Test Results: What goes in first?

[Pila38]

Hello all:
Opened my pool last weekend, and the water was pretty clear. There was some Tri-Chlor tabs left from the previous owners, so I have been filling my aqua genie with to the top with as many as I can for now. Got my TF-100 test kit on Thursday, and tested the water. These were the results:

FC = .5
CC = .5
TC = 1
CH = 350
TA = 40
CYA = 30
PH = <6.8

I used Pool Math to figure out what I needed to buy to get my balance right. I need 240 oz. of 6% bleach, 11 lbs. of Borax, and 29 lbs. of Baking Soda. Question is, what order do I put this in, and do I wait for one reading to get right before trying to change another value (i.e. balance free chlorine and then attempt balancing the PH)?
Thanks for any help you can give,
Eric

 

[Richard320]

Good morning, Eric!

TA up to about 60 with baking soda first. That may push pH up into the readable range, but it will also buffer wild pH swings later. Get that in the water and dissolved and then you can add the bleach and let that disperse and mix. Then recheck pH and TA, plug the new numbers into poolmath and then adjust pH using the Borax.

Give it an hour or more to mix and stabilize and confirm the FC, pH, and TA. You will have lost some FC, but maybe not enough to measure. If you lost a bunch and/or CC is climbing, post about it! And see where the pH and TA ended up. Your pool may be bigger or smaller than you think. You might need to fine tune one or both.

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

Ok, lets get some bleach in there first, most bleach is 8%, set your target for 6 now...

Your PH and TA are low, lets get your TA up... set the TA target for 60 and using baking soda see where that gets you, it will also raise your PH a little so test both

report back after you have added bleach and baking soda to see where you are...

If you are heading to the store to get these things, here is what you need

bleach, 8%, regular stuff, no splash less fruity smellin stuff, you can also get 10% from walmart in the pool isle, it says liquid chlorine... same stuff, you will use less of this and sometimes cheaper..
Baking soda, same place in walmart, i think they have 8 pound bags
borax, 20 mule team in the laundry isle, from, you guessed it walmart
Muriatic Acid, MA, this will be at lowes, get the full strength stuff, 20% baume, not the green label...

I hope this helps

 

[Pila38]

Hey guys,
Appreciate the help! So as I understand it, attack TA first to get to 60, then go after the PH, then the chlorine. If I'm wrong, please tell me. One question - my goal level for TA is 100-120, so what I would do is get to 60, get the other stuff right, then go back to try to raise the TA again if the level is not where I want it? Sorry if I'm a pain or seem thickheaded, this the first time I've owned a pool and wasn't just throwing chlorine tabs in to earn chore money.

 

[Richard320]

Hey guys,
Appreciate the help! So as I understand it, attack TA first to get to 60, then go after the PH, then the chlorine. If I'm wrong, please tell me. One question - my goal level for TA is 100-120, so what I would do is get to 60, get the other stuff right, then go back to try to raise the TA again if the level is not where I want it? Sorry if I'm a pain or seem thickheaded, this the first time I've owned a pool and didn't just chuck chlorine tabs in.

It really doesn't matter if you attack FC or TA/pH first, but DO get TA up a little before working on pH.

Why did you choose 100+ for your TA value? You'll just end up battling pH rise in a week. If you end up with TA in the 70+ range today, you're good. No point in micromanaging that one.

 

[Pila38]

Also, what is the time frame I should expect to see changes? I'd expect that after I put the baking soda in to adjust TA it would take a full filter cycle (2 hrs?) to see a change.

- - - Updated - - -

It really doesn't matter if you attack FC or TA/pH first, but DO get TA up a little before working on pH.

Why did you choose 100+ for your TA value? You'll just end up battling pH rise in a week. If you end up with TA in the 70+ range today, you're good. No point in micromanaging that one.

I chose the 100-120 because the pool math and test kit had that as the goal. So I'll readjust so that I end up in the 70 range.
Thanks for the help Richard, I think it's starting to make sense!
Eric

 

[Richard320]

Also, what is the time frame I should expect to see changes? I'd expect that after I put the baking soda in to adjust TA it would take a full filter cycle (2 hrs?) to see a change.

Fifteen minutes if you speed things along by brushing. Like stirring creamer into your coffee but on an enormous scale. If you want to spare your arms, shoulders, and lower back, let the pump do the work for a couple hours.