New Pool, New Owner, Chlorine (oto) and Total Alkalinity off the charts

[Chuckiechan]

My son bought a house with a pool redone with Pebble Tech and a sand filter.

The chlorine was so far off the chart it the OTO test was brown. I diluted the water by 50% to get some yellow to make sure the test kit was OK. So I suspect the owner when turning over the keys so to speak shocked it, plus he has a chlorine floater and I found a tub of di-chlore pucks. I guess the chlorine will dissipate by itself. So I'm not treating this as a problem, just background information.

Fine so far. I was testing TA and after way too many drops, I stopped. It's off the chart, too. The ph is OK, BTW.

Given that the surface is Pepple Tech, and is brand spanking new as late this summer, is the TA imbalance an emergency? We are in the rainy season, and it should naturally dilute itself over time. But should I pump it down and get it in spec? Or aerate it?

Thanks in advance

BTW, spec's in the signature are not for this pool!

 

[Casey]

I saw your other thread was accidentally deleted.

Since you state pH is stable (you know we never go by ok, stable, good, off the charts as results) there is no real pressing issue to lower TA *IF* the pH is indeed stable. If it's in fact swinging wildly when the wind blows, you can start the process of lowering the TA as outlined in Pool School.

 

[tim5055]

Well, I would ask that you provide a full set of water tests. Are you too far away from his house that you can not use your K2006?

He is going to need his own accurate test kit. Order (or have him order) a TF100 ASAP. He is should sign up for the forum himself so that he can learn how to maintain the pool.

 

[Chuckiechan]

He has joined the forum, but he knows little about pool maintenance, and he is still moving in, and works two job and has a family. So at this point, I trying to make sure no damage occurs to his new finish.

I didn't want to keep testing the TA with my K2006 beyond what was IMO, outrageous. Pools water temps around here now are in the 40's.

What is Pebble Tech, anyway. Does it leach out alkaline by products at it cures like plaster does? BTW, is it supposed to be very rough?

The critical question is "do I have an emergency"?