cant get my pH to rise

[7Iron]

Yesterday

FC 0
TA 0
pH below 6.8
CYA really high (Leslie test 147)

I slammed with a gallon of 10% 5000 gal yesterday
and this morning I added:
21 oz 20 Mule Borax (sodium tetraborate) btw I just purchased another box and it is sodium borate.....what is the impact of the different chemicals?
3# of Washing soda

Now
FC off the chart
TA is 25-30
pH is still below 6.8

We open the pool on Mothers Day for the past 10 years

during the winter I used trichloro-s-trizinetrione...I use bleach during swimming season.

what do I need to do?

Thanks


and I was trying to edit and hit reply

 

[Texas Splash]

If the CYA is indeed well over 100, you won't be able to keep enough chlorine (high enough) to remain balanced to that CYA, so you have no choice but to exchange a large portion of water. In a non-salt pool this time of year your CYA should be around 50. My recommendation would be as follows:
1 - Post a full set set of water test results from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit. Store testing is horrible.
2- Based on YOUR own test results, exchange enough water to lower the CYA to 50.
3 - Begin a SLAM Process to completely kill and remove algae.

The only way you'll have a swimmable pool for tomorrow is to completely empty it, or most of it, then start over. We generally never recommend completely emptying a pool as it can cause problems with the liner or wall movement. Let us know if you have any questions.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[7Iron]

Yesterday

FC 0
TA 0
pH below 6.8

I slammed with a gallon of 10% 5000 gal yesterday
and this morning I added:
21 oz 20 Mule Borax (sodium tetraborate) btw I just purchased another box and it is sodium borate.....what is the impact of the different chemicals?
3# of Washing soda

Now
FC off the chart
TA is 25-30
pH is still below 6.8

We open the pool on Mothers Day for the past 10 years

during the winter I used trichloro-s-trizinetrione...I use bleach during swimming season.

what do I need to do?

Thanks

If the CYA is indeed well over 100, you won't be able to keep enough chlorine (high enough) to remain balanced to that CYA, so you have no choice but to exchange a large portion of water. In a non-salt pool this time of year your CYA should be around 50. My recommendation would be as follows:
1 - Post a full set set of water test results from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit. Store testing is horrible.
2- Based on YOUR own test results, exchange enough water to lower the CYA to 50.
3 - Begin a SLAM Process to completely kill and remove algae.

The only way you'll have a swimmable pool for tomorrow is to completely empty it, or most of it, then start over. We generally never recommend completely emptying a pool as it can cause problems with the liner or wall movement. Let us know if you have any questions.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

thanks,

and my pH/TA results aren't any good bc FC is too high....

 

[7Iron]

thanks,

and my pH/TA results aren't any good bc FC is too high....

Texas, I used to live in Windcrest

 

[Texas Splash]

and my pH/TA results aren't any good bc FC is too high....

Don't really know at the moment. You stated "FC off the charts", but a high FC is only high relative to its corresponding CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels. Reference the SLAM tab.

 

[7Iron]

I am confused. I understand that the effectiveness of Chlorine is a function of CYA level....i.e. the lower the CYA the less chlorine is required to sanitize , the higher the CYA the more chlorine is required to sanitize.

if I have 25 FC (regardless of CYA value) and test my pH or TA , I thought that the test results were not accurate .....???

 

[PoolStored]

pH will not be accurate. The accuracy of the TA test is unaffected by high FC. Usually at high FC, you'll start with a green sample rather than a blue one after adding the R-0008. Then instead of the endpoint color change being the normal red it will change to yellow as the endpoint. If you know the FC is high, you can add a couple extra drops of R-0007 to eliminate this alternate color change (the R-0007 reagent neutralizes chlorine)

 

[Selenap]

Free Chlorine will temporarily raise ph and through off readings, which requires and additional chemical addition to the testing process to neutralize the chlorine or using a half tap, half pool water formula. Well for the moment, washing soda I think is baking soda. How are you testing your pool? Baking soda raises ta. Borax raises ph. Both of these raise the other value a little but each is better suited to what I describe.

 

[7Iron]

Pool Stored thanks for clarifing that TA is not affect and confirming that pH is.

Selenap washing soda is not baking soda one is sodium carbonate and the other is sodium bicarbonate.... and borax is sodium tetraborate (sometimes called sodium borate---see my just posted Borax post

and to raise pH (lowering acid) use either washing soda (sodium carbonate) and borax (sodium borate) you do not use baking soda to raise pH (sodium bicarbonate) which some people use to reduce stomach acid....(increase acid decreasing pH) WRONG,,,, sodium bicarbonate is an alkaline, I should have said raise alkalinity and slightly raise pH, but it is used to increase TA....and that will have a slight impact on pH, so you can raise TA a bunch (double 20 to 40 without changing pH very much because the pH scale is logarithmic 6 is ten times bigger than 5, but TA scale is not log, so 40 is only 2x of 20.

And that is why I think we get pH settled before juicing TA...

 

[Selenap]

Pool Stored thanks for clarifing that TA is not affect and confirming that pH is.

Selenap washing soda is not baking soda one is sodium carbonate and the other is sodium bicarbonate.... and borax is sodium tetraborate (sometimes called sodium borate---see my just posted Borax post

Ahh. Well I’ve never used warshing soders as my grandma called it. I didn’t read that part I shall look now. I wonder what the cleaning difference is with washing soda and borax? I’ll google it. I use borax cause someone told me once it helps with well water and helps bleach whiten, and soap to work better. I ain’t no chemical engineer, I just want clean clothes.

 

[7Iron]

Ahh. Well I’ve never used warshing soders as my grandma called it. I didn’t read that part I shall look now. I wonder what the cleaning difference is with washing soda and borax? I’ll google it. I use borax cause someone told me once it helps with well water and helps bleach whiten, and soap to work better. I ain’t no chemical engineer, I just want clean clothes.

warsh cloth is a term I grew with in MO. Yea that chemistry stuff makes my head hurt....radicals and free radicals in my world are yahoos either in jail or lose , and in chemistry it is : an atom or molecule containing one or more unpaired electrons in valency shell or outer orbit and is capable of independent existence. WHAT????? I am still struggling with photons and bending light.....