So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How

[svenpup]

Does it matter if it is "tech" grade boric acid? Powder or granular?

My experience with powder is documented here.

Other than that no problems. I ordered it through Duda Diesel off eBay, which seemed competitive with the other on line choices.

 

[tedinelkgrove]

Thanks. I must have been reading your mind...I ordered 40lbs of granular boric acid from dudadiesel on ebay.

 

[falken]

FYI, dudadiesel is much cheaper if you buy directly from their website (www.dudadiesel.com) as they aren't paying ebay fees.

 

[caljw]

Target has 20 Mule on sale 2.99. Just picked up 15 boxes and ready to go for it this weekend

 

[DBergeron]

My pool was completed last week, and I did the deal yesterday! You should have seen my wife's and teenage daughter's faces and heard their comments as I poured the Muriatic acid & 20 Mule Team Borax in! Talk about a clean smell! I cleaned out both Walmarts in the area!

Is there anything better to measure my levels with? I can't stand the dip strips which I currently have. It just too hard to figure out what color it is and what level it correlates with. The range is just too great for my liking. Is there a liquid drop test available with a readily apparent change in color?

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

IDK about a drop test - but can your wife and daughter cast a vote on color matching? Perhaps a consensus...

 

[DBergeron]

IDK about a drop test - but can your wife and daughter cast a vote on color matching? Perhaps a consensus...

LOL! Good suggestion! :lol:

 

[JasonLion]

Fortunately it isn't important to hit the borate level exactly. Anything from around 30 to around 80 is alright. If you aim for 50, I doubt you will be far enough off to get out of that range.

 

[DBergeron]

Fortunately it isn't important to hit the borate level exactly. Anything from around 30 to around 80 is alright. If you aim for 50, I doubt you will be far enough off to get out of that range.

Thanks, JasonLion! That's good to know. It's like playing horseshoes!

-Dennis

 

[blue pool]

I had a hard time getting my ph to rise, I needed about 5-7 boxes of borax and areated. Do I need to test my borate level?

 

[hayfarmer]

sorry I am a bit confused, When adding borates to the water(borox) you say to add Boric Acid with it which i understand. But then one post says he Added MA when he did his. Are boric acid and muriatic acid the same thing...

 

[chem geek]

To add borates to the pool, you either add Borax AND Muriatic Acid (added separately) or you just add Boric Acid. Borax is a base so will raise the pH while boric acid is only slightly acidic so just somewhat lowers the pH, but even at 50 ppm it's like lowering from 7.5 to 7.2 so can be easily adjusted with some aeration or a small amount of Borax.

 

[hayfarmer]

Thanks chem, now I understand it.. I am thinking about doing it.
thanks again for explaining that.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I had a hard time getting my ph to rise, I needed about 5-7 boxes of borax and areated. Do I need to test my borate level?

Not really - that amount of Borax would only have raised your Borate level by 10-15.
(you can determine this by using the "Effects of Adding Chemicals" section of the Pool Calculator. )

 

[poolhound]

I would like to raise my borate level from 30 to 50 and my numbers are very good except for TA of 60. My PH is 7.3/4 and steady.
I found PIC Roach Killer at Walgreens for 2.99/lb, ingredients are Orthoboric acid 99%. Is this OK to use?

 

[chem geek]

Yes, that's fine to use. Orthoboric acid is a synonym for Boric Acid. Just in case there is something odd in that remaining 1%, try adding some to a bucket of pool water to see that nothing strange happens (I doubt it).

 

[flyboy320]

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned adding something called "soft touch conditioner". Is this something that can be used in place of the borax 20 mule/acid? I assume this doesn't change the PH when added?

If this can be used, how to you calculate how much to add?

I found some in a pool store not far from me called "soft touch conditioner", and for directions, it just said add 2kg/10,000 liters of water, but didn't mention anything about how much in ppm this adds.

 

[dmanb2b]

check the label for the active ingredient...report back and we'll be able to assist

 

[flyboy320]

This is all I could find (I might go down to the store later if I can and read the whole label);

http://www.cheaphottubchemicals.com/Pag ... _Touch.htm

Apparently this is what the store is selling.

 

[chem geek]

They compare it to Proteam Supreme, which is like Borax and requires acid, and to BioGuard Optimizer Plus, which used to be borax but is apparently now boric acid and doesn't require acid, so it's hard to know which this is. You'll have to look at the label to see if the instructions say it requires any addition of acid to compensate for pH.