Converting pool to BBB

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triplets&quads

triplets&quads

LifeTime Supporter
May 28, 2008
100
North Carolina
Pool Size
2900
Surface
Vinyl
SWG Type
Intex Krystal Clear
This forum has been wonderful in helping me to get my pool changed to the BBB method, so now I need help for my daughter who just bought a house in sunny Florida and it came with a pool that has had pool store chemicals in it. I brought my test kit with me to her house and tested the water and here are the results for her pool

The pool is an IG 15 x 30 old vinyl liner, 3'-8' deep, sand filter and that is about all I know about that. I am not sure what size the pump is, I forgot to look. Here are her bad numbers:

FC 0
PH 6.8 or less
CYA 90
TA not sure how to read this one because the test only produced red results
CH.. did not check since it was vinyl
Temp... no thermometer

They are going to convert to a SWG as soon as possible.
There is some algae growing on one side wall.

Thank you for any and all help!
Nancy
 
triplets&quads said:
This forum has been wonderful in helping me to get my pool changed to the BBB method, so now I need help for my daughter who just bought a house in sunny Florida and it came with a pool that has had pool store chemicals in it. I brought my test kit with me to her house and tested the water and here are the results for her pool

The pool is an IG 15 x 30 old vinyl liner, 3'-8' deep, sand filter and that is about all I know about that. I am not sure what size the pump is, I forgot to look. Here are her bad numbers:

FC 0
PH 6.8 or less
CYA 90
TA not sure how to read this one because the test only produced red results
TA is 0 ppm and the pH is probably MUCH lower than 6.8. I will venture that this is from the use of trichlor, as is the CYA of 90 ppm!

CH.. did not check since it was vinyl
You still need to check it. IF it is very high you can still get scaling and ned to know this!
Temp... no thermometer

They are going to convert to a SWG as soon as possible.
There is some algae growing on one side wall.
That is because there is NO chlorine in the pool!
Thank you for any and all help!
Nancy
Click to expand...
First thing to do is get some pH up (sodium carbonate, soda ash) in there STAT! The low pH is NOT good for the liner. This will raise both your pH and your TA. Once you get the pH above 7.2 then shock the pool. With a CYA of 90 ppm I would shock to about 30 ppm FC to kill the algae. Keep the FC at this level until the algae is dead and there is no CC then let it drop to about 10 ppm and keep it there until they put in the SWG. You can then get the rest of the water balance in line. Since they are putting in a SWG I would not drain to lower the CYA if the SWG is coming very soon. Once the SWG is online the FC can drop to around 4 ppm.
 
Soda ash/PH Up is also available as Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster in the laundry section of most larger grocery stores. Don't get it mixed up with Arm & Hammer laundry detergent, which you do not want.
 
Ok... So I sent my husband to get the Arm and Hammer Booster for me and he brought back regular baking soda and put that in my daughter's pool. So now what do I need to do to raise the PH and TA?
 
The next step is really two steps: get new test results, and find either some borax (as in 20 Mule Team) or some soda ash/washing soda.

The baking soda will not have hurt anything. It will have raised both the PH and TA, just not by the right amounts.
 
Thank you Jason for replying. I was afraid my husband had really messed up! I will get the borax. Should I wait to add the bleach tomorrow night since the Ph is not going to be raised enough tonight? There is no chlorine at all in the pool right now. Nancy
 
I need help balancing this pool!

I am working on my daughter's pool and testing with my drop test kit. Here are her numbers and info:

15 x 30 inground with vinyl liner, 3'-8' deep, sand filter, ? pump size.

FC 4
CC 0
PH 6.8-
TA - water turns red as soon as I put in the green drops
CH... did not test

What do I need to do? I added baking soda and bleach yesterday, and borax this afternoon. There is a trace of algae. I can't find soda ash or Arm and Hammer Booster.
Thank you, Nancy
 

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I had 8 pounds of baking soda on hand so I added that plus the borax. I waited one hour and the TA reading is now 40, but the PH hasn't changed. Will the TA continue to rise, or will it stay at 40 until I get 2 more pounds of baking soda in it? And do I need to add more borax? Here are the current numbers for my daughter's pool.

FC 4
CC 0
TA 40
PH 6.8 or less

Thank you, Nancy
 
Thank you Dave. I checked the calculator, but I always like to run everything by this forum for the experts to confirm. I told my son-in-law to order one of your test kits and showed him this site and the pool calculator. We are leaving Florida in the morning to head back to NC, so he is going to have to test his pool on his own until I come back in a couple weeks. I am going to have to order some more refills since I have been using my stuff on his pool this week! Nancy
 
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