High TA of tap water

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EllenNLarry

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May 7, 2011
23
South Texas
Okay, having a BIG problem with TA in my pool. So high right now I can't get a reading. I admit that I have NOT been keeping up with it due to summer time activities. I have been testing my FC and pH only & thought I was okay until I did a full test yesterday! I was reading on this forum and decided to check my tap water TA (well water) since I have been having to add lots of water lately with all the evaporation & splash out. It was 330!!! So every time I add water I'm adding TA!
This is NOT my only problem at this point. I have a VERY high CYA level and a VERY high chlorine level.

Full reading today with my T-100
pH 7.5
FC 32!!
CC 0.5
TC 32.5
TA greater than 1100 (I stopped dropping cause it wouldn't turn red!)
CH greater than 1000 (I stopped cause it wouldn't turn blue!)
CYA 100

YIKES!! I am in TROUBLE!
So, this is my plan:
water exchange to drop the CYA (but I will be adding TA by my own tap water) so,
add muratic acid to drop TA, then aerate with my waterfall & point jets up to raise pH back up without adding TA,
I'll do this several times and test in between.

Does that all sound right????? Anything else I'm missing???
We've only had the pool for a few months so I'm new at this and I guess I should've tested more & played less, LOL.
Thanks for any help ya'll can give me :lol:
 
Well, your biggest issue in maintaining your pool is the CYA. I suspect ther possibility of a testing error in your CH and TA results but let's address that a bit later.

Let's get really methodical here and start by testing the pH, TA and CH of your fill water.

Once you post those results, we can help you get an easy path to getting your water in line.
 
My tap water test:
pH 7.2
TA 330
CH 160
TC 0

I also forgot to mention the fact that we have a rock coping that is cemented down and we now have a calcium scaling on the cement that is under water (only the cement not the rock). I don't know if this is causing a problem OR if it's scaling because of imbalance in the water.

I understand the thought of an error in my readings, but when I added the powder to the pool water to test chlorine it was VERY dark red and in my little quick tester (the one that you add 5 drops of yellow & 5 drops of red for chlorine & pH) the water was SO yellow it was ORANGE! So, I'm thinking that I really do have an extremely high chlorine level. Just not too sure why that has happened all of the sudden. I had been keeping it about 3 up till about a week ago when I started seeing it rise.
Thanks- Ellen
 
Okay, those results make sense.

Ellen, you need to drain a good portion of your pool water.....50% or more.....In your case, there is almost no way around it.

Your CYA is too high by double and perhaps even more. Your CH is too high by double and more. Your TA is astonishingly high and refilling is gonna be your best bet.

I would begin immediately. You can safely drain 1/3, fill back to the top with your fill water, and then drain 1/3 again. fill back to the top. Then test for those three parameters.

I am sure you don't want to do that but I see no viable alternative. I don't know exactly how you got to this point, either, and it's irrelevant if you'll stay here on the forum and test and dose carefully with the correct additives.

The pucks are a big part of your problem but there's something else going on, too. Makes no difference, we can all help get you back in shape but you have to get rid of a lot of that water.
 
Thanks!! I knew I needed to water exchange, like you said, no way around it now. With a fiberglass I obviously can not drain 1/3rd all at once. Will I have the same result by putting my vacuum hose at the bottom of the deep end & the hose at the shallow end and exchange all at once?? or do I need to drain to the bottom of the skimmer then fill with the hose and repeat the process??
Does it matter which way I do it?
 
Will I have the same result by putting my vacuum hose at the bottom of the deep end & the hose at the shallow end and exchange all at once??
Click to expand...
That's probably the best way to do it although I would consider eversing those extracting water from the shallow, warmer end and putting the colder water down in the dep end where it may tend to stay without mixing as much as if you put it in on top. I may be all wet on that theory but it makes good sense...especially when I was drinking an adult beverage and thought of it :shock: :shock:

I would also say you could safely drain 1/3 of a fiberglass pool but no more. Your way described above is better though.
 
I'm thinking with enough adult beverages either way won't be a problem. You'll forget you have them running and by the time you wake up and remember it you'll have exchanged several pool volumes and your CYA will be virtually zero! :shock:
 
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