We build every pool like it's going in our own backyard — and we want it to stay beautiful for decades. This guide covers everything you need to know to care for your new Fireside pool, from the first week of startup through years of enjoyment with your family.
New pools need extra attention at startup. Brush walls daily and run the pump 24 hours a day — this keeps water circulating and prevents deposits before your pool's surface fully settles.
Read MoreBalanced water protects your pool's surface and equipment. Use test strips weekly. Bring a physical water sample to a pool store every 4–6 weeks for a full computer analysis.
See the NumbersAll official Jandy product documentation is published free at Jandy.com. Click through to pumps, filters, heaters, automation, and more — no account needed.
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(864) 658-7780The first two weeks after your pool is filled are critical. Whether your Fireside pool is custom gunite, fiberglass, or vinyl liner, the startup period sets the foundation for years of clean, clear water. Your job is simple: run the pump 24 hours a day and brush the walls and floor at least once daily for the first two weeks.
Gunite pools only: fresh plaster is still curing when we fill — calcium and minerals leach from the new surface into the water, so you may notice it looking slightly cloudy or milky white in the first week. That's completely normal. Keep brushing and running the pump and it will clear. Fiberglass and vinyl liner pools won't have this cloudiness — just focus on balancing chemistry from day one.
Wait 24–48 hours after fill and initial chemical balance before swimming. At the end of week two, take a physical water sample to Leslie's Pool Supply in Easley or any local pool store for a free full computer analysis. Make this a monthly habit.
Morning is the best time for your weekly test. Sunlight destroys chlorine rapidly — test strips used before the sun hits the water give you the most accurate baseline.
Balanced water is the single most important factor in protecting your pool's surface and equipment.
| Parameter | Target Range | Outside This Range | Test Frequency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Chlorine | 1.0 – 3.0 ppm | Below 1 ppm: algae risk. Above 5 ppm: irritation, bleaches suits. | Weekly | |
| pH | 7.4 – 7.6 | Low: corrosive. High: chlorine loses up to 90% effectiveness. | Weekly | |
| Total Alkalinity | 80 – 120 ppm | Low: pH swings wildly. High: pH impossible to lower. | Weekly | |
| Calcium Hardness | 200 – 400 ppm | Low: water etches surface. High: scaling on tile and equipment. | Monthly | |
| Cyanuric Acid (CYA) | 30 – 50 ppm | Low: chlorine burns off fast. Too high: chlorine becomes ineffective. | Monthly | |
| Combined Chlorine | Below 0.5 ppm | High levels cause "chlorine smell" and eye irritation — shock the pool. | Weekly | |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Below 3,000 ppm | Jandy will not warranty a heat exchanger damaged by excess TDS. Salt pools can run up to 6,000 ppm. | Monthly | |
| Salt (AquaPure systems) | 3,000 – 3,500 ppm | Never exceed 4,500 ppm — Jandy's hard ceiling and corrosion threshold. | Monthly |
If you have a fiberglass pool: your targets differ. Fiberglass pH: 7.3–7.4 · Total Alkalinity: 120–150 ppm · Calcium Hardness: 200–300 ppm (pools) or 150–200 ppm (spas).
Use test strips weekly. Once a month, bring a physical water sample to a local pool store for a full computer analysis — free and printed. Never add two chemicals at once — add each separately with at least 30 minutes of pump circulation between them.
How much to add and how to add it — per 10,000 gallons. Scale to your pool's actual volume. Always add one chemical at a time and run the pump at least 1–2 hours before retesting or adding the next.
| Chemical | How Much (per 10,000 gal) | How to Add |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | 30–40 lbs raises salt 1,000 ppm | Pour bags around the pool perimeter and brush until fully dissolved. |
| Shock | 1 gallon liquid shock (10–12.5%) | Add in the deep end at night and run the pump 24 hours. |
| Stabilizer (CYA) | 1 lb raises CYA 7 ppm | Split the dose: part directly in the pool, rest in the skimmer basket in portions. |
| pH — to lower | 16 oz muriatic acid lowers pH 0.2–0.3 | Add near the return jets with the pump running. |
| pH — to raise | 1 lb soda ash raises pH 0.2 | Dissolve in a bucket of water first, then add. |
| Total Alkalinity | 1.5 lbs baking soda raises TA 10 ppm | Sprinkle across the pool surface with the pump running. |
| Calcium Hardness | 1 lb calcium chloride raises CH 10 ppm | Split the dose: part directly in the pool, rest in the skimmer basket in portions. |
Scale to your pool size. A 20,000-gallon pool needs double the amount. Don't know your volume? Ask your Fireside PM — it's in your build specs.
Your Fireside pool runs on Jandy equipment — one of the most reliable packages available.
Your VS pump cuts energy use by up to 90% compared to old single-speed pumps. Aim for 8–12 hours of circulation per day in summer and 6–8 hours in winter.
| Speed | RPM Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 1,500 – 1,800 RPM | Normal filtration, nighttime circulation, quiet running |
| Medium | 2,200 – 2,600 RPM | Salt cell chlorination, vacuuming, better skimming |
| High | 3,000+ RPM | Backwashing, priming, spa mode, heavy vacuuming |
Clean your cartridge filter when the pressure gauge reads 8–10 PSI above your clean baseline. Write the clean pressure on tape on the filter housing. Rinse the cartridge with a garden hose every 4–6 weeks and replace it annually.
If your build includes a Jandy AquaPure salt system, your pool generates its own chlorine from dissolved salt. You still need to test with strips weekly — salt systems automate chlorine production, not water management.
Normal chlorine production is 30–50%. Heavy use or hot weather: up to 60% max. After shocking, turn it to 0% until chlorine drops back to normal, then restore your usual setting.
When the display says "Clean Cell," soak it in a 4:1 water-to-acid mix for 5–10 minutes, rinse, and reinstall. Always add acid to water — never water to acid — and wear gloves and eye protection. Or call a professional at (864) 658-7780.
All Jandy manuals are published publicly at Jandy.com. The model number for each piece of equipment is printed on a label at your equipment pad.
Pool care is mostly habit. Once the routine is built, keeping your pool perfect takes under ten minutes a day.
Hand-picked for Fireside pool owners with Jandy equipment. Swim University is the gold standard for clear, accurate pool education.
Most pool problems have simple causes and simple fixes. If it continues, call (864) 658-7780. For equipment error codes, call Jandy at 1-800-822-7933.
Cause: Low chlorine, high pH, or the filter needs cleaning.
Fix: Test first. If chlorine is below 1 ppm, shock. If pH is above 7.8, add muriatic acid. Run filter 24–48 hours continuously. New gunite plaster milkiness in the first two weeks is normal — brush daily and keep the pump running.
Cause: Chlorine dropped below 1 ppm — common after heavy rain, a hot week without testing, or high swimmer load.
Fix: Brush all walls and floor aggressively. Lower pH to 7.2–7.4. Triple-dose shock. Run pump continuously. Vacuum dead algae to waste.
Cause: A strong chlorine smell means too little free chlorine — combined chloramines cause the odor. The fix is adding more chlorine, not less.
Fix: Shock the pool. Bring combined chlorine below 0.5 ppm.
Cause: Air in the pump, clogged strainer basket, a closed valve, or a cracked pump lid O-ring.
Fix: Turn pump off. Confirm all valves are open. Clear the strainer basket. Inspect the pump lid O-ring. Refill the pump with water, replace the lid, and restart. If water still isn't moving, call (864) 658-7780 right away — running dry destroys the seal.
Cause: Usually evaporation. Run the bucket test before assuming a leak.
Bucket test: Fill a bucket with pool water, set it on a step, mark both levels. After 24 hours: if the pool dropped more than the bucket, you likely have a leak — call (864) 658-7780.
Cause: Calcium hardness or pH consistently too high.
Fix: Light scale: use a pumice stone on tile. Heavy deposits: diluted muriatic acid with a tile brush. Long-term: keep pH at 7.4–7.6 and calcium below 400 ppm.
Cause: Almost always pH out of range — most often too low.
Fix: Retest pH and alkalinity. Adjust pH to 7.4–7.6. If pH is in range, check combined chlorine and shock if above 0.5 ppm.
Cause: Could be a flow fault, power issue, sensor fault, or safety alert.
Fix: Note the exact code and model. Do not bypass a safety fault. Call Jandy at 1-800-822-7933.
Good news: Upstate SC pools rarely need full winterization. Your care routine just shifts with the seasons.
As water tops 60°F, algae becomes active again. Increase run time to 8–10 hrs and add a preventive algaecide dose.
Test weekly in July and August. Shock every week at dusk. During heat waves run the pump 10–12 hours.
As water cools below 60°F, reduce run time to 6–8 hours. Add a winter algaecide dose in November.
Your Jandy pump has built-in freeze protection — it turns on automatically when temps approach freezing. Keep testing weekly.
SC pools rarely need full winterization. If anything looks off, call (864) 658-7780.
Three different jobs, three different calls. Calling the right one first saves everybody a trip.