Help with Total Alkalinity

[Cheddardip]

My pool is pretty cloudy with a slight algae look. I've had my chlorine pretty high but it hasn't made a difference. Did some tests and noticed that my Total Alkalinity was high. I need some face to face advice so I went to Lesley ( this is my first pool season). They said that I need to add 6 gallons of muriatic acid to lower TA. This sounded wrong, so I checked pool math and it says something totally different.

Plus I've add about 10lbs of cyanuric acid (used a sock in each skimmer) over 2 weeks ago and my cya is still low.

Test results from Lesley's print out

fac 5
tac 5
ch 250
cya 15
ta 200
ph 7.4
tds 100
pho 1000

I need some hand holding... or some basic knowledge of what to do and why.

 

[Azgirl71]

Please get yourself a recommended test kit. It will be the best investment you will make for your pool.

Definitely do not add 6 gallons of MA. You won't have any PH at all.

Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP!

I wouldn't put much stock in pool store test results. They are not reliable and are subject to wide variations depending on the in-store lighting and the person running the test. The CYA test in particular must be done in the proper lighting in order to get an accurate result. Since the proper maintenance dose of chlorine (FC) is dependent on the CYA level ([FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]), your chlorine may or may not be adequate. If your pool is cloudy and has a "slight algae look", then odds are your FC level is either insufficient, dropped too low at some recent point, or your actual CYA level is higher than what those test results indicate. TA is not the leading cause of this "cloudy" look. TA is almost always the last parameter we worry about. We typically recommend adjusting it only if needed and only after the other parameters are adjusted to be in-range.

In order to practice our methods and make informed decisions you will need to take control of testing your pool with a good test kit. Here are the Recommended Test Kits. I use the TF-100 because it's the best value and they have a freshness guarantee. You can order it here: TFTestkits.net. They ship fast - you should have it in your hands in 2-3 days with normal shipping.

BTW, you can ignore TDS and phosphates.

 

[Cheddardip]

I was under the asumption that pool stores knew how to test water. Just wanted a second opinion.
I do have a TF-100 test kit
My test numbers
FC 3.5
CC 0
TC 3.5
TA 230
PH 7.4

I'm going to add 4 gallons of 12% chlorine.

 

[Azgirl71]

Glad you have a TF 100. Always trust your testing over anyone else's.
Pool stores do know how to test, but their testing is not accurate. That is the problem we have with them.

 

[Divin Dave]

Thank goodness you did not add 6 gallons of acid. That would have not been good.
your pH would have crashed big time.