High TA and low PH?

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Msch99

Msch99

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Jun 11, 2018
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Verona, MO
We are about 2 weeks into our first pool. Using Clorox Smart strips for testing.

Total Hardness steady at 500, down to 250 today. Added 1 qt. Scale, Metal and Stain control yesterday.
Total CH finally in range of occasional 3's to 1's. Using SWG that was bought before pool, found out it is for 7k pool and ours is about 11k, so added 1lb shock boost
FC running a steady 1
PH 6.8 except for 2 blips down to 6.2, maybe read strip too quick... Added PH up yesterday (~2lb) and today(another 2lb), but no change
TA always maxed at 240
Stabilizer fairly steady 50 last 7 tests, one blip to 100. Added about 2 lb yesterday

Water is clear and no known issues yet.

Suggestions?

Thought I set up a signature, adding some info incase it doesn't appear.

11.5 k gallon (22' round, 48" deep), above ground, vinyl sides, sand filter, undersized SWG

Thanks in advance! msch99
 
Your test strip is misreading your pH. There is no way you could have added 4 lbs of Soda Ash (pH Up, but cheaper) and have TA maxed and have pH that low. Given what you've added, I'm inclined to believe the TA reading.

CYA doesn't go up and down without additions or removal via water replacement.

Bottom line: get a better test kit.
 
Thanks Richard320!
Started shopping for test kits this morning thinking that might be the case...but when you are new you are insecure, even when you think it is obvious it can't be that way!
 
Update, TF-100 kit arrived today.
I know I don't need to convince you folks, but below is Clorox smart strip comparison vs Test kit.

Issue 1) Kicking myself for not manually checking to start, but thought the app was cool and easy...sigh. T
Issue 2) This lead to showing zero CYA, after dumping in the recommended amount. Waited a couple days and still showed zero so added another 4lb stabilizer to 11k gallons.
Issue 3) The SWG was bought on sale at Walmart for $25 a couple years ago because my daughter wanted a pool and knew she would need it. The problem is that it states a max of 7k gallons, so need to work with that. (probably play with using the boost and manual additions of bleach)
Issue 4) Coming from a farm background I should have known that a max TA (Clorox test) wouldn't likely have a PH ranging from 6.2 to 6.8. (I thought of this and confirmed here, after adding PH up..) sigh.
Issue 5) Poor placement of pool, (not many options at this point) partially under a tree and the cover won't stay on, allowing debris to fall into the pool.

The good news is that we found you folks, ordered the kit and I did a preemptive strike of running the sand filter and SWG 24 hours a day to try and make sure we staved off any issues until we knew what we were dealing with.

Debating now whether to drop and refill some water to lower CYA before starting to lower the TA. My well water shows a TA of 280, which at least won't hurt. (Pool math shows I need to replace 30% to get down to 70.)

Is 100 to 110 CYA workable or should I try to drop it before starting to lowering the TA & PH, then easing the FC and PH back up?

Anything else I am missing?


Clorox strip vs TF100.PNG

Thanks all!
 
You would probably be happier in the long run with CYA in double digits. If your well is up to the task, I'd replace the 30% and get it over with in one shot. Then go to work on the pH. There's no point in treating water you're just going to siphon out, right?

Don't worry about the TA. It'll come down plenty fast as you adjust pH. With the high TA and the SWG, you'll likely be adding acid every day or two, and each time you lower pH, you'll also lower the TA a little. The amounts of acid needed will go down and the intervals will get longer as you come into range, so don't despair when you see the thirst for acid at the beginning. It may even take a couple doses just to shift the pH down into the readable zone. You could be at 9 pH and not know it.
 
Your TA test using the TF-100 is too high. Wipe the dropper tip between drops with a damp cloth and the drops will form better and your TA reading will be lower.

This is a fairly common occurrence on VERY Fresh R-0009 and will go away in a couple of weeks.

Congrats on getting a good kit and learning about your pool water.
 
Update. Drained ~ %30, retested, drained another %10 of refilled pool. Tested 8am when filling, added some bleach and salt. Retested 5:30pm. Added another mickey mouse aerator to help speed ph rise up.

6.23.18 log.jpg
Will add bleach after grandkids out of pool tonight, work on reducing TA tomorrow if ph rising enough.

Question on CSI. Pool math has two numbers, -.33 and -1. Is -1 the target and -.33 the actual like the other cells?

Thanks all! :) Looking good so far! :)
 
Ignore the Goal column on CSI. Your goal for CSI with a SWCG is between -0.6 and 0.0

Round your CYA up to 70. You cannot measure a 65. The vial is logarithmic.

Good job on getting things turned around.
 

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Msch99 said:
Update. Drained ~ %30, retested, drained another %10 of refilled pool. Tested 8am when filling, added some bleach and salt. Retested 5:30pm. Added another mickey mouse aerator to help speed ph rise up.

View attachment 81137
Will add bleach after grandkids out of pool tonight, work on reducing TA tomorrow if ph rising enough.

Question on CSI. Pool math has two numbers, -.33 and -1. Is -1 the target and -.33 the actual like the other cells?

Thanks all! :) Looking good so far! :)
Click to expand...

CSI does not matter for you with a vinyl AGP. CH is also not a big issue for you.
 
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