Borax in 2 steps

[astronaut888]

Have some time tomorrow to start adding borates.
Have the Borax and MA enough to get a little better than half way to 50

Won't have a chance to get more borax/MA until next week and wondering if I should just wait and do all at once?

I imagine the answer is probably to just wait, however, as with most additions, most around here suggest adding less than you think you'll need with other chemicals and then testing to see if more needed - so, I was thinking that this may be ok for adding borates too.

Presently borate free - prior to recent liner replacement and water refill, I had borates in the pool in the form of "optimizer" from bioguard.

Can't see a problem with getting borates "half way" there and then completing the process a few days later.

Any input?

 

[woodyp]

I don't see a problem either.

 

[Butterfly]

Assuming you got your TA where you want it.........

1/2 now and 1/2 later sounds like a good plan. You already got some borate test strips?

 

[astronaut888]

Assuming you got your TA where you want it.........

1/2 now and 1/2 later sounds like a good plan. You already got some borate test strips?

Don't have test stips yet
However, If i'm only going to take half way there they wouldn't be necessary until I was ready to finish the process.

 

[bobodaclown]

No problem doing that way. I'm lazy and am using boric acid now. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/37456-Boric-Acid-the-easy-way

 

[RobbieH]

Me too. I get it from Duda Diesel. A little higher but SIMPLE.

 

[astronaut888]

Assuming you got your TA where you want it.........

1/2 now and 1/2 later sounds like a good plan. You already got some borate test strips?

Couldn't pool store also test for borates? They used to "test" for my optimizer level - and - to my knowledge that is simply borates
I wouldn't necessarily trust their readings - just wondering of anyone here is aware of pool places checking for borates

 

[poolnoob.ca]

That's what I did and it went fine. I bought the borax but didn't have enough mur acid on hand so I did as much as I could with the acid I had then did the rest when I got more m.a. a few days later

 

[astronaut888]

Seems the same concept as adding CYA to me.

Little at a time is fine until reaching your desired point.

 

[astronaut888]

Well I'll be darned
Using pool math - calculated borate addition for what I had on hand - 7 boxes borax - which should take me half way there
TA is 90
Added directly to pool and brushed 2x
Went straight to MA addition - 2 gallons and brushed thoroughly again
Checked this morning and pH is 7.5 and TA is still 90(!)

No idea what borate level is bc don't have the test - by calculations should be 23

Gonna try and get the rest of the Borax today and I hope and do round 2 tonight

Hopefully I will have similar positive outcome with this next addition
I was afraid of goofing pH or TA significantly

As for testing borates - I'll get to that - but can't see the harm in being uncertain for a while - I know they're there right (?)

Gonna order a test kit for borates instead of letting pool store check as I'm in no hurry

 

[woodyp]

Borates should be close enough for hand grenades and horse shoes with your known gallons and using pool math. I'd worry about gettin' that PH right a whole lot more.

 

[SwimAustin]

You probably don't even need test strips now. Add enough to get to about 50 ppm and you're close enough. However, you will want test strips next time (in a year or so) so you know how much you have left.