Let's give this a try, it's a first for me. I have an inground vinyl pool 16 x 32 (roughly 80,000L). We opened it the first weekend in June, I live in Montreal Canada.
We did all are usual steps and all was good within a few days. I test the water on a regular basis but I must add, I do not have one of those super fancy testing kit although it does test the chlorine, ph, acid demand and alkalinity. I also have the strips. Last week when I tested, my chlorine was high (FC) 5 but it was saying my PH was 6.5 and TA 0. I proceeded to test with the other kit and it showed the same results for the PH, so I did the TA test and it said to add 2.79 kg of soda ash (sodium bicarbonate). During all this time, algae is forming, so we added algaecide. I did add the soda ash and not much has changed. So I bought another kit figuring mine was old and the products were no longer effective.
The new kit showed the FC between 1 & 3, PH was 6.5 so I proceeded to the TA test. It requires 2 drops of ALK-10, then 5 drops of ALK-20, which is green and the instructions does say the sample will be green. This is followed by adding a drop at a time of ALK-30 until the sample turns red. Well when I put the 5 drops of ALK-20, my sample goes red right away which leads me to believe the alkalinity is too high! Am I correct to assume this? By what I've been reading, if this is the case, my PH should be up as well and it's not. We are not quite sure what to do next and I totally agree, pool store do a fine job of selling us all sorts of chemicals/products. Tonight, we superchlorinated. Certainly hope to see an improvement in the morning.
Can I add PH+ to up my PH without it affecting the TA? I know they are related somehow but not sure how to go about it. We did not have this issue last summer. We have add a lot of rain lately and gorgeous weather is forecasted and I want to be able to swim in my pool.
Extra info - I have a sand filter - Hayward Pro Series High Rate Sand Filter.
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
We did all are usual steps and all was good within a few days. I test the water on a regular basis but I must add, I do not have one of those super fancy testing kit although it does test the chlorine, ph, acid demand and alkalinity. I also have the strips. Last week when I tested, my chlorine was high (FC) 5 but it was saying my PH was 6.5 and TA 0. I proceeded to test with the other kit and it showed the same results for the PH, so I did the TA test and it said to add 2.79 kg of soda ash (sodium bicarbonate). During all this time, algae is forming, so we added algaecide. I did add the soda ash and not much has changed. So I bought another kit figuring mine was old and the products were no longer effective.
The new kit showed the FC between 1 & 3, PH was 6.5 so I proceeded to the TA test. It requires 2 drops of ALK-10, then 5 drops of ALK-20, which is green and the instructions does say the sample will be green. This is followed by adding a drop at a time of ALK-30 until the sample turns red. Well when I put the 5 drops of ALK-20, my sample goes red right away which leads me to believe the alkalinity is too high! Am I correct to assume this? By what I've been reading, if this is the case, my PH should be up as well and it's not. We are not quite sure what to do next and I totally agree, pool store do a fine job of selling us all sorts of chemicals/products. Tonight, we superchlorinated. Certainly hope to see an improvement in the morning.
Can I add PH+ to up my PH without it affecting the TA? I know they are related somehow but not sure how to go about it. We did not have this issue last summer. We have add a lot of rain lately and gorgeous weather is forecasted and I want to be able to swim in my pool.
Extra info - I have a sand filter - Hayward Pro Series High Rate Sand Filter.
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
