Above ground pool chemicals - Help!

[Kindnest]

My favorite little cousin coming to swim tomorrow and I can’t get these chemicals right! I’m getting panicky.

It’s a summer wave 14 ft- I think. Had it two years.

It looked pretty good after I took the winter cover off.

New pump, added water, vacuumed, water clear. I added very little chlorine, tabs in floater, didn’t shock.

Yesterday- water crystal clear
chlorine/ steady 3.00
Ph was low- 6.8- I added ash - maybe too much
Today - ph was 8.2, lowered with one drop of acid demand test, so I thought it was total alkalinity.
Total alkalinity was 60- added baking soda rose it to about 70.
Ph is still high-
Water taste a little funny—

Not sure what to do/ should I add more baking soda- get alkalinity up- or try ph riser —-
Chlorine seems ok- should I add another tab

- water is very clear—

Can my cousin swim in the pool?

 

[mknauss]

How do you test the pool water chemistry?
To swim, you need the FC to above minimum for the CYA. What is your CYA?
The pH should be in the 7's. Using Soda Ash to raise pH is too big a hammer as it effects TA more than pH. If your TA is above 50 ppm, the pH will rise to the 7's.

 

[Kindnest]

Hi,
I used the Pool master 5-Way Test Kit.
It doesn’t seem to include a test for CYA.

I agree, the PH Plus (soda ash) was a mistake. But, I did that yesterday. Not sure what I was thinking….

Not sure what to do now.

Today, the PH is at 8.2 after the ash and the TC was about 50.

Today I tried to raise the TC with baking soda and it is now about 70, but Ph is still too high and the water taste funny

I think I should have just done what you said initially with the low PH- raise the TC.

But what do I do now.

 

[PoolStored]

The first thing to do is to get a decent test kit. You are shooting in the dark with the 5 way. Get a kit. Link-->Test Kits Compared

I would add 3ppm of liquid chlorine per day until your test kit arrives. I would not add anything else.

When your test kit arrives, post up your results and we'll get you cleaned up!

 

[mknauss]

Add enough acid to bring pH down to 7.6.
Have you kept track of how much CYA containing products you have added recently? As long as the water is relatively clear and holding at least 3 ppm FC, it will be sanitary.
Tough part is comfort. A high or low pH can bother skin and eyes. Not sure about the taste thing. Likely some after effect of one of the products used.
Best if you can get a CYA test and follow TFPC.

 

[Kindnest]

I meant earlier to ask if I should add something specifically to lower the PH (now that I raised it too much with the ash) or just keep trying to raise the TC.

 

[mknauss]

raise the TC

I am hoping your TC is really TA - Total Alkalinity. At 70, that is fine.

 

[Kindnest]

The first thing to do is to get a decent test kit. You are shooting in the dark with the 5 way. Get a kit. Link-->Test Kits Compared

I would add 3ppm of liquid chlorine per day until your test kit arrives. I would not add anything else.

When your test kit arrives, post up your results and we'll get you cleaned up!

Ok- thank you so much!

 

[Kindnest]

I am hoping your TC is really TA - Total Alkalinity. At 70, that is fine.

Yes- TA— I’m getting panicky for some reason! Thank you so much for your help!

 

[PoolStored]

I meant earlier to ask if I should add something specifically to lower the PH (now that I raised it too much with the ash) or just keep trying to raise the TC.

Use muriatic acid.
Do you have pool math? If not, get it and use the same login as TFP. Configure your pool.
Use the "Effects of adding" function to figure out how much muriatic acid you need to reduce pH by .4.

You should get the app so you can do it yourself. I did that for you. So, add one cup of muriatic acid with the pump on. Pour it in a small stream over a return. Wait 30 minutes and retest. Continue until your pH is in the 7s.

 

[Kindnest]

Ok- thank you so much!

Ok-

Use muriatic acid.
Do you have pool math? If not, get it and use the same login as TFP. Configure your pool.
Use the "Effects of adding" function to figure out how much muriatic acid you need to reduce pH by .4.

You should get the app so you can do it yourself. I did that for you. So, add one cup of muriatic acid with the pump on. Pour it in a small stream over a return. Wait 30 minutes and retest. Continue until your pH is in the 7s.

ok- Thank you for figuring out the muriatic acid. Is it safe to assume this is something I can get from a pool store! Also, to clarify: Are you also saying I should get the liquid chlorine and add in the amount you stated instead of putting the 3 inch chlorine discs in the floater as I usually do?

To make matters worse, I accidentally ordered these 3 inch Mr. Bee Chlorine tablets 200g1 tablet which the instructions say go directly in the water. The instructions are unclear. It says put one in at the end of the day and beginning (takes 3-5 days to dissolve). It says add 2g/cubic meter of water to swimming pool?

Should I just get the liquid chlorine tomorrow and add like you suggested.

I will order the correct kit asap.

 

[PoolStored]

Here is my SUSPICION. You have been using chlorine pucks to chlorinate. Pucks add CYA to the pool. The only way to get CYA out is to drain or exchange water. The only way to really know what your CYA level is, is to get a good test kit. And, that your CYA level is likely very high. Putting pucks in the pool will add more.

Liquid chlorine doesn't contain CYA, so we can manage CYA levels separate from chlorinating.

If you are getting a test kit in the next few days, go ahead and use the pucks. If your CYA is high, the pucks for a few days aren't going to impact the amount of water you may need to exchange all that much.

DO NOT put the Mr. bee in the water or on the liner...they will bleach the liner.

Additionally, if you are going to use them, read this article and make sure the EPA label is on the packaging...

Leslie’s Urges Pool Owners to Stop Using Chlorine Tabs Without EPA Labels

PHOENIX, March 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Leslie’s, Inc. (NASDAQ: LESL), the largest and most trusted direct-to-consumer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry, is urging consumers to immediately stop using chlorinating […]

www.poolmagazine.com

Here are the EPA labeling requirements:

https://lesliespool.com/blog/pool-chemical-safety-and-mandatory-epa-labeling-what-you-need-to-know.html

 

[Kindnest]

Wow- got it!

Thank you again!