Well Water Tests are in

[jvmjr]

I hope this is a case of some good news with maybe some bad (hopefully not much bad). I will have a 28k plaster pool in a couple of weeks so I had my well tested. It is used for irrigation only.

All listed in ppm unless otherwise indicated

Sodium 474.4
Calcium 199.6
Boron 1.6
Magnesium 72.2
Potassium 4
Nitrate-N 2.8
Chloride 485.3
Sulfate 847.4
Bicarbonate 269.1
Copper 0 :-D
Manganese 0
Iron 0 :-D
Total dissolved solids 2290.2
pH 8.4
EC (umhos/cm) 3470
Hardness (ppm, 17.1 ppm = 1 grain/gal) 795 (very hard, I should be able to walk on water, lol)
Alkalinity (ppm as CaCO3) 220.6
Sodium % 56.5
NH4-N --
ICAP-P --

So what can I expect? I assume I won't need to add as much salt. Also need to bring the pH down. I really don't know what else. I will have a SWG and I hope to follow BBB and add borates if possible. Any insight/help/hints are greatly appreciated.
Jay

 

[JohnT]

I expect your biggest problem will be your hardness. I'm not sure of the terminology. but if that 795ppm hardness is equivalent to calcium hardness in a pool, you will not be able to use that water for the pool. Do you have any other water source available, like hauling water in for the pool?

Can you post where you live, so people can give better advice or offer alternatives?

 

[jvmjr]

I live in Oklahoma (added to my user info). Can you not make hard water softer? If I am reading the levels correctly on my report vs ideal levels, the hardness is double what it should be???

 

[JohnT]

I live in Oklahoma (added to my user info). Can you not make hard water softer? If I am reading the levels correctly on my report vs ideal levels, the hardness is double what it should be???

You can make hard water softer, but it requires either a water softener (Household softeners aren't designed for that volume), which replaces the calcium with sodium, or reverse osmosis treatment, but that's probably not available in your area.

Calcium hardness will continue to increase in your pool. As water evaporates, it leaves the calcium behind, and when you replace the water, it adds even more calcium to the pool. If conditions are right, the calcium can form hard patches on the pool surface (scaling). Your high TA will tend to drive pH up and high pH, high TA and high CH is the recipe for scaling.

Far simpler to start with low CH and low TA water.

 

[jvmjr]

I know that everyone around here uses a ton of acid in their pools. The hard water must be why. I will try to test my CH with a kit to see what it says and go from there. Thanks for the help.

 

[jvmjr]

JohnT,
So I called my water department and she said her water tests out at less than 10 grains. So I assume using the formula of 17.1=1 grain that the city water would test at 170 or less in hardness. Am I correct on my calculations/assumptions?

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, jv,

I know that everyone around here uses a ton of acid in their pools. The hard water must be why

Acid is used in your pool to lower the pH and will not affect calcium hardness.