Numbers using my NEW tft-100 test kit!

[treefarmer]

I noticed when we had the pool built they started it with Borate so I got the test strips to see how much was still in there. Also the magnetic mixer is GREAT!! Well worth the $30. Below are my numbers. Not sure what to attack first. TA high - CH low - Cya low? - Borate low?
FC 7.5
ph 7.5
ta 170
ch 220
cya 35
borate 15
temp 78
csi .15 ?? got this from the pool calc.
Thanks,
Tod

 

[acroy]

I'd suggest nuke the TA down to a good level, then aerate to bring the pH back up.

After that, depends on your plans. Do you plan to use the 10-puck chlorinator in your sig? That will drive up CYA pretty quick.

CH will go up pretty quickly in TX due to evaporation and refilling - suggest leave that alone for now, get csi slightly negative to avoid scaling. Also if this is a new pool, I understand CH may go up of it's own accord due to the new surface.

enjoy!

 

[JasonLion]

You don't have any pressing issues right now. So you can take your time and adjust things as convenient.

How are you adding chlorine? If you are using trichlor pucks you should leave TA alone. If you are not using trichlor it is best to lower TA the lazy way by simply lowering PH to 7.2 any time it gets up to 7.8. Or you can follow the lowering TA procedure as spelled out in Pool School

I wouldn't raise CH until TA comes down below 120.

You can adjust CYA any time.

If you are going to be lowering TA, you might want to hold off on raising the borate level until TA comes down some.

 

[treefarmer]

This pool was built in 2007 or 2008. I don't plan on using the pucks anymore. Do I get the TA down by reducing the Ph 7.0 or 7.2? I do have about 6 or 7 1 lb bags of trichlor that my wife wants me to use up before I switch to bleach. they have CYA in them but not sure how much. I do have an automatic water leveler that sits on the skimmer and runs off of water pressure. It's hard to get it to keep the level above the plaster but below the overflow.

 

[JasonLion]

You can figure out how much CYA each bag of trichlor will add by using the Effects of Adding Chemicals section of the Pool Calculator (near the bottom).

The whole lowering TA process is explained in How to Lower Total Alkalinity.