Newbie needs some help - CYA test isn't cloudy - chlorine test seems to show nil
- Thread starter rayconk
- Start date
Another question.
Brushed the pool last night and I'm getting some kind of deposit forming on the walls, floor, etc. It's like some kind of calcification or something?
Is that something caused by the levels I have?
Any ideas on what I need to adjust to fix?
Thanks.
Brushed the pool last night and I'm getting some kind of deposit forming on the walls, floor, etc. It's like some kind of calcification or something?
Is that something caused by the levels I have?
Any ideas on what I need to adjust to fix?
Thanks.
It could well be some Calcium scale. All you know is that your pH is off the scale --- you don't know exactly how far. Get the pH down and keep brushing and it may go back into solution.
OK, checked the CYA values after a week and here's where I am:
FC - 2.4
CC - 0
CYA - 50
PH - 7.4
TA - 40
CH - 340
So all in all I feel pretty good about things and am much more comfortable with the tests/etc after having done them all week.
I see my TA, PH and FC are a little low - Will add some bleach - Any recommendations on the TA and PH other than following whatever Pool Math leads me to?
Thanks for your help in getting me started out right!
- Ray
FC - 2.4
CC - 0
CYA - 50
PH - 7.4
TA - 40
CH - 340
So all in all I feel pretty good about things and am much more comfortable with the tests/etc after having done them all week.
I see my TA, PH and FC are a little low - Will add some bleach - Any recommendations on the TA and PH other than following whatever Pool Math leads me to?
Thanks for your help in getting me started out right!
- Ray
- May 23, 2015
- 24,450
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Adjust the TA with baking soda. As you raise the TA, the pH will come up slowly over time. You could raise both at once with washing soda, but you'd likely raise the pH well before you see any change in TA. Best to raise them independently.
If you want to raise the pH, use borax as it will have little effect on TA.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
If you want to raise the pH, use borax as it will have little effect on TA.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
I added 2 lbs of baking soda last night (about half of what was recommended targeting TA of 100) and my TA went from 40 up to 70, that's good.
My Ph hopped up from 7.4 to 8.0 - seemed like a bigger jump than I was expecting - although my expectations don't come from much experience
So I added about 10 oz of 31.45% acid this a.m and we'll see where we're at this evening before I think about more Baking Soda.
Also - FC is at 3.8 and CC is 0 so I didn't worry about any more bleach today.
Make sense?
- Ray
My Ph hopped up from 7.4 to 8.0 - seemed like a bigger jump than I was expecting - although my expectations don't come from much experience
So I added about 10 oz of 31.45% acid this a.m and we'll see where we're at this evening before I think about more Baking Soda.
Also - FC is at 3.8 and CC is 0 so I didn't worry about any more bleach today.
Make sense?
- Ray
- May 23, 2015
- 24,450
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I added 2 lbs of baking soda last night (about half of what was recommended targeting TA of 100) and my TA went from 40 up to 70, that's good.
My Ph hopped up from 7.4 to 8.0 - seemed like a bigger jump than I was expecting - although my expectations don't come from much experience
So I added about 10 oz of 31.45% acid this a.m and we'll see where we're at this evening before I think about more Baking Soda.
Also - FC is at 3.8 and CC is 0 so I didn't worry about any more bleach today.
Make sense?
- Ray
If your CYA is 50ppm, then 4ppm is the floor for FC, i.e., you should never drop below 4ppm. Your target FC should be 6ppm or so.
Ok, I would not have added that much baking soda. Here's the thing about TA - the level of TA simply needs to be adjusted so that your pH is as stable as possible. You have to be careful with adding alkalinity and then adding acid or else you will get into a vicious cycle. Don't add anymore baking soda and simply adjust your pH with acid by only going as low 7.6. Then, allow your pH to rise to above 7.8 before adjusting it again with acid. If the frequency of acid additions are too much, then try lowering the TA by 10ppm. Have you ever measured your fill water for TA and CH?
Do you have any water features or sources of aeration?
Thanks Matt,
I haven't measured my fill water, can do that tonight as I will probably need to add a bit by this weekend.
I don't have any sources for aeration.
Also it's a new pool, don't know if that has anything to do with any advice - completed just before Christmas.
I haven't measured my fill water, can do that tonight as I will probably need to add a bit by this weekend.
I don't have any sources for aeration.
Also it's a new pool, don't know if that has anything to do with any advice - completed just before Christmas.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,450
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Oh yes, new pool is critical...new plaster surfaces will cause rising pH for as much as year to 18 months. I'm surprised your pool water pH got down to 7.4 as that is not typical. Do you know the startup procedure that was used by your PB when the plaster was put in?
Anyway, keep an eye on your pH as it will really want to rise quite a bit. You'll want to keep your TA on the low end as that will help you avoid unnecessary pH rise due to CO2 outgassing form the water. pH rise caused by excessive TA is separate from the natural pH rise caused by new plaster so, while you can control the former, you have little to no control over the latter. Just try your best to keep the pH in the 7.6-7.8 range.
And get your FC up. It should not be dropping below 4ppm, ever.