Using Borax to raise pH, tabs for CYA

[SamsIam]

After refilling pool and buying a TF-Pro, I added a box of Borax 64oz, it only raised my pH about .2. Kinda hard to discern those colors apart but it seems to just over 7.2. PoolMath said add 65 oz to raise to 7.8. Should I proceed and add another box? Added last night. Also, with CYA at 30 can I just use my chlorine tabs for now to let it raise that and switch out as it creeps into optimal range? I hate to let a 1/2 barrel go to waste given its about $70.00 worth of tabs.

FC 5.5
CC 0.5
pH 7.4
TA 70
CH 100
CYA 30

thanks

 

[mknauss]

No reason to raise pH. It is in the 7's. Leave it.
You can use tablets if you like. Be sure the FC stays in the Target Range. Also monitor pH and TA as tablets are very acidic.
How are you going to chlorinate going forward?

 

[proavia]

Why do you want to raise the pH? It's perfectly fine at 7.4 or anywhere in the 7's.

Add CYA using stabilizer granules and the sock method. dose for CYA 40 or 50.
Use the FC/CYA Levels to see what your FC target range is for your CYA.

Use liquid chlorine for FC.
Save the tabs for vacation.

What is the pH, TA and CH of your fill water?
If you are confident in your CH reading, get that up to 200-250.

 

[SamsIam]

thanks @mknauss , @proavia. I will use liquid chlorine or bleach. wife could not find bleach w/out additives the other day so i will go find some. as for why raise pH - just following the calculator recommendation.

on fill water, i will have to test it. from my recollection doing hydroponics, it was around 7 on pH but never tested TA or CH. my concern on CH - i have extremely hard water. over the years i have drained pool before due to the hardness. i was hesitant to mess with that and a bit surprised it started out so low. i can definitely work on that.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Tabs don’t go bad or lose their potency over time. As others have said, if you have a safe place to store them, then you can just use them as-needed. I once had a 25 lbs bucket of tabs (yep, that’s right, bought tabs when I had an SWG in place because PB recommended it …) that I kept around and took the better part of 3-1/2 years to go through. They worked fine.

 

[SamsIam]

Tabs don’t go bad or lose their potency over time. As others have said, if you have a safe place to store them, then you can just use them as-needed. I once had a 25 lbs bucket of tabs (yep, that’s right, bought tabs when I had an SWG in place because PB recommended it …) that I kept around and took the better part of 3-1/2 years to go through. They worked fine.

Interesting. It was not my real concern and I will let em go if its in the interest of my pool but I notice they are already appearing to break down some - flaking off some. At any rate, I will use them with caution and watch closely. Not having the experience of tracking this - any idea of how quickly they raise CYA? They are in my garage but I am in Texas so....

 

[JamesW]

any idea of how quickly they raise CYA?

10 lbs of tabs added to 20,000 gallons will lower the TA by 39 ppm.

The drop in TA is about 1.18 times the rise in CYA.

33 (ppm CYA increase) X 1.182 = 39 (ppm TA drop).

To maintain the same total alkalinity, you have to add 1.13 pounds of baking soda per pound of trichlor.

To maintain the same total alkalinity, you have to add 1.0 pound of baking soda per (2) 3" tablets of trichlor (7 ounce weight per tab).

For example, if you are going to use 6 tabs and you do not want the TA to drop, add 3 pounds of baking soda to the pool to raise the TA.

 

[SamsIam]

View attachment 523728

10 lbs of tabs added to 20,000 gallons will lower the TA by 39 ppm.

To maintain the same total alkalinity, you have to add 1.13 pounds of baking soda per pound of trichlor.

To maintain the same total alkalinity, you have to add 1.0 pound of baking soda per (2) 3" tablets of trichlor (7 ounce weight per tab).

For example, if you are going to use 6 tabs and you do not want the TA to drop, add 3 pounds of baking soda to the pool to raise the TA.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Pauls234]

I'll reiterate on the lifespan of tabs. I bought a giant tub of them about a week after I moved into my new house that came with a pool and then a week later found TFP. That was June 2012! (I was advised by either Dave or Jason Jason Lion that they would hold their strength a long time.)

They've been in my basement since and I use them sparingly, really just when I go on vacation and maybe a few at spring start up. I may finally run out next season, but they are perfectly fine after 11 years. I'm sure airtight container and cool basement helps.

In Texas you can probably find liquid chlorine in pool sections of Walmart, Home Depot, etc. Pool stores are often a good option, for me that is cheapest and freshest actually. It is labeled "liquid pool shock" or something like that and is 10% or 12% strength w no additives common in bleach.

 

[SamsIam]

In Texas you can probably find liquid chlorine in pool sections of Walmart, Home Depot, etc. Pool stores are often a good option, for me that is cheapest and freshest actually. It is labeled "liquid pool shock" or something like that and is 10% or 12% strength w no additives common in bleach.

yea, its prevalent everywhere - pool stores right down the street. i was just gonna give bleach a try first but i may just do that. i will be picking up one of them today.
thanks

 

[proavia]

Less frustrating to just find a local source for liquid chlorine. "Bleach" is a lower percentage, most often contains additives you don't want in your pool, and winds up costing more based on its strength as compared to liquid chlorine.

 

[SamsIam]

I have seen people mention watch the date codes. Obviously, I want the newest first but I never did see what to "stay away" from. Is there an age or just understand age when dosing due to potency loss?

 

[Saturn94]

I have seen people mention watch the date codes. Obviously, I want the newest first but I never did see what to "stay away" from. Is there an age or just understand age when dosing due to potency loss?

Personally, I try to avoid buying anything over 90 days old. Stuff under 30 days old is difficult to find around here, however.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I have seen people mention watch the date codes. Obviously, I want the newest first but I never did see what to "stay away" from. Is there an age or just understand age when dosing due to potency loss?

See this —> Breakdown of Bleach Over Time by Storage Temp - Further Reading

 

[SamsIam]

See this —> Breakdown of Bleach Over Time by Storage Temp - Further Reading

wow, ok that in itself is enough to justify SWG. i don't mind going to the store but that goes quick. can't imagine what it'd be like this summer here in Texas where we are running 105 at least daily for the last month it seems. my garage aint got a/c obviously.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

wow, ok that in itself is enough to justify SWG. i don't mind going to the store but that goes quick. can't imagine what it'd be like this summer here in Texas where we are running 105 at least daily for the last month it seems. my garage aint got a/c obviously.

Yup. And all the big box stores will leave pallets of LC sitting outside in the garden section to bake away in the sun. You think you’re getting 10% but you’re lucky to be getting 8% unless the delivery truck just rolled in that morning.