CH sky high...

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Quinten

Quinten

Bronze Supporter
Apr 7, 2021
50
Las Vegas, NV
Getting ready to install a SWG and trying to get the pool balanced.

I drained and refilled about 50% of the water and added five 40 lb bags of morton pool salt. Tested salt and it's at ~3000 after only adding the 5 bags in a ~16,000 gal pool. Also tested the CH and it's at 2850. Retested again and very similar results. Tested the water at the kitchen sink which is on the same line as the hose bib and it's ~ 750.

So I'm way out on CH and salt levels seem quite high for five 40 lb bags...

Al a loss here for what to do regarding the high CH, I was going to test the salt level before I added any salt but figured (I know stupid) it should be near zero since I never had added any salt before.

PH is very high too so (8.2) and I've been adding muriatic acid (about 1/2 gal a day) for a couple days.

I'll keep adding the acid, not too worried about the salt since I'm still down a little but the CH has me quite concerned!
 
You build up salt in a pool with the chlorine and other products because they break down and leave some residual salt behind. When water evaporates from a pool the salt remains.
We always want folks to test their salt level before adding salt the first time as they can then buy less salt.

Your CH is high, and it sounds like you need to do some more water drain and refill. :( Some folks use softened water partially or when topping off the pool.

@JoyfulNoise @mknauss Do you have any suggestions for his calcium water problems?

Maddie :flower:
 
Your water out of the hose bib CH is likely right at 250 ppm. That is what Colorado River water is. Nearly all LVVWD water is from Lake Mead. Check your test processes.
 
Quinten said:
I was told that using soft water in a plaster pool is not recommended?
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Since you have high CH you can get it in range and then use your soft water to do your top offs so you can avoid having to do water replacements so often. Once your CH reading is around 250/300 use your softened water for the rest. You CAN USE soft water, but you have to remain mindful of your CH level ensuring it is in poolmath range.
 
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mknauss said:
Your water out of the hose bib CH is likely right at 250 ppm. That is what Colorado River water is. Nearly all LVVWD water is from Lake Mead. Check your test processes.
Click to expand...
I'll check it again but I am certain I tested correctly using 10 ml not the 25. If you have seen pictures of Lake Mead you can see how bad the water is around here.
 

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I live on the Colorado River here in Laughlin. I know all about our water. The CH of Colorado River water is 250 ppm, the TA is 130 ppm, and the pH is right at 8.
 
How are you testing your pool water? What testkit?
Any chance of testing error?

If using one of the recommended testkits, how old are the reagents.
Describe how much water you use, how many drops of each reagent, etc.
Are you using a speedstir?
Are you holding the reagent bottles perfectly vertical?
Dispensing each drop no quicker than one drop per second?
With a 10ml sample of water, each drop of R-0012 counts as 25ppm.

A CH of 2850 would be almost impossible to manage and the waterline would scale up quickly, along with forming scale on the entire pool surface under the water. Also, a CH of 750 out of the tap in Vegas is also unlikely.
 

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From the Las Vegas Valley water district website:
Screenshot_20220325-210810_Chrome.jpg

If you're testing 750 out of the tap, it's a testing error. Are the reagents expired?
 
I'm using the TF-100 test kit which just came in the mail today.

I tested the cold water line (not on the soft water loop) in the kitchen which is the same line that the hose bib and autfofill line is on as I can hear the water running there when I was filling the pool.

Test procedure I used...

Rinsed and filled the vial to 10 ml, added 10 drops of r-0010, mix, then 3 drops r-0011L and mix, then dropwise/mix the r-0012.

Took 20 drops to turn a very pale purple/blue, retested and 21 drops (so ch ~500 - 525 so better!)

Tested the soft water line and took 2 drops to turn blue so ch ~50 on the soft water

I then tested the pool water again and got a very pale blue color at 75 drops (ch ~1825) better...

Is the color suppose to go from red to clear then blue or red to purple and then blue?

At any rate it seems the CH isn't as bad as when I first tested, but still way too high.

Is there any way to participate out the calcium or only drain and refill?
 
I suspect the new reagent bottles are giving you small drops. That occurs at times. You must let the droplet form and drop off the tip on its own, no pressure on the bottle of reagent.

Your non softened tap water will be ~250 ppm CH.

The color goes from red to a reddish purple to a blue. As our water has some iron in it, you can add 5-10 drops of R0012 first, then the R0010, then the R0011L, then the R0012 again. Count the drops you add at first in your total. That and the use of a Stir device can get you a better transition from reddish purple to blue.

The only way to reduce the CH is to replace the water with lower CH water.
 
proavia said:
How are you testing your pool water? What testkit?
Any chance of testing error?

If using one of the recommended testkits, how old are the reagents.
Describe how much water you use, how many drops of each reagent, etc.
Are you using a speedstir?
Are you holding the reagent bottles perfectly vertical?
Dispensing each drop no quicker than one drop per second?
With a 10ml sample of water, each drop of R-0012 counts as 25ppm.

A CH of 2850 would be almost impossible to manage and the waterline would scale up quickly, along with forming scale on the entire pool surface under the water. Also, a CH of 750 out of the tap in Vegas is also unlikely.
Click to expand...
The r-0010 and r-0011L I added the drops about 1 every second holding the bottle vertically and making sure only 10 and 3 drops were added respectively.

I only swirled the vial, should I use the little stir paddle?

The r-0012 I added slowly the first time, add 1 drop, swirl, add 1 drop swirl... got over 100 and still red, the second time a added the drops 10 at a time since I needed over 100 the first test.

I certainly hope that this is user error!!!!!!

Do the pool stores like leslies test CH levels accurately?
 
Are you hand stirring or using a speedstir?
Holding the reagent bottles perfectly vertical?
Dispensing drops no faster than 1 drop per second?
If hand stirring, are you thoroughly mixing between drops?

A change in test results as large as you indicate points toward testing error.

No - pool stores don't test CH accurately, among other poor test methods.
Get a speedstir or similar, you won't regret it.
Be consistent in your testing methods - one drop as a time unless someone like @mknauss directs you differently.
 
Flying Tivo said:
Only drain refill and as suggested use softened water for the autofill. Its a Colorado river water thing!
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That is a problem since the autofill line is under the pool deck and run from the hose bib, I guess I could turn that off and go to a manual fill with the soft water, but that would be a pain.

Been in this house for 22 years, had the pool renovated about 6 years ago, There is a little bit of a water line on the tile, but I clean that off each year, there really aren't any issues that are apparent with the pool but getting ready to switch to a SWG and want to try and get the water balanced first. I just saw a post about someone getting calcium flakes a day after using their SWG... would that be lowering CH ;)
 
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proavia said:
Are you hand stirring or using a speedstir?
Holding the reagent bottles perfectly vertical?
Dispensing drops no faster than 1 drop per second?
If hand stirring, are you thoroughly mixing between drops?

A change in test results as large as you indicate points toward testing error.

No - pool stores don't test CH accurately, among other poor test methods.
Get a speedstir or similar, you won't regret it.
Be consistent in your testing methods - one drop as a time unless someone like @mknauss directs you differently.
Click to expand...
I'm swirling the vial, not sure what a speed stir is but will look into that.

Thanks everyone, very helpful!
 
You wouldn't be filling the entire pool with softened water - only the autofill do to evaporation.
See if you can figure a way to plumb soft water to the pipe leading to the autofill.
 

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