Balancing Issues

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daigleaj

daigleaj

0
Apr 16, 2018
17
Laplace la
Pool Size
17000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Aquapure 1400
I have a plaster pool about 17000 gallons that I had some rebar surface rust staining through. The pool builder came out and drained the entire pool to cut out the 2 pieces of corroded rebar in the gunite. The two areas were patched with new plaster and the pool was acid washed on some areas of staining. Also, the plaster was pressure washed before refilling. The areas are visible since it is a patch but, the pool is 10 years old. I've been trying to get my water balanced for a couple of weeks. I test with a Color Q. I've been loading this pool up with calcium chloride trying to get the hardness up but, Its really not budging. I've probably dumped 60# of calcium chloride and todays test shows CH 250. I'm also having trouble getting PH down. I've been putting muriatic acid in the pool and cannot get it lower than 7.8 I'm following the TFP app to add chemicals accordingly but, I'm not seeing the recovery results as it should be. What could be the problem here? Should I keep putting in chemicals (calcium chloride , muriatic acid) ? I've even tested with another meter and I'm getting similar results.
 
The ColorQ is the problem. It’s reagents don’t work well when the hardness is high and it measures total hardness not just calcium hardness. You’ve also added nearly 360ppn of CH to your pool. You need to stop adding anymore calcium until you can get a reliable test kit to measure CH. I would also suspect your other tests are off too.
 
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I’ve been using the Color Q for years and never had any issues up until this plaster repair and full refill. I’ve had in the past when CH was high the meter would display Hi. I have 2 Color Q meters and both are within each other. I contacted a pool store and they are suggesting for me to get my ALK up first and then adjust my PH before working with the CH. I don’t really trust these pool stores on their knowledge but , I’m desperate for some help. I know their way of thinking is totally different than TFP. This is a picture of my current test. I will take a sample of water to the pool store just to compare. Any other advice would be appreciated.3B455A60-F376-45EE-81D8-1F056DEF32D3.png
 
I will repeat - your ColorQ is the problem with your CH testing. And inaccurate pool store tests will not help your confusion. Get an accurate test kit.

What CH level do you desire? 250 is the minimum but ok.

Your pool store’s recommendations will send you more into the darkness.

What problem are you looking to fix?
 
ajw22 said:
I will repeat - your ColorQ is the problem with your CH testing. And inaccurate pool store tests will not help your confusion. Get an accurate test kit.

What CH level do you desire? 250 is the minimum but ok.

Your pool store’s recommendations will send you more into the darkness.

What problem are you looking to fix?
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Before I had the rebar issue repaired I followed the TFP app according to the recommended levels of all the chemicals based on my 17000 gallons. I was keeping CH around 350 per the app recommendation. Now since I had this repair done and the pool was completely drained and refilled the CH, PH and even the TCL have been off.I would always have FCL and TCL equal as it should be. I’ve added well over 60# of calcium chloride now and no movement. Before this repair/refill when the app said add #’s of chemicals whatever it was it was spot on with the Color Q. I’ve been using the Color Q since day one. This pool is 10 years old and the plaster is still as smooth as it was on the first day. If it wasn’t for the rebar starting to rust stain through, I would have never had this done. The pool builder covered the repair under warranty. I just don’t understand why I was so precise before this repair and now I’m upside down. I’m having a hard time believing it is the Color Q because I know it’s capable of reading higher CH levels.
 
daigleaj said:
I’m having a hard time believing it is the Color Q because I know it’s capable of reading higher CH levels.
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Many, many people have proven the color Qs unreliability here. It's up to you if you choose to listen to the collective wisdom or not.

The color Q can work well at times. But there's no mystery for the times it doesn't.
 
daigleaj said:
I’m having a hard time believing it is the Color Q because I know it’s capable of reading higher CH levels.
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I'd say "was" capable. If I dumped 60# of increaser in my pool and no change on the reading, I'd throw the reader in the trash. That would even be my first inclination with a good test kit, and order new regents.
 
Newdude said:
Many, many people have proven the color Qs unreliability here. It's up to you if you choose to listen to the collective wisdom or not.

The color Q can work well at times. But there's no mystery for the times it doesn't.
Click to expand...
Explain to me why I haven’t had any issues for the past 10 years? I have 2 meters and both are in compliance. Why am I having trouble now since I had 2 pieces of rebar cut out and patched then refilled?
 

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Toxophilite said:
I'd say "was" capable. If I dumped 60# of increaser in my pool and no change on the reading, I'd throw the reader in the trash. That would even be my first inclination with a good test kit, and order new regents.
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I replace my reagents every year and I just got these in in January. I monitor the expiration dates constantly. I have 2 meters that I run side by side and both are within each other.
 
daigleaj said:
Explain to me why I haven’t had any issues for the past 10 years? I have 2 meters and both are in compliance. Why am I having trouble now since I had 2 pieces of rebar cut out and patched then refilled?
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This is typical in failure analysis. Your past experience is causing a bias in your assessment of problem. Step back, think about it. You had a piece of rebar replaced and a patch. You have a device to read chemical levels. Which is really subject to causing water to not change calcium levels? Pools are built every day, new rebar, new plaster, none ever resist CH changes at start up. If anything did result from the new start up after repair, acid wash, etc.... it went to affecting the meters, not the pool, in my book. First stop for me is see what a good test kit says about all this.
 
ajw22 said:
I will repeat - your ColorQ is the problem with your CH testing. And inaccurate pool store tests will not help your confusion. Get an accurate test kit.

What CH level do you desire? 250 is the minimum but ok.

Your pool store’s recommendations will send you more into the darkness.

What problem are you looking to fix?
Click to expand...
I wanted to add that the only reason why I’m going to go to the pool store is to compare their results to mine.
 
I get the skepticism. However, this group is not a bunch of rando's on the internet. TFP has been curated for years, and the collective knowledge of the group here is astounding.

Drop kits are the gold standard for pool water testing. Except for lab based testing, they are the most accurate and repeatable product on the market.

For more of our history with the colorQ and CH...for your reading enjoyment...

Google search results

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
LaMotte ColorQ actually measures Total Hardness and not Calcium Hardness, no matter what LaMotte calls it in their paperwork. Total Hardness depends on a lot of other hardness factors other than just Calcium. Total Hardness depends a lot on your local water.

You got new water. Where did it come from?

We don’t know what the mineral composition of your new water is but I suspect it is different then your old water and that is messing up your ColorQ CH test.

Why are you so wedded to your ColorQ and reluctant to get a better test kit?
 
daigleaj said:
I replace my reagents every year and I just got these in in January. I monitor the expiration dates constantly. I have 2 meters that I run side by side and both are within each other.
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Sorry, I was talking about regents of a good titration drop test kit. Only testing can really trust, as with that there is no intermediary assessment. It's just a tube of pool water and drops of regents, and fresh regents ensure accuracy.
 
daigleaj said:
I wanted to add that the only reason why I’m going to go to the pool store is to compare their results to mine.
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I’ve been down that path, it can cause even more confusion. I persisted with a ColourQ for a while but when it can time for new reagents and cuvettes I swapped over to a Taylor kit with a speedstir. Initially it seemed like a vast improvement, it couldn’t read FC above 10ppm but I overlooked that since I no longer had to self asses colormetric test results. I realised very early that I must handle the cuvettes very carefully to attain constant results. It seamed to work for a while but I eventually found myself trying to match inconsistent results. LaMott offered to test and recalibrate the device with a package that included new new reagents and cuvettes. They confirmed that it tested total hardness and also suggested that the light source does degrade over time.
 
Toxophilite said:
Sorry, I was talking about regents of a good titration drop test kit. Only testing can really trust, as with that there is no intermediary assessment. It's just a tube of pool water and drops of regents, and fresh regents ensure accuracy.
Click to expand...
I'm not married to the Color Q. It's been working fine for the last 10 years up to this point. What test kit would you recommend ?
 

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