Your TA is fine. When you adjust your pH, use Borax instead of soda ash, like Ice said. It will get your pH up with less of a TA increase compared to soda ash. High FC typically causes the pH to give a false high reading. You are low already. I recommend that you add enough Borax now to get you to at least 7.2 then fine tune when the FC is below 10.
Overwhelmed - Chemicals and Levels for 8500 Gallon Above Ground Pool
- Thread starter Gopherboy6956
- Start date
Ok - sorry been busy since I last posted - Lots of replies - Thank you!
The last three days have been colder, very rainy, and very windy - so i've had the solar cover off and I removed the chlorine tablet float. I have not added anything to the pool since the first full test above. But i have run the filter quite a lot during all this. I also got a new vac that I tried out and cleaned up the bottom of the pool yesteday. Water looks great. Still very clear. I also got that removable intext skimmer, and I have to say - for $35 and not cutting my liner, that thing works pretty darn well.
I did just a quick test with the Taylor blue box agian today - and these were my results (end of post). It was partly sunny today - so maybe some chlorine burned off a bit.
It looks like Chlorine went down a bit and pH went up a bit - maybe because of the rain water?
I still need to source some liquid chlorine it does look like my Walmart carries that Pool Essentials stuff - so I'll grab that. Shame they don't have the liquid stuff at our menards in Fargo - I go there like every few days lol.
Otherwise - I had previously bought these two items - will I be able to use them?
I also bought one of these if/when I need to shock it
https://www.menards.com/main/health...-1-lb-packs/42115/p-1444445656551-c-10137.htm
Are there other chemicals at walmart or things I should be ordering to have on hand?
Lastly - I plan to do another full test on Friday when i'm home / and make adjustments as necessary. Thanks again for all the help!
Todays chlorine / pH results
The last three days have been colder, very rainy, and very windy - so i've had the solar cover off and I removed the chlorine tablet float. I have not added anything to the pool since the first full test above. But i have run the filter quite a lot during all this. I also got a new vac that I tried out and cleaned up the bottom of the pool yesteday. Water looks great. Still very clear. I also got that removable intext skimmer, and I have to say - for $35 and not cutting my liner, that thing works pretty darn well.
I did just a quick test with the Taylor blue box agian today - and these were my results (end of post). It was partly sunny today - so maybe some chlorine burned off a bit.
It looks like Chlorine went down a bit and pH went up a bit - maybe because of the rain water?
I still need to source some liquid chlorine it does look like my Walmart carries that Pool Essentials stuff - so I'll grab that. Shame they don't have the liquid stuff at our menards in Fargo - I go there like every few days lol.
Otherwise - I had previously bought these two items - will I be able to use them?
I also bought one of these if/when I need to shock it
https://www.menards.com/main/health...-1-lb-packs/42115/p-1444445656551-c-10137.htm
Are there other chemicals at walmart or things I should be ordering to have on hand?
Lastly - I plan to do another full test on Friday when i'm home / and make adjustments as necessary. Thanks again for all the help!
Todays chlorine / pH results
Menards has Liquid Pool Shock or Chlorinator
Can you return these items? (esp the Alk minus) Muriatic acid is more effective and preferred for balancing (lowering) PH (and TA)
ALk minus you don't need, the Alk plus is "repackaged" washing soda (or soda ash), it will raise both your TA and PH, and you really just need your PH up
The shock will add CYA along with chlorination (not desirable in long-term)
You need to get your PH up to at least 7.2, preferably 7.4 for vinyl
Did you do the FAS-DPD test for FC?
What was your last CYA reading? (needs to be sunny for the best test results)
You know - I'll just go do another full test right now. Stand by....
The CYA is best in bright indirect lighting (or a sunny day outside, back to sun). You can use your last result of CYA/50, unless your FC doesn't work as expected in the next few days.
Everything else is color change
Menards is called 12.5% Liquid Pool Shock (make sure to adjust your PoolMath "bleach" %)
Ok - just did another test -
FC - 11.0
CC - 0
pH - 6.8
TA - 70
CYA - 50
Large decrease in FC, TA declined as well. PH and CYA the exact same.
I suppose I just let FC continue to fall on it's own, and Pool Math says to add 38oz of Soda Ash / Washing Soda OR 75oz of Borax. Since I am going to go get chemicals tomorrow - should I pick up Borax? What is the commerical name for that?
And like you said @splashpad I shouldn't use the soda ash because my TA is now at 70, correct?
Also - is this a real thing?
FC - 11.0
CC - 0
pH - 6.8
TA - 70
CYA - 50
Large decrease in FC, TA declined as well. PH and CYA the exact same.
I suppose I just let FC continue to fall on it's own, and Pool Math says to add 38oz of Soda Ash / Washing Soda OR 75oz of Borax. Since I am going to go get chemicals tomorrow - should I pick up Borax? What is the commerical name for that?
And like you said @splashpad I shouldn't use the soda ash because my TA is now at 70, correct?
Also - is this a real thing?
I would personally be comfortable using washing soda (or the Alk plus you have), use the Poolmath soda ash dosage (it's exact same chemical) for raising PH from 6.8 to 7.2 with TA 70, I would only use about half the suggested dosage so as not to overshoot (no chemical yo-yos please, been there, done that. It's "fun", until it's not
)Your FC is fine for the moment. Make sure to save this reference chart (save screenshot to device and/or print it out) FC/CYA Levels
You'll eventually probably have to complete a SLAM Process, but needto get your PH up first
It's a product that can be bought, but it has additives you don't want in your pool.
I would personally be comfortable using washing soda (or the Alk plus you have), use the Poolmath soda ash dosage (it's exact same chemical) for raising PH from 6.8 to 7.2 with TA 70, I would only use about half the suggested dosage so as not to overshoot (no chemical yo-yos please, been there, done that. It's "fun", until it's not
Your FC is fine for the moment. Make sure to save this reference chart (save screenshot to device and/or print it out) FC/CYA Levels
You'll eventually probably have to complete a SLAM Process, but needto get your PH up first
Ok - So I should add 19oz (half the 38 it says) and check tomorrow? How long should I wait to test again? Should I run the pump some more? Stupid question, but I assume you can use a regular kitchen measuring cup for washing soda?
Not a stupid question
. That is what I would do, make sure the pump is running, you can restest in 30min or tomorrow morning, I would keep the pump on for at least 1hr or longer, depending on your personal comfort level.Yup, be sure to only use plastic, no glass around pool! (safety)
Not a stupid question
Yup, be sure to only use plastic, no glass around pool! (safety)
Well as luck would have it, my neighbor who just bought an 18' coleman had borax (20 mule even) laying around for laundry purposes, so he gave me a box - so I added that now. I just turned the pump/fiter back on (i'll let it run for 5 hours like normal again) and i'll check things tomorrow.
Thanks!
Very good!! Make sure he uses TFP too, lol! Or watch his pool turn green at higher cost then your clear pool maintenance!
Some people are definitely skeptical that clear, safe & clean pool, is not wallet-emptying!
Low pH will wrinkle the liner. Yours is way too low. Have you gotten it up to 7.2 yet?
During a SLAM, the pump needs to run 24/7.
During a SLAM, the pump needs to run 24/7.
I will test the pool today when I get home - I only had time to turn on the solar heater before I left for work. I did tell my neighbor to get on here - so i'm sure he will. We have also been chatting about this whole process and he seems pretty interested in getting it dialed in. He did order a TF100 kit
Do not use this stuff.
It adds flocculant which gums up the filter. Shock that does not stain or bleach liner could be calcium but they don't tell you what's in it or how much shock is in it.
It's also very expensive - $5 per bag is a lot of money to spend on extras you don't or shouldn't use. The most I've ever seen for 1 gallon of chlorine 12.5% is $4.50 a jug and you are getting chlorine, only chlorine, and a lot more chlorine than what is in 1 bag of that shock.
Also we've not seen any indication you've raised the pH. Liners wrinkle with low pH.
It adds flocculant which gums up the filter. Shock that does not stain or bleach liner could be calcium but they don't tell you what's in it or how much shock is in it.
It's also very expensive - $5 per bag is a lot of money to spend on extras you don't or shouldn't use. The most I've ever seen for 1 gallon of chlorine 12.5% is $4.50 a jug and you are getting chlorine, only chlorine, and a lot more chlorine than what is in 1 bag of that shock.
Also we've not seen any indication you've raised the pH. Liners wrinkle with low pH.
Ok - So I did run another test last night after adding half the amount of the borax (added 37oz) - It raised pH to 7.5. Pool math woudl still like me to get that up to 7.6 ideal by adding like 4oz of borax.
Free Chlorine came down just 1 ppm to 10, which is understandable since I put the solar cover on to try to soak up heat, but this was the first test I ran that the water turned red instead of yellow when i did the TA test.
Otherwise, all levels -are looking better.
FC - 10
CC - 0
pH - 7.5
TA - 80
CYA - 50
Free Chlorine came down just 1 ppm to 10, which is understandable since I put the solar cover on to try to soak up heat, but this was the first test I ran that the water turned red instead of yellow when i did the TA test.
Otherwise, all levels -are looking better.
FC - 10
CC - 0
pH - 7.5
TA - 80
CYA - 50
Anything above 7.2 is acceptable for vinyl
With TA of 80, now I would just allow PH to slowly rise on it's on (with swimming/splashing)Are you having any water clarity issues or are you ready to swim & enjoy your pool? Remember to keep up your daily testing (FC & PH until your pool settles "in" and you've learned it's pattern)
Cool - i'll leave it be at the moment. Water is very clear. I got the intex vac the other day so I did a short run with that - but otherwise things are looking good and temps are raising with the solar blanket and solar heater running.
It all seems to be making more sense now, I still just need to go out and get liquid chlorine and more borax, etc.
It all seems to be making more sense now, I still just need to go out and get liquid chlorine and more borax, etc.