Problem with ph

[Sallie]

I've had pools for years, but I'm having a brain fog I guess. Here's the deal. We didn't close our pool down this winter. We just run the pump any time that the temp was freezing or below. I've had a lot going on over the past couple of months and have been distracted. My pool is now a dark green. I checked the ph, which was over the top. I used the Pool Calculator to determine how much muriatic acid to use. I had to add it several times. I figured that today I would finally be to the point that I could finally shock tonight. I checked the ph today, and it's way up (over the top). Don't think it's the pool kit. It's the good one, can't think of the name and the ph stuff is fairly new. So I'm wondering what is up and what my next step should be. I haven't done any other testing, and I know the chlorine level would be 0.

 

[257WbyMag]

Sallie, can you go ahead and post your current test results for us?

 

[supertune]

You can pick up a $15 kit at a local Walmart or even some other big box store, even my Pinch a Penny pool store has them cheap.
This way you can confirm if you have a bad reagent for testing your pH. :idea:

Chuck

 

[Sallie]

Okay, picked up a cheap test kit, and ph measured at 8.2, the highest it goes.

Other info:

CL 0, didn't even test it
TA 50
CH 50
CYA filled it all the way to the top and could see the black dot clearly, so my guess would be 0

My test kit was originally a Pool Solutions 232, and I keep my reagents fresh with Taylor products.

Where do I start? In what order do I correct?

 

[Sallie]

I meant that the test kit that I usually use is a PS232.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Since you've verified the pH you need to go ahead and keep working on getting it down. Once you've gotten it into range then start shocking.

 

[Sallie]

Should I start putting stabilizer in?

 

[Richard320]

pH first. It may take a lot more acid than pool calculator says, just because we don't know how far off the scale you are.

Use pool calculator to determine how much stabilizer you need to get to 30 and hang that in a sock in front of a return. Don't waste time trying to test it until a week or so after it has all dissolved.

Then shock. This thread and the article in Pool School will explain it all.

 

[Sallie]

Well, my ph is still over the top. I have never had this happen. The deep end actually looks black, and I can't see through to the bottom of the shallow end. Over the past 2 - 3 weeks, I have added 2 gallons of muriatic acid, a little at a time. I'm not sure what else to do besides drain some of the water out. Can a pool store read a ph higher than my test kit?

 

[linen]

What concentration of Muratic Acid are you using? 2 gallons is a lot of MA( assuming 31.5%) for your size pool especially with that low of TA. You can add quite a bit of MA at one time. If your test is showing 8.2, use that in pool calculator and shoot for 7.2...I get that you should add 42 ounces of 31.5% MA. Add it all let it circulate for a couple of hours then measure ph. Recalculate using poolcalculator and re-dose. Once you have ph in a measurable range, then we can see how fast it is changing.

 

[duraleigh]

Can a pool store read a ph higher than my test kit?

It doesn't matter. (actually, they usually can't)

As linen posts above, get your pH down, regardless of how much it takes......there is no side effect and it WILL bring your pH down if you use enough.

You only have to wait a couple of hours at max between doses so there is no reason your pH can't be around 7.5 by this afternoon.

 

[Sallie]

I have to go buy some more MA. I'm pretty sure I checked the strength according to the pool calculator. But I will go buy more and work on it. This is strange since we have not had much rain nor have I added water to the pool. Thanks for everyone's help.