Should I lower my PH prior to shocking/opening pool?

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tracyd

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2013
52
North Kingstown, RI
FC 4
CC 4
PH 8.2
TA 80
CYA 25
CA 130

I was hoping to get alittle help from the start this year from the folks who know best (that would be you!!!). Last year I got into a heap of trouble listening to the "pool experts" at the pool supply store. Yeah...I ended up with a CYA of over 200, mustard algae, and a whole lot of money wasted :(. If I understand correctly, I must first adjust my PH prior to shocking? After shocking my PH will temporarily rise- this is a false "rise"? I also drained 1/3 of my pool water and refilled it. Im just kind of surprised my CYA went from 200-25. maybe all the rain and snow over the winter? Would you recommend leaving it there? I planned on using liquid chlorine this year to keep my CYA in check but I do have pucks left over- nervous about using as they are stabilized. Any advice would be so helpful. If I have another year like last year Im seriously thinking about filling in my pool (with dirt!!!) I live in RI and my pool is 36,000 gallons. Thank you! Tracy
 
When was the CYA 200? Last year? If so, and based on the CC number, you may have ammonia to deal with ... search for the MANY threads about this that have happened this year.

Yes you need to lower the pH before you start to eliminate the ammonia and then SLAM to clear up the water.

You have a big pool, so each 8oz tablet of trichlor is only adding 1ppm of CYA.

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Do you have one of the Recommended Test Kits that is required to properly SLAM?
 
Thanks jmbradwell! jblizzle....Yes, last year the CYA was 200. I did replace 1/3 of the water over the weekend and we got alot of snow/rain over the winter- I had to pump water out of the pool it was so high. But 200-25? Does that seem possible? Ammonia? Your making me nervous...Im going to look into the ammonia issue. Thanks
 
jblizzle.. there is a possibility that algae "ate up" all of the CYA- hence the large drop and now the pool is full of the biproduct-better known as ammonia? I dont think Im bright enough to keep up with all this pool chemistry!

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How do I get rid of the ammonia if its positive?
 
not algae, some bacteria may have converted it to ammonia. You get rid of ammonia like anything else ... add chlorine. Do you have the FAS-DPD chlorine test? If so, test FC and CC, add enough bleach to target 10ppm. Circulate for 30 minutes and test FC and CC again ... rinse lather repeat until the CC drops and the FC starts to hold. Then continue the normal SLAM Process.
 

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Not if you measured 25ppm. You could raise it slightly AFTER getting the ammonia gone (if it exists).
You have yet to confirm what test kit you have and whether that CC of 4.0 was correct or a typo or a misunderstanding of the acronyms.

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You need to order it ... you will not likely find it locally. So how did you get the results you posted?
 
Well, I rescind all recommendations based on the newly revealed knowledge that they were based on notoriously bad pool store testing and reserve the right to update said recommendations pending posting of test results using an appropriately recommended test kit. ;)
 
Would not hurt to get the water tested for ammonia, but at this point I do not believe any of the CYA numbers. You can lower the pH for now and I suppose add some a couple bottles of bleach every day, but impossible to recommend more than that with the test kit.

While waiting, please add your pool details to your signature and location to your profile as described HERE as it will help us help you.

How much Pool School have you read?
 
Recommended Test Kits

The TF-100 is the best value and with the need to SLAM, I recommend the XL option as well as the SpeedStir (but this is not required).

Note if you become a supporter (see link in signature or button at the upper left of the page), you get a $10 discount on the test kit and help keep this forum running.
 
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