Municipal water PH level >8.5

[newuser2011]

Hi everyone,

I have recently purchased an Intex above ground pool. It is 6000 gallons and has a sand filter and a salt water chlorine generator. I filled the pool with municipal water, added salt, ran the pump for 12 hours, and then ran the salt water generator for another 8 hours.

The next day, I test the water in the pool, and chlorine is fine. Salt is high (5400 ppm) ; I guess I put too much salt (220 lbs. instead of 150 lbs.) and PH is some number beyond 8.5. The color was red which was not on the chart. Anyway since the salt level was high, I did not worry about the PH level, and I started draining the pool to add fresh water to lower the salt level.

As the pool was draining (only 1/4 of it) I thought I would test the municipal water, so as the faucet was running I cupped my palm and put the test strip in it for 5 seconds. After waiting for 10 seconds, I was surprised at the result. The reading was more than 8.5.

I do not know if this is even possible. Anyhow. Now the pool will be refilled, but I am afraid since the municipal water has high a high PH level, the end result will be same.

Is muriatic acid the only solution? Before I drained the pool, I added 36 ounces of PH Minus and it made no difference.
What would you advise?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Addin fill water that high in pH is gonna require adjusting. Muriatic acid is the best way to do it. Use Pool Calc to figure out how much you need but only put half tha amount in there and test again.

You also need a better kit than strips. They usually get pH close sometimes but everything else is way off.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

It is important what the TA of the fill water is. If the fill water has low TA it will be very easy to correct. But if the TA of the fill water is high you are going to need to stock up on muriatic acid.

 

[Richard320]

Test strip, huh?

Since you asked what would I advise....I advise you to get a proper test kit. And use pool calculator. For a 6000 gallon pool, even huge pH adjustments won't take but a few ounces of acid at a time.

 

[fuzzy_dba]

As the pool was draining (only 1/4 of it) I thought I would test the municipal water, so as the faucet was running I cupped my palm and put the test strip in it for 5 seconds. After waiting for 10 seconds, I was surprised at the result. The reading was more than 8.5.

IF you put the water in your hand it would have contaminated any test, not to mention testing with strips is known to be inaccurate.
You may/may not have a real problem, the key is a valid test with a drop-type test kit... Then you will know what type of problem you might have. Otherwise it's a Crud-shoot.

Muratic is the best way, provided you know what the real starting point is and how much to add at a time, otherwise you'll add too much and overshoot to the acid side.