Help get pool corrected

[jenkinlr]

My water is clear but constantly have to add salt for the SWG as well as continually have to add acid to lower PH. Also beginning to get black algae.

My readings are:
FC 1
PH >8.2
T/A 150
CH 170
CY - the black dot never disapeared
salt 2460

Any recommendations on where to start?

 

[JohnT]

Hi and welcome to TFP!

Adding acid is normal. pH rise is normal with a SWCG. Your low CYA is contributing to your acid demand by causing you SWCG to work harder than it should. If you raise it to the level the manufacturer recommends you will be able to maintain chlorine more easily. Your high TA also contributes to the acid demand. Check out the Recommended Levels article for more info.

The only way the salt will drop is by water leaving the pool through a leak or by being drained out when backwashing or carried out by swimmers and splashing. Are you testing it or relying on the generator readout? The test strips are by far the best way to go for salt measurements. Do you have an autofill?

 

[bobodaclown]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Pool School has a lot of good info. Take the salt reading from the SWCG with a grain of salt (no pun intended). My unit tends to jump around a bit so I use the strips and only test quarterly. It will give me a fault light if it drops too low. Haven't gotten to that point, test strips are showing a good level. JohnT has given you great info.

Have you used the pool calculator?

www.poolcaculator.com

It's pretty user friendly and helps. With a SWCG I would suggest you attempt to get your TA down to around 80 or so. It will help with the PH climbing. You may also want to consider using borates to help stabalize the PH if you do lower your TA.

CYA is important with a SWCG. It protects the chlorine from being broken down from the sun.

Also it would help to know what kind of pool and your region.

It's easier to have low CYA and bring it up then have to bring it down. I'm sure those more knowledgeable then me will also chime in.

 

[duraleigh]

I suggest you start by lowering your pH....sooner rather than later.....down to about 7.4 or so.

Once that's done, you will need to shock the pool to rid it of algae. Read how in Pool School. Plan on shocking with liquid chlorine...not the SWG.

When the shock process is complete, you can add CYA to the pool and your chlorine consumption issues will subside.

Ask lots of questions as you go....you'll get lot's of help.

Get that pH down first!

 

[jenkinlr]

Well the only concern as of now is the TA is still 150 all other numbers are much better. How do I reduce my TA?

 

[duraleigh]

How do I reduce my TA?

There is a good article in Pool School that describes the process.