geothermal, lawn, domestic and have plenty of water... raw water has a bunch of iron... and raw pH is around 4.3. Other than that, nothing else over the limits. TDS is well under. I have very large pH and softener filters that get the pH in the area of 6.5... and get the iron below under the limit for domestic water. I am not opposed to running the well water through the filters, and should be able to get around 30 gpm into the pool. Only needing 5 or 6 backwash cycles on the filters.

I am looking for pro/cons on doing this... obviously, the big pro is it is free and trucking in water would be a few thousand dollars... and I am not sure how the PB would get other water for the gunite and plaster mixes...

I would love to see hard facts about water chemistry that says if your level are within this range it is fine, or over that range you should not use it.

We are going to use River Rok or Diamond Brite finishes... I am very concerned about using water that will screw up the finish... either in the mixes or final pool water.

Comments (5)

  • golfgeek
    11 years ago

    jscozz,
    Iron in the fill water can usually be controlled with a sequesturing agent. You will need to use one anyway for any make up water added for normal usage.
    I've seen a lot of different water color as a result of various well water fills....high iron, tannens, etc. Some water doesn't tolerate chlorine at the initial start-up, so you might do a sample test.
    Hope you are using D.E. filter for best particle size filtration on the pool. Good luck.

  • poolguynj
    11 years ago

    That water needs to run through the water softener/filters but that is going to be a problem since back washes take time and a fill MUST be continuous.

    The only other proper solution is to truck water in from somewhere that doesn't have the pH and iron issues.

    With iron in the water, a sequestering agent is needed. I would also add CuLater pouches to the skimmer to remove the metal. The sequesterant will only keep the irom from causing stains but will break down and more needed to be added. AFAIK, CuLater pouches in the skimmer are the only product that will actually remove the iron. The result will be less sequesterant will be needed as your make up water will reintroduce iron.

    Scott

  • jscozz
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, all... I am mainly concerned with the first few days of fill for new Diamond Brite or River Rok... when I have heard there are restriction on running pump... if the pH is way off or if I have to get the iron to combine and be removed, I don't want any chance of it screwing up the finish. I have gotten prices around $2K for trucking in water... both companies I checked use city water... one will use my local city water and another will use city water from their location.

  • jscozz
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Scott,

    I saw another post where you mentioned calcium in water... so, filling from my well through pH filter and softener would remove most of the TDS... and it sounds like this would be harmful to the plaster.

  • poolguynj
    11 years ago

    Don't worry about that during the cure. Calcium Hardness can easily be added, if needed afterwards.

    Scott