New pool and test kit...looking for advice

[PGA1118]

Hi all,

My wife thought it would be a great idea to get a pool for our kids. "They are only young once, you know." Well, we know have a pool (Intex AG 16'x48", sand filter) and the kids are thrilled.

I started this adventure with zero knowledge but luckily stumbled onto this forum before I even started putting the pool up. We bought our setup used from a neighbor that gave us all the equipment we needed, chemicals and lots of advice. Included in the setups was a two part ph and chlorine (oto) test kit and a new bottle of 7-way strips. Seemed like I was off to a great start. (Hey, what did I know...)

Got water in the pool, threw in some liquid chlorine (at least I did that right). Next day, chlorine was gone and I learned about stabilzer. Kept reading here and realized I had a lot to learn. Went through pool school and realized that I needed a better test kit. Went to the pool store for their free testing and the girl there came out with the same test strips I was already using. She then proceeded to tell me all of the things I needed for my pool. Let me just say, thanks all of you here. If it weren't for the reading I had done on the forum, I would have spent a LOT of $$ that day.

I went home and ordered my TF-100 and hoped the pool didn't turn green before I got the kit.

Well, the kit came today and I ran my first tests. Here are the results

FC: 1.5
CC: 0.5
PH: 7.8
CYA: 20
TA: 450
CH: 625

I went right out and added more liquid chlorine to get my FC up to 3 per the chlorine/cya chart and I have some stabilzer left so I will be getting my CYA to 30-40 in short order. PH is a little high, and I have some PH down for that (will get some muriatic acid soon).

My questions are about the TA and CH. Admittedly, I have only lurked around here for a few weeks, but those seems high (like I did something wrong, high...but I did the test twice).

All advice is welcome.

Thanks.

 

[mgmoore7]

Looks like you are off to a great start.

PH is at the upper limit, you can bring it down a little if you want and with each time that you add acid to lower ph, it will lower total alkalinity.

Here are the instructions to lower total alkalinity: Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

I will let the others chime in on calcium hardness.

 

[atttech-2]

Not much you can do about the CH must be in the fill water. I would test the tap water if you get a similar result that will confirm it. Many have levels that high, I would keep your pH on the low side of the range and lower the TA. You want to keep your CSI on the slightly negative side say around -0.3 that should avoid scale. You can see the CSI level change in PoolMath as you adjust pH and TA.

 

[PGA1118]

Thanks MGMOORE7. I am working on the ph now. This morning it was down to 7.5.

ATTTECH-2, great idea to test the fill water. I will do that after work tonight. I am not sure what CSI is and its function, but I see how the component parts impact it in Pool Math. I guess I have a little reading to do...so much to learn. Thanks for your insight.

It is really great to have a resource like this forum.

 

[PGA1118]

Not much you can do about the CH must be in the fill water. I would test the tap water if you get a similar result that will confirm it. Many have levels that high, I would keep your pH on the low side of the range and lower the TA. You want to keep your CSI on the slightly negative side say around -0.3 that should avoid scale. You can see the CSI level change in PoolMath as you adjust pH and TA.

Well, I tested the tap water as suggested. TA was 440 and CH was 550. I think I understand how to get TA down with muriatic acid and aeration. I just have the stock return from Intex and it does not really break the surface of the water, so I will have to come up with something to facilitate aeration. Suggestions are welcome.

Last question, should I be concerned with CH levels that high?