Number help please

[WestSidePool]

I just got done fighting algae, and my pool is now sparkling clear, but my numbers seem to be off.
What would be the best way to attack this situation.

I used some test strips for this until i get my kit.

TH: 200
FC: 0
PH: 6.8
TA: 120
CYA: 0

I think thats about as close as i could read them.

 

[pepsiholic]

Well, I'm no expert but it looks like you definately need to get some chlorine in there. And add some cya(stabilizer or conditioner) to your water to help hold the chlorine.

Definately read pool school once, twice, three times to help answer all your questions. Some of this boards experts will be glad to help you with anything you don't understand.

They helped me through a conversion and I have the cleanest, sparkliest pool of anyone I know :-D

 

[anonapersona]

I just got done fighting algae, and my pool is now sparkling clear, but my numbers seem to be off.

FC: 0
PH: 6.8
CYA: 0

Add some bleach or other chlorine source right away, for the algae will be back any moment with no chlorine in the water.

If you truly have 0 CYA then your chlorine will disappear with the sun every day. You need to keep some CYA level to protect the chlorine from the sun.

Finally, the pH may or may not be 6.8. If 6.8 is as low as the strip indicates, then the true pH might be lower than that. Some strips do read lower and so you may be OK, though that is on the low side. Can you aerate the pool some to bring that pH up, without chemicals? Your TA is on the high side so you have wiggle room there.

[edit] I notice on other posts that you just added chems to raise TA and raise pH and so perhaps best to leave that alone for now, any change would just be fine tuning and what is really important now is the chlorine and CYA. I will expect that the experts will suggest adding enough bleach to get the pool to 3 or 4 ppm chlorine each evening and maybe enough CYA to get it to 20 and then wait until your good test kit arrives to be sure you don't add too much CYA now. So, go find those things now if you don't have them on hand.

 

[JasonLion]

It looks like you are using test strips. Test strips are marginal for things like FC and PH, and totally useless for things like CYA.

Your PH is too low. You should get your PH up to around 7.5 right away.

Your FC level is too low. You never want to allow FC to fall to zero. Because you let FC fall to zero, you probably need to shock. At a minimum you should get some chlorine in there right away.

A CYA test result from test strips is not dependable by its self. If the FC level has been falling very quickly during the day, even after the algae was killed, that can confirm the low CYA result. Assuming CYA is really zero, you need to get some CYA in the pool. On the other hand, if you have been using trichlor tablets and CYA has been above zero this season, then you need to get a better CYA test.

In any case, getting a real test kit would be a huge help. You can't really take control of your pool without reliable test results.

 

[WestSidePool]

The test strips i was using were/are bad.

I took a sample down to my local pool store, and here are the numbers they gave me.

TDS: 350
CYA: 100
TC: 10
FC: 8.7
PH: 6.5
TA: 101
Adj. TA: 71
TH: 245

 

[reebok]

In any case, getting a real test kit would be a huge help. You can't really take control of your pool without reliable test results.

if these results are correct, which is still debatable, you need to get your ph up right away and shock. but what you really need is a good test kit and probably some water drainage due to the high cya level. pool-school/

 

[JasonLion]

Both tests agree that your PH is too low, and even though test strip results are not especially reliable, PH is the most reliable of the tests on a test strip.

You need to get your PH up to around 7.5. If the PH is below 7.0 it can cause damage to your pool. The lower the PH, and the longer it stays low, the higher the chances of damage.

 

[WestSidePool]

Both tests agree that your PH is too low, and even though test strip results are not especially reliable, PH is the most reliable of the tests on a test strip.

You need to get your PH up to around 7.5. If the PH is below 7.0 it can cause damage to your pool. The lower the PH, and the longer it stays low, the higher the chances of damage.

I had bought a 4lb box of Borax this afternoon, but i couldnt figure out with the pool calculator how much to add to it.
Again this was partially because my numbers were messed up.

So according to my numbers i need about 45lbs of Borax or 23lbs of washing soda/soda ash to get my PH up.
Is that correct?

 

[JasonLion]

It is a little difficult to know exactly what the PH and TA are, but it will probably take a few boxes of borax to get the PH right again. I would add a box of borax, wait at least an hour with the pump running, test the PH and see where you are. Repeat as many times as needed to get the PH to somewhere around 7.2 to 7.6.

 

[WestSidePool]

A 4lb box of borax is 3.99 around here.
Just wondering if its cheaper to buy a big bucket of soda ash for 61.99 instead, depending on how much Borax i need.

Again i'm new to this so please advice is you think it might only be a few boxes.
(I understand its going to be just a trial and error situiation...but i dont want to be buying like 30 boxes of it)

 

[Butterfly]

You should use Borax to raise your pH. Don't use soda ash because it will also raise your TA.

I suggest you purchase 5 boxes of borax (to start) and add it as Jason said:

I would add a box of borax, wait at least an hour with the pump running, test the PH and see where you are. Repeat as many times as needed to get the PH to somewhere around 7.2 to 7.6.

 

[WestSidePool]

Great,
Thanks for the help guys.