Need a little help with current numbers

[HarryMichael]

Saturday I tested with my new TF-100. The numbers were somewhat sad!
FC-30
CC-0
TC-30
Ph-6.5
T/A-80
CYA- 60-70?
TEMP-82°

So, after a few Hard rain storms this is what I've done to date. I've reduced the pump run time from 12hrs down to 8hrs and reduced chlorine intake down about 40% on the Rainbow so sending less chlorine to pool.
Numbers today:
FC-23
CC-.5
TC-23.5
PH-7
T/A-70
CYA-95
TEMP-80

Should I add some baking soda to bring down that 23 FC? Should I also shut off the chlorine intake for a few days until the FC is down? I need help with this one.
Thanks, Harry

 

[ktdave]

I would definitely turn the auto chlorinator off for a few days until you get a FC reading of about 8-10 ppm. pH should be about 7.4-7.6. You can use borax or soda ash to bring it up. Your CYA is getting a bit high using the chlorine tabs, might want to consider switching to liquid chlorine for a while, optimum is about 30-50 ppm. The only way CYA goes down is replacement of water (dilution).

 

[duraleigh]

Harry,

I'd suggest turning the chlorinator down some more. Your FC is too high and your CYA is probably too high.

Do another CYA test....something is wrong with one of them but I can't tell which.

Confirm your pH of 7.0.....first test of 6.5 seems incorrect as pH test only drops to 6.8.

 

[HarryMichael]

Dave, my first test last Sat..the color seamed below the 6.8 reading and my chlorine was so high would that not throw off my PH reading. I was also getting ready for the LSU game...may have not been seeing clearly!!!

quote from KTDAVE"
pH should be about 7.4-7.6. You can use borax or soda ash to bring it up."

So, from all I have read, should I not bring my FC levels down with some baking soda or pool store SHC before I bring PH up?
Harry

 

[JCJR]

Chlorine will go down by itself through breakdown by sunlight or consumption of organic material. The chemicals you talk about are to control PH and TA which is different.

I know high level of CL affect your PH reading but I am not sure itf it errs to a higher or lower reading.

I would wait to your CL reaches 15 then test ph again and adjust to 7.4- 7.6 range using borax or soda ash if your ph is below this range.

 

[JasonLion]

High FC levels tend to make the PH test read high. At FC of 23, PH would tend to read much higher than it really is. The only way to get a reliable PH reading is to wait till the FC level comes down. When FC is 15 or lower, you should be able to get a useable PH reading (though some people like to wait till 10 or lower). This is assuming the Taylor phenol red PH test, some other PH tests are affected even at somewhat lower FC levels.

 

[HarryMichael]

Thanks...I'm still getting confused with all the chemicals and what they do!!!
Harry

PS...Sorry to all...In my hest to get the info out, I split the post into two posts by accident. I was not paying attention!

 

[ktdave]

Hang in there and ask any questions you need answered.

In the meantime, here is a quote from another forum member about using the BBB (bleach, borax, baking soda) method for chemical maintenance.

It's actually all simpler than most people think. There's no magic, no secret formula.

Basically, you worry about Chlorine and pH--and everything else is ancillary to that.

Chlorine is controlled with bleach. Levels can safely be much higher than pool stores and pool books tell you. You can use nothing but bleach as your chlorine forever.

pH is raised with ordinary 20 Mule Team Borax, lowered with ordinary Muriatic Acid (available at hardware stores and Home Depot/Lowes).

Total Alkalinity is merely (mainly) a buffer to keep pH stable--raise T/A with Arm&Hammer baking soda. Lower it--well that's trickier.

CYA/Stabilizer keeps chlorine from breaking down too fast. But it's a 2-edged sword and the CYA level affects the ideal chlorine level. Easy to add, tough to lower

Calcium is needed for concrete pools, irrelevant for vinyl pools.

Most other chemicals are useless junk. The ones that aren't junk are ONLY useful if something's messed up.

"Shock" is a verb, not a noun. You don't buy "Shock". You "Shock" your pool by raising the chlorine level high enough to kill everything growing in it.

And you can't do anything right without a proper test kit.

That's it in what? Nine lines.

Another good piece of reading is this:

"BBB" or "What are all these pool chemicals?"