TA & PH Question

[piglitlover]

Getting pool from "Swamp to Oasis". Going well...nice very cloudy light aqua color now.

I have a question about a couple of my levels.

I started PH a little low (7.2) because it may go up. After 2 days, it has dropped to 7.0.
Have no Borate tester, so I'm in the dark on that point. :?:
My TA is 110. (CYA is around 32...it keeps fluctuating) :?

So...what do I do about the PH lvl of 7.0? Add Borax? Since I have no clue what the borate lvl is, I am afraid to add Borax without asking u guys first.

Oh...and when adding Borax, do ya just add it straight from the box, or is it best to mix it with water first?

Maybe next year I won't have to bug u guys so much!

 

[piglitlover]

OH...and FC is keeping between 13 & 14.5. Sorry I neglected to state that earlier.

 

[jblizzle]

It would be pretty helpful if you kept all your posts together in a single "story" ... they will get the same attention.

pH test is not valid with FC>10 ... although it usually reads high.

What are you using for the shock process? What would have made your pH drop? {maybe that info is in your other posts}

 

[JasonLion]

Using borax to raise the PH will not have any significant effect on the borate level. It takes really large quantities of borax to make any significant change in the borate level.

 

[piglitlover]

Thanks, Jason. If PH is still low tomorrow, I will add the borax. Hoping I can handle the rest on my own.

jblizzle...using BBB method, although til now havn't had to use Soda or Borax, only liquid chlorine (household).

 

[piglitlover]

Raised PH to 7.3
CYA about 33

Now FC will not hold at all. I raise it to 13 and it drops to 11 fast. Running out of chlorine reagent because of having to test so much. Pool looks no different from yesterday. I havn't left the house for 3 days due to testing constantly. Would really like to get in and brush, but still can''t see because of the cloudiness, and not sure at what FC level is safe to enter for any long period of time. Any suggestions?

 

[JasonLion]

Do I remember correctly from another topic that you are cleaning up a major swamp? (One of the reasons it is nice if you keep things together in one place.)

If cleaning a major swamp, then I would totally expect the pool to drink up chlorine like a champ for some time before things stabilize. You can take FC up higher than I think you are, say up to 20 each time, which will let you go a little longer between tests while still having FC at 10+ before the next time you add more chlorine.

Getting in should be fine with FC up to 13. Some people go in at much higher levels. Brushing would be a really good idea.

 

[JasonLion]

Also, how much chlorine you lose overnight is a really good indicator of how much progress you are making. Once your overnight loses start to fall, it is worth easing up on how much chlorine you use during the day time, since at that point you are losing most of your chlorine to sunlight rather than to cleaning up the pool.

 

[piglitlover]

Thanks again, Jason!! Next chlorine refill I'll boost it a little...well...a lot...lol. And yes...I'm Swamp Girl. Sorry about the crazy posts, but I thought we had to post by subject in the correct category. I live in the boon docks in the country and have no lights at the pool, so I do lose overnight because I can't refill as late as I wish I could. It stinks bein' a country gal!

 

[duraleigh]

piglitlover do you have two usernames on the forum?