The pool was refinished in June and now has pebblesheen surface. Pool looks great, family is loving it.... but my CH started at 350 on 7/6 and has been steadily rising. Today it is 400... Pool math is suggesting to replace the pool water, but I live near DFW airport and they significantly increased water prices last year so I'm wondering if there is an alternative to pumping a 1/3 of the water out of the pool?
Rising CH in recently refinished pool
- Thread starter poolmeup
- Start date
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,043
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
What is the CH of your fill water?
Can you post a full set of current test results - including water temp?
You can easily manage a CH much higher than 400 by carefully monitoring your other levels. No need to replace any water just because of a CH of 400.
Oh, can you do us a favor and edit your signature to be more specific with your equipment - including manufacturer and model numbers, along with what test kit you're using? This will make it easier for us to offer suggestions as we don't need to review previous posts or ask you for that info.
Can you post a full set of current test results - including water temp?
You can easily manage a CH much higher than 400 by carefully monitoring your other levels. No need to replace any water just because of a CH of 400.
Oh, can you do us a favor and edit your signature to be more specific with your equipment - including manufacturer and model numbers, along with what test kit you're using? This will make it easier for us to offer suggestions as we don't need to review previous posts or ask you for that info.
Agreed, CH is OK as long as you manage CSI, which you should be doing anyway with the high scaling water in DFW. Keep your CSI between -0.3 and 0, PoolMath will give you the number after you enter ALL of your test results. Tweak OH and TA to adjudt.
More here, Pool School - Calcium Scaling
More here, Pool School - Calcium Scaling
CH of fill water is 125
Chemistry from today: FC 1, pH 7.6, TA 90, CH 400, CYA 50, Temp 90, CSI 0.25
I then added Muriatic acid, Chlorine and Baking soda per Pool Math recs.
Chemistry from today: FC 1, pH 7.6, TA 90, CH 400, CYA 50, Temp 90, CSI 0.25
I then added Muriatic acid, Chlorine and Baking soda per Pool Math recs.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,043
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
With a CYA of 50, your FC should never go below 4. See here: Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
And FC below 4 leaves you wide open to getting an algae bloom. I'd suggest you do an OCLT to verify you don't already have an issue - Pool School - Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)
^^^ The reason I mentioned the above first is because it's the most important right now. ^^^
____________________
Back to your rising CH
Adding baking soda raises TA - you need to lower your TA. Work on getting the TA down into the 60-70 range. This will also slow the rate the pH rises.
A fill water CH of 125 isn't too bad - mine in AZ is about twice that. Your CH will continue to rise as water evaporates and it gets replenished with tap water. At some point, the CH may become unmanageable, but you have a lot of headroom right now. There are several members managing CH over 1000 and not having scaling issues.
Your CSI is near the top end of what we recommend, but you can easily get it to be slightly negative by lowering your TA and keeping your pH in the 7.2 to 7.5 range.
Play around with PoolMath and see what lowering your TA and pH does to the CSI. Also look at what an increase in CH does to CSI and how lowering TA/pH will help keep CSI in check.
And FC below 4 leaves you wide open to getting an algae bloom. I'd suggest you do an OCLT to verify you don't already have an issue - Pool School - Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)
^^^ The reason I mentioned the above first is because it's the most important right now. ^^^
____________________
Back to your rising CH
Adding baking soda raises TA - you need to lower your TA. Work on getting the TA down into the 60-70 range. This will also slow the rate the pH rises.
A fill water CH of 125 isn't too bad - mine in AZ is about twice that. Your CH will continue to rise as water evaporates and it gets replenished with tap water. At some point, the CH may become unmanageable, but you have a lot of headroom right now. There are several members managing CH over 1000 and not having scaling issues.
Your CSI is near the top end of what we recommend, but you can easily get it to be slightly negative by lowering your TA and keeping your pH in the 7.2 to 7.5 range.
Play around with PoolMath and see what lowering your TA and pH does to the CSI. Also look at what an increase in CH does to CSI and how lowering TA/pH will help keep CSI in check.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,043
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Let us know how the OCLT goes.
As a reminder, when you do the tests.... hold the reagent bottles completely vertical and allow the drops to fully form on the tip before they drop. Take your time and don't squeeze the drops out too fast - should be about 1 second between drops. This will help increase the accuracy of the testing.
Here's how to lower your TA: Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity
As a reminder, when you do the tests.... hold the reagent bottles completely vertical and allow the drops to fully form on the tip before they drop. Take your time and don't squeeze the drops out too fast - should be about 1 second between drops. This will help increase the accuracy of the testing.
Here's how to lower your TA: Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity
Last night FC 5.5, this morning 5.0, so I'm assuming that I should focus on lowering the TA now???
Your TA isn't all that high. I'm not sure actively lowering it is required. It will lower on its own as you add acid to lower PH and eventually PH and TA will reach equilibrium.