We moved to Texas 2 weeks ago. The house we bought has a pool (built in 2010) that is supposedly very easy to maintain. It monitors the water and adds chemicals as needed, has a Polaris 3900 cleaner. Water and pool surfaces look clean.
This is our first experience owning a pool, so we don't know a lot specifically about pool chemistry (other than the great info I've soaked up here), but I work in medical chemistry and hub is an engineer working in oil refining, so we have strong science backgrounds. We noticed that the pH and ORP readings fluctuate a LOT! pH can read as low as 5.1 then up to 9, all in the same day. (I know 16,600 gallons of pool water is not changing that much that rapidly over and over). ORP fluctuates from about 600-800. pH reading on test strips has been ok.
I took sample to Leslie's last week:
FAC 7.5
TAC 7.5
CH 1000
CYA 100
TA 120
pH 7.8
TDS 1100
Pho 300
Guy at Leslie's said we'll probably have to drain & refill due to CH & CYA, but said we could try turning off the automatic chlorine puck dispenser for a couple weeks, and use Fresh'N Clear (oxidizing shock, 38% potassium peroxymonosulfate), 3 pounds every 3 days. Then bring in another water sample May 13.
So, any thoughts on what might be going on with the pH / ORP meter? (Hub already took out the probes to check for build-up; they looked good.)
Any way to avoid drain/refill? (I read online about reverse osmosis but couldn't find anyone in my area who does it).
This is our first experience owning a pool, so we don't know a lot specifically about pool chemistry (other than the great info I've soaked up here), but I work in medical chemistry and hub is an engineer working in oil refining, so we have strong science backgrounds. We noticed that the pH and ORP readings fluctuate a LOT! pH can read as low as 5.1 then up to 9, all in the same day. (I know 16,600 gallons of pool water is not changing that much that rapidly over and over). ORP fluctuates from about 600-800. pH reading on test strips has been ok.
I took sample to Leslie's last week:
FAC 7.5
TAC 7.5
CH 1000
CYA 100
TA 120
pH 7.8
TDS 1100
Pho 300
Guy at Leslie's said we'll probably have to drain & refill due to CH & CYA, but said we could try turning off the automatic chlorine puck dispenser for a couple weeks, and use Fresh'N Clear (oxidizing shock, 38% potassium peroxymonosulfate), 3 pounds every 3 days. Then bring in another water sample May 13.
So, any thoughts on what might be going on with the pH / ORP meter? (Hub already took out the probes to check for build-up; they looked good.)
Any way to avoid drain/refill? (I read online about reverse osmosis but couldn't find anyone in my area who does it).