When doing the alkalinity test my sample turns pink after the 5 drops of r-8 no green at all.
What does this indicate?
What does this indicate?
Alkalinity test
- Thread starter David 9512
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,855
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
- May 3, 2014
- 58,486
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
- May 3, 2014
- 58,486
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
OK -- it would be odd to have zero alkalinity if not using trichlor.
Re do the test. Focus on the procedure and using the correct reagents.
Re do the test. Focus on the procedure and using the correct reagents.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,855
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
If you are 100% confident in both the TA and pH tests and they are still that low, get some baking soda in there ASAP. You want a pH of at least 7.2 and a TA no lower than 50. Go in stages and let it mix for about 30 min so to not over compensate.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,443
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Did someone add muriatic acid instead of chlorine? It’s hard to believe that 10,000 gallons of pool water is that acidic when all that is added is bleach … bleach is alkaline from the excess lye that is in it so it would only raise pH, never lower it.
No muriatic has been added, only bleach and borax. We have had a lot of rain don't remember rain ever affecting the alkalinity on our pool in Florida.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,855
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Rain can sometimes be a bit acidic, but seems unlikely to explain such a large drop in pH and TA. 
Regardless, by now hopefully you have added some baking soda once or twice and let it mixed to follow-up on those numbers. Any changes for the better yet? Back in the "safe zone"?
Regardless, by now hopefully you have added some baking soda once or twice and let it mixed to follow-up on those numbers. Any changes for the better yet? Back in the "safe zone"?
- May 23, 2015
- 24,443
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Bleach and borax will only raise pH. Rain is never acidic enough to cause the kind of drop you are measuring. You’d have to exchange the entire volume of the pool water with rain water and the rain water would have to have very low pH. It’s just not plausible.
Are you sure you are performing the tests correctly?
Be aware that you should not be using the FC test tube for pH measurements. If you test FC and then don’t rinse the tube well enough, the cross contamination can cause the pH test to read exceptionally low. FC, pH, and TA should be run in separate tubes or you should thoroughly rinse them in between with a lot of flowing tap water.
Are you sure you are performing the tests correctly?
Be aware that you should not be using the FC test tube for pH measurements. If you test FC and then don’t rinse the tube well enough, the cross contamination can cause the pH test to read exceptionally low. FC, pH, and TA should be run in separate tubes or you should thoroughly rinse them in between with a lot of flowing tap water.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,063
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,063
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Any chance that you took a water sample from the very surface of the pool after lots of rain and are actually testing more or less pure rain water? Fresh water will float on top of the saltier old water until properly mixed in.
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