just opened my above ground pool

[oceanbarrel]

i have a 33ft round above ground cool so its a lot of water approx 27k gallons: my pool was full of leaves and a lot of dead algea on the bottom, but the water is clear here are my readings:
alk 20, ph 6.4, free cl 0, hrd 50, cya 0, should I adjust the ph first or chlorinate the Crud out of it?? Thanks in advance

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

How did you get your test results? Most pH tests do not go that low ... thus I suspect you do not have one of the recommended test kits.
Have you read Pool School to know the proper Shock PROCESS?

Adjusting the pH is always done before the shock process, although you likely also need to add some CYA or you will be losing most of the FC to the sun.

 

[oceanbarrel]

first I used test strips but it didnt even register, so then I used my test kit, with the drops still nothing. so then I used aqua chem smart strips, still seemed low, so then I took my pool water to work, I work in the nuclear field so we have a ph analyzer at work, and thats what it read.

 

[jblizzle]

We do not trust any readings from test strips. Best investment would be to get one of the recommended FAS-DPD kits.

Given that the TA appears low and the pH appears low, you "likely" {assuming the info provided is correct} need to raise the TA up around 70+ppm with baking soda and then raise the pH into the low 7s.

 

[oceanbarrel]

so should i start with 20 mule team borax or with baking soda, my calculations say 50lbs of baking soda that seems excessive.

 

[jblizzle]

You are not doing something right. To raise a 27k pool from a TA of 20 (assuming this is right) to 70ppm would be ~20 pounds using poolcalculator.com

Raise the TA first with baking soda, circulate for an hour, and retest the TA and pH. After TA is set, then adjust the pH if required.

 

[oceanbarrel]

new levels do theses seem correct?

pool is above ground 33ft around, 48"deep approx 27,0000 gallons:

alk 180
ph 7
free cl 10
hrd 150
cya 100

all ive added so far is 18 lbs of baking soda,
3 lbs of stabilizer, and 3.5 lbs of 99% di chloro shock

 

[jblizzle]

Re: new levels do theses seem correct?

Why did you add baking soda? TA is already high.

Why did you add stabilizer? CYA is already too high and the Dichlor is adding even more.

What test kit are you using?

Time for a lot if water replacement to lower the CYA.

 

[oceanbarrel]

Re: new levels do theses seem correct?

before I added chemicals my results were alk 0, ph 6.4, free cl 0, and cya 0. i amusing the aqua chem dipscanswim test, you basically use a strip then lay it on this card, and upload using the iphone and they give you results. Also my pool is completely in the direct sunlight.

 

[jblizzle]

Re: new levels do theses seem correct?

Test strips are the worst possible test, they are not accurate. And I certainly would not trust conversion through the phone as the colors may change.

There is absolutely no way that your CYA went up by 100 given the amount of stabilizer and Dichlor you used ... just proves how bad the strips are.

 

[duraleigh]

Re: new levels do theses seem correct?

Please do not double post. You have two threads running asking the same questions and it is terribly confusing for those of us that try to answer a lot of posts.

Well, I went ahead and merged them because clearly I am the one that was confused :? , jblizzle