Current test results - what to fix first? questions?

[Lizbethmcq]

As of 11 am this morning

pH 7.8 (top of the range should I do anything?)
FC 5 (SWG running at 30% for 12 hours)
CC 0
CH 200 (s/b 220-320)
TA 70
CYA 40-50 (TFPC s/b 70-80), SWG recommended level 10-50, pool store rec 40
Salt 3300
Borates - not added yet
Temp 75

Based on the above I need to add hardness, stabilizer and borates, in what order?

Do I wait on one to be right before moving to the next one?

Can/should I reduce the SWG % or run time?

I've added the recommended stabilizer twice (weeks apart, last time a week ago) I started at 30 CYA, should I keep adding? Does water temp affect the reading?

Does water temp affect the salt reading too? I've gotten a range of 2900-3300

Anything else you see based on the above? Water is sparkling and clear, very inviting

 

[tim5055]

Get the pH fixed first. You need muratic acid. As it's higher than the range, yo may have to make several additions to get it down where you want it to be.

Before we add CYA, how does the water look? Sparkly clear? Any possibility of something growing in the water? We don't want to add CYA if we need to kill something in the water.

If the water is clear, then you can target 60 for CYA. You don't want to overshoot, so do this in steps also.

Before adding CH, how much CH does you fill water have? If the fill water is CH rich you don't want to go too high as you will be adding it with the water all season.

Borates is dead last, if you even do it at all. It is totally optional and you need to have your pH and TA dialed in and stable before you add them. Again, optional and unless there is some reason I try to dissuade folks from adding them "just because".

 

[JVTrain]

Also, you have a FG pool so no need to worry about increasing CH.

7.8 for pH isn't what I would consider too high... not perfect but if my pH sits at about 7.8 for a while, I don't add acid until it creeps a little higher. If anything, only knock it down to 7.4 at the most.

 

[Pool Tool]

Good job. Things look great, plugging all your numbers into Pool Math your CSI is -.32, within tolerance. A little CH would help it as would a little warmer water.

pH - is on the high side, but if it is stable leave it right there. If its raising quickly, you could lower with MA and aerate to reduce your TA a little. But if pH is stable, you can leave it.
CYA - do you really care the pool store recommendations are, ha?? You can definitely go higher which could raise your FC a little. Water temp does affect CYA reading, but only under 70 deg.
Borates - are not necessary and only for personal preference, usually when folks get bored with great numbers.
CH - You can raise, but I would leave it. It will go up a little with evaporation and water fills.

Last thing - cannonball!

 

[Richard320]

As of 11 am this morning

pH 7.8 (top of the range should I do anything?)
FC 5 (SWG running at 30% for 12 hours)
CC 0
CH 200 (s/b 220-320)
TA 70
CYA 40-50 (TFPC s/b 70-80), SWG recommended level 10-50, pool store rec 40
Salt 3300
Borates - not added yet
Temp 75

Based on the above I need to add hardness, stabilizer and borates, in what order?

I only see a need for more stabilizer. CH will climb over time through evaporation and refilling, and the pool isn't plaster, so no danger of etching the surface. Borates are totally optional, and just add one more parameter to juggle. Hold off until the rest of the balancing is a no-brainer. That shouldn't take more than a couple weeks.

Do I wait on one to be right before moving to the next one?

CYA can be added whenever since it takes so long to dissolve. Any other chemicals should be 15 to 30 minutes apart. Brushing after adding shortens the wait.

Can/should I reduce the SWG % or run time?

Not at present. Once the CYA level increases, you'll lose less to the sun and will likely have to lower one or the other. Lowering the pump time saves more electricity.

I've added the recommended stabilizer twice (weeks apart, last time a week ago) I started at 30 CYA, should I keep adding? Does water temp affect the reading?

Tally up how much you've added and see what Effects of Adding Chemicals at the bottom of poolmath says it should be. If the estimate and the test result are close, then you need to raise it. If the estimate shows it should be higher, then it hasn't all dissolved yet or your pool is bigger than you think. The CYA test is temperature-sensitive. The water should be at least 70F to get good results. Set a jar aside to warm up and test it later if the water is too cold.

Does water temp affect the salt reading too? I've gotten a range of 2900-3300

I don't know. But the ultimate test is: is the SWG happy? If it's happy and generating, you should be happy, too.

Anything else you see based on the above? Water is sparkling and clear, very inviting

pH needs to come down a little. The CYA should do the trick. It's a mild acid.

 

[RobbieH]

pool store rec 40

Fix this first. No more listening to the pool store.

 

[Lizbethmcq]

Fix this first. No more listening to the pool store.

Oh believe me I'm listening to you guys, not the pool store. Send my husband to buy the stabilizer and they didn't want to sell it to him as they felt our number was high enough - shocker, what pool store doesn't want to make a sale?!

Thank you all for your feedback, I love this forum you are all awesome.