Filling with VERY basic water.

[jmills]

Hi Folks,

I am heading into my third year with a pool. Half way through the first year this forum saved me. Last year was BBB with no problems.

I am filling the pool now, but the water I am using is very different than last year. The tap water is PH 8.6 or higher according to the various test kits we have. The TA is 50. I am assuming that the CYA of my tap water is 0. I have already added bleach to avoid biological problems.

I am used to starting with acidic water. What should I do to this water?

 

[JohnT]

What kind of test kits? Most pool kits don't measure above 8.4, and the commonly used ones only go to 8.2. Are you just estimating from the existing scale? Are you testing the pH after adding chlorine?

You won't have any CYA in the tap water.

Far and away the best way to deal with the pH is muriatic acid.

 

[jmills]

I have used two of the Taylor test kits that top off at 8.2 and my wife's fish tank kit that tops off at 8.6.

This is as the water comes out of the tap.

JLM

 

[Guest]

Simple solution, use acid to lower the pH then, once the pH is where you want it use baking soda to bring up the TA. Make sure that the chlorine levels are below 10 ppm (if using a Taylor kit) when you do this. If your Taylor kit has an acid demand test I would use that since your pH will move quickly with that low a TA.
Which Taylor kits do you have?

 

[jmills]

I have a Talylor/Leslie's Deluxe DPD 18-547 kit. This does Free and Total Cl using reagents R-0001, R-0002, and R-0003. It does PH with R-0014 and you add R-0015 to that for acid demand. It does TA using R-007, R-008, and R-0009. I also have a TF-100.

When I measured the PH again today using the Taylor R-0014, it was more purple than the top 8.2 window. When I added ONE drop of R-0015 for the Acid Demand Test the color changed to more yellow than the bottom 6.8 window. The chart on the kit says I should use 4 oz of 20 Baume Muriatic Acid if one drop gives the desired results, but that is probably too much.

The Pool Calculator says to go from pH 8.2 to 7.8 I should add 2.1 oz of 20 Baume Acid.

I bought the acid, but I haven't used it yet. Things got more complicated today by partially breaking a fitting in the filter plumbing. It's not leaking much right now, but it might not hold if I turn the pump on and pressurize the system. This makes it hard to mix the water. I should get a new part by Friday. Nothing too bad should happen as long as I keep adding bleach.

 

[JasonLion]

The TA is probably very very low, so the PH is really easy to change. If so, it shouldn't pose much of a problem.

If you post a set of test results we can advise you better.

 

[Guest]

The TA is probably very very low, so the PH is really easy to change. If so, it shouldn't pose much of a problem.

If you post a set of test results we can advise you better.

It is

The TA is 50.