How long should it take for CH to rise

[johnfromphilly]

I tested my CH to 230 and the pool calculator said to add 64 OZ by volume of calcium chloride(Leslie's Hardness Plus). I added that this morning and tested about 3 hours later and it is still 230. I expected some type of jump up, does it just take awhile to show up?

Current test:
FC: 2 (going to raise this with liquid shock (12% bleach)
CC: .5
TC: 2.5
PH: 7.5
TA: 100
CH:230
CYA: 30 (have a sock in the skimmer right now with 25oz of stabalizer in it)


Also: I am using my new TF-100 kit and it is all working well except the TA test- I can't seem to get it right. I am using the TA test from my DPD test kit instead. THe TA test from the TF100 showed TA of 150 and the DPD kit said 100. Yesterday it was 90 (via DPD kit) so I added 34 oz of Baking soda to try to get it to 100- so I would trust the DPD test kit as that is what it showed-100, right on the nose.

 

[JasonLion]

Leslie's Hardness Plus is calcium chloride dihydrate, though that doesn't really solve the mystery.

On the TA test in the TF100, try wiping the dropper tip of the TA titration bottle with a damp tissue, to remove any static charge, and do the TA test again. It should work correctly after that.

Try doing the CH test slowly, give it at least 15 seconds of swirling after each drop, and see if that makes any difference.

 

[johnfromphilly]

Was "Hardness Plus". The wrong thing to add in order to raise my CH?

 

[JasonLion]

Leslie's Hardness Plus will raise the CH level, but you need to use more than if you had calcium chloride. 64 oz by volume would raise CH by about 15. The test is +-10, so the expected change is just above the level you should be able to measure. It would only take a very tiny testing mistake to get the same reading you had before.

 

[johnfromphilly]

I asked for Calcium Chloride and they looked at me like I had two heads. I then looked around the store and saw the Hardness Plus and read it had calcium chloride ( I guess not) and used that.

What should my next step be? Do I ignore the fact that I added the Hardness Plus and find calcium chloride to raise the CH?

Also- on the CH test- do I stop adding drops when it changes to Purple or do I keep going until it is true Blue. THe change from red to Blue was very gradual over 3-4 drops and I am not sure when I was supposed to stop.

Thanks for the help!

 

[JasonLion]

Leslie's Hardness Plus is totally fine to use to raise the CH level, you just need to know that it is calcium chloride dihydrate so you can pick the correct number in the Pool Calculator, and that you will need to use more of it than if you were using calcium chloride.

On both the TA and CH tests, once the color starts changing, you continue adding drops until the color stops changing. The final drop, that didn't change the color any further, does not get counted.

If you are seeing purple in the CH test, you probably are not giving it enough mixing/swirling time between drops.

 

[johnfromphilly]

Leslie's Hardness Plus is totally fine to use to raise the CH level, you just need to know that it is calcium chloride dihydrate so you can pick the correct number in the Pool Calculator, and that you will need to use more of it than if you were using calcium chloride.

On both the TA and CH tests, once the color starts changing, you continue adding drops until the color stops changing. The final drop, that didn't change the color any further, does not get counted.

If you are seeing purple in the CH test, you probably are not giving it enough mixing/swirling time between drops.

I did not see the option on the pool calculator for C.C.D.- got it now, thanks- just need to buy another bucket...back to Leslies

On the test-I did it again and swirled for 15 seconds between drops once I got to 20 drops -the first 20 I swirled while adding them and did not wait in between- is that OK?

So for clarity- I keep adding drops even when I think it is blue, swirling and waiting 15 seconds between drops, until whatever color blue it reaches does not change on the next drop then I count the previous drop as my last...correct?

 

[JasonLion]

You are really supposed to swirl for 15 seconds after each individual drop. Often you can get away without doing this, but if you are seeing a purple color then you really should try the slow approach.

You described the color change and counting drops correctly.

 

[johnfromphilly]

You are really supposed to swirl for 15 seconds after each individual drop. Often you can get away without doing this, but if you are seeing a purple color then you really should try the slow approach.

You described the color change and counting drops correctly.

Thanks Jason. I will give it another test after I add the recalculated amount of CCD (hardness plus).

The color I am seeing is just the change from red to blue and I am calling it purple. I will see what happens when I slow it down. I am not big on POP but I am learning.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Guest]

My CH was really low when I opened the pool two weeks ago: About 100 or so.

I have used 18 lbs of Calcium Chloride and it is still up to only about 230.
I was afraid to put so much in the pool all at once, so I've been adding it slowly..2-3lbs at a time.