New Pool - first testing and need feedback

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Yes, your CSI is high, but within range. It's not causing a problem. It will go too high if you add calcium right now, and it will go too high if you don't stay on top of keeping your pH in-line like you're doing right now. I think that is what Smykowski is getting at--typically, your calcium level would be considered low, and you'd want to bring it up. But you don't want to do that until your TA drifts down. And you can't push your TA down too fast, or you'll have a problem with CSI too low and not enough calcium. You'll need to wait for the TA to drift down so you can add a little calcium, wait for it to drift, add a little calcium, and so forth.

For now, you're doing great--just keep watching and adjusting pH and FC, and test TA to see what it's doing.
 
Reading #7 (Aug 3 - morning)
ph=7.5
FC=5.5
CC=0
TA=220

My TA went up again. I checked fill water with same test and the TA of othat came out to 280 (I forgot to wipe the dropper off, the first few drops so not sure if it's still as accurate). So if that's true (that the TA of my fill water is that high), what exactly does that mean for me? Does it just mean I'm constantly going to be battling my pH?
 
danacc said:
Yes, your CSI is high, but within range. It's not causing a problem. It will go too high if you add calcium right now, and it will go too high if you don't stay on top of keeping your pH in-line like you're doing right now. I think that is what Smykowski is getting at--typically, your calcium level would be considered low, and you'd want to bring it up. But you don't want to do that until your TA drifts down. And you can't push your TA down too fast, or you'll have a problem with CSI too low and not enough calcium. You'll need to wait for the TA to drift down so you can add a little calcium, wait for it to drift, add a little calcium, and so forth.

For now, you're doing great--just keep watching and adjusting pH and FC, and test TA to see what it's doing.
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed your message from yesterday before I posted mine(page reload issue) I think that explains the ? I asked afterward.

My test kit is about a week old.

Thanks for the help!
 
I am REALLY struggling keeping my pH in line and pretty much adding bleach each day (not sure if that's expected/normal?). Maybe I need additions twice a day? Latest updates below.

I had pH at 7.8 on Aug 3 evening, added some acid to get down to 7.4 target, and when I checked Aug 4 evening it was really hard to read (didn't really look like any of the comparisons - but both wife and I agreed it looked closest to 7.5, so I logged that and didn't add any acid.) I checked on Aug 5 evening though, and it's already at 8.2.

Also like to add that we noticed on Sunday a white calcification (I guess) on the waterline tile where the spa spillway goes into pool. Wife scrubbed it pretty hard and it came clean, but just noting that in relation to all my readings (hadn't noticed it before then). Sounds like I need to address CH but don't want to lower TA too rapidly, but I'm having a hard time lower TA at all, if my fill water is high in TA.

Reading #7 (Aug 3 - morning)
ph=7.5
FC=5.5
CC=0
TA=220
Fill water TA = 280

refilled water
added 12 oz 10% bleach

Reading #8 (Aug 3 - evening)
ph=7.8
FC=4.5
CC=0

37 oz 10% bleach (target 6)
57oz 31.45% muriatic acid (target 7.4)

Reading #9 (Aug 4 - evening)
ph=7.5
FC=4.0
CC=.5 (1 drop clears it)
TA=170

75oz 10% bleach (target 7)

Reading #10 (Aug 5 - evening)
ph=8.2
FC=5
CC=.5 (1 drop clears it)

50 oz 31.45% muriatic acid (all I had, shooting for 7.5)
55oz 10% bleach (emptied bottle, shooting for 7)
 
Abigail K said:
Welcome to TFP!



Just a short note because this has not been addressed - calcium chloride is typically sold as hardness plus/ calcium hardness increaser. For members in colder climate we typically advise the use of de-icer (check ingredients first), but I don't think de-icer is that common in Texas.
See also recommended pool chemicals and ABCs of pool water chemistry.
Click to expand...

I bought Pellets of Fire dei-icer with my Amazon prime account. Is was $28.94 for a 20 lb. bag.
 
Replies in red.
bdaddy said:
I am REALLY struggling keeping my pH in line and pretty much adding bleach each day (not sure if that's expected/normal?). With your current TA levels, your pH swing is expected. As your TA comes down, your pH swing will reduce. Additionally, your pool is realtively new and your plaster is still curing, so that also contributes to your pH swing slightly. Maybe I need additions twice a day? What is your daily FC consumption? Latest updates below.

I had pH at 7.8 on Aug 3 evening, added some acid to get down to 7.4 target, and when I checked Aug 4 evening it was really hard to read (didn't really look like any of the comparisons - but both wife and I agreed it looked closest to 7.5, so I logged that and didn't add any acid.) I checked on Aug 5 evening though, and it's already at 8.2.

Also like to add that we noticed on Sunday a white calcification (I guess) on the waterline tile where the spa spillway goes into pool. The spa spillway will also contribute to pH swing. Again, pH swing will reduce as TA reduces. Wife scrubbed it pretty hard and it came clean, but just noting that in relation to all my readings (hadn't noticed it before then). Sounds like I need to address CH but don't want to lower TA too rapidly, but I'm having a hard time lower TA at all, if my fill water is high in TA. Your current TA is contributing to high CSI, increasing your scaling potential. However, with a plaster pool, you will need to increase CH slightly as your TA comes down.

Reading #7 (Aug 3 - morning)
ph=7.5
FC=5.5
CC=0
TA=220
Fill water TA = 280

refilled water
added 12 oz 10% bleach

Reading #8 (Aug 3 - evening)
ph=7.8
FC=4.5
CC=0

37 oz 10% bleach (target 6)
57oz 31.45% muriatic acid (target 7.4)

Reading #9 (Aug 4 - evening)
ph=7.5
FC=4.0
CC=.5 (1 drop clears it)
TA=170

75oz 10% bleach (target 7)

Reading #10 (Aug 5 - evening)
ph=8.2
FC=5
CC=.5 (1 drop clears it)

50 oz 31.45% muriatic acid (all I had, shooting for 7.5)
55oz 10% bleach (emptied bottle, shooting for 7)
Click to expand...
Post back if you have any other questions.
 
Abigail K said:
As your TA comes down, your pH swing will reduce.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I think my question is how does the TA come down given my circumstances? I had thought you bring pH down to 7.2 or so, then aerate, but I was advised earlier in the thread not to aerate as it will bring my TA down to fast and create issues with my CSI.. So how do I bring it down without bringing it down "too fast"? Just bring it down to 7.2 and NOT aerate?

And how do I keep TA down if my fill water seems to have high TA? Seems even if I get it down (i.e. I got it down from 260 to 180 via the above process before I was advised not to do it, but it rose to 220 again after I re-fill my water)
 
TA comes down whenever you add acid. With a spa spillway and new plaster pH will tend to rise naturally, as you add acid to balance this out your pH will come down.

Did you lose a lot of water? If not, is there a reason for the re-fill?
I'm not sure if the advise was clear, but what was meant is that you do not have to actively aerate to raise your pH.
However, you do need to balance your pH as it rises (bringing down your TA and therefore CSI), and then as your CSI comes down you will need increase CH to keep everything in check.

This might be a little confusing so please ask if there's anything you're still unsure about.
 

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Abigail K said:
Did you lose a lot of water? If not, is there a reason for the re-fill?
Click to expand...

Yea, it does seem to. The pool co. told us if the water goes to a certain point below the overspill drain to fill it up to the bottom of the drain, and I'm finding it gets to that "spot" they told us about every 2-3 days. My pool does have a lot of sun exposure (sun rises and sets length-wise with no shade the whole day) and we're in Texas heat here so it seems to evaporate fairly fast.

So if I understand, the approach I should have is
a) add acid to lower pH (maybe to 7.2)
b) DON'T aerate, it will naturally rise
c) add "small amount" of chemicals to gradually increase CH maybe an hour or so after I added the acid (as TA will have went down due to acid addition)
d) repeat each day, until CH is inline? Then focus more on pH/Chlorine rather than TA at that point?
 
a) Yes
b) Yes
c) Yes, add calcium chloride to gradually increase CH as TA comes down. See recommended pool chemicals and ABCs of pool water chemistry if you haven't already done so.
d) Chlorine is a daily thing. Focus first on FC, then pH, then TA / CH.

Test and report your FC, pH, TA and CH levels in this thread and we will guide you. If you know the water temperature, please post it as well.

Do you know the CH of your fill water?
 
I may be wrong, but nothing I've seen in tfp leads me to believe ph will rise on its own except maybe the spillway provides some aeration-- how much, I have no idea but I suspect not near as much as a homemade aerating system will. You're going to need a lot of dropping pH and TA with the high fill water TA. This aeration thing you're having doesn't compute. Aeration is the simplest way to get pH up so you can acid again to lower both pH and TA ( If lowering TA is really your intention)
 
BOGUS, aeration is NOT a method to lower TA it is a method to increase pH so you can cycle lowering pH and TA to"result" in a lower TA which is what he wants as an end result. I believe I read that correctly. Besides, there's no drastically in aeration"method" is a long, drawn out process that will be complicated every time he has to add tap water.
 
Smykowski said:
Apologies for the late reply....

If the CCs clear up in one drop, consider it 0.

As for the rest, you are in the rare situation where you have to closely watch your CSI. Right now, at a pH of 7.5, you are pretty much perfectly balanced. Your high TA is balancing out your slightly low CH. If you let your pH rise to 7.8, you're still balanced, but you're pushing the upper limit (I'm assuming a water temp of 80°).

My advice is this.....religiously keep your pH between 7.2 and 7.6, and everything else can slowly be adjusted to follow. Each acid addition to keep pH in range will slowly lower TA. As your TA falls, you can slowly raise your CH to keep your CSI near 0. I would avoid the aeration method to lower TA only because you don't want it to drop very fast.

BTW, this conversation is wandering into advanced chemistry, so please ask questions if I lost you anywhere along the way.
Click to expand...

Reposting Smykowski advice. Valid and correct way to do it. Target 7.2 when you adjust your pH, that way it should stay under 7.6 between doses.

Aeration is part of the process used to rapidly adjust TA. Aeration brings pH up, MA brings pH AND TA down. It is the combo that is the magic (not advised in this case due to borderline CSI and young plaster)

pH will naturally rise in a plaster pool due to the curing process. Expect to add MA to control your pH even with no other external factors.

Expect to add CL daily (bleach) it is a daily consumable item.

With a young pool expect to add MA daily or every other day. The more you stay on top of this the sooner your TA will come down and the sooner you will have a stable pool. DO NOT RUSH THE PROCESS.
 
one question about adding calcium chloride to pool - beginner's guide says sprinkle it in deep end, but I see other threads saying to pre-dissolve in a bucket to prevent staining. I have colored pebblesheen and don't want to stain, but I guess it's safe to sprinkle directly in deep per the pool school guide in as long as I brush after I add it? Just want to verify. Pool water is around 90F if it makes a difference.

will update on the results of the suggestions thus far in thread as I will be doing that this afternoon.
 
Here's my latest updates:

Reading #11 (Aug 6 evening - 7pm)
ph=7.8
FC=5.0
CC=0
CH=175
TA=200
CYA=50

50oz 10% bleach (target 7)
94oz 31.45% muriatic acid (target 7.2)

Reading #12 (Aug 6 evening - 8pm)
ph=7.2
FC=8.0
TA=180

74oz calcium chloride (target 200)
 

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