Just drained and refilled pool. A fresh start is needed

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adrock_420

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Jul 20, 2009
9
I have a hth kit from wal-mart, I am going to order a taylor test kit in a week or two.

My pool has been a cloudy blue for the past two months. I've been using bleach and shock to try and clear it up but nothing worked. Finally I tested my cya level and it was 85. So I drained my pool half way and cleaned the filter and replaced my sand in my filter.

Now I am starting fresh with almost clear water.

TC is 2
TA is 50
PH is under 6.8 test will only go so low
CYA is less than 30 test only go so low, I think it's 0 the water was not cloudy at all.

I am interested in using borates in my pool. I have six boxes or borax from walmart ready to go.

Now from my reading up on the borax threads is that using borax will raise my ta and my ph. Can I use the borax to raise my levels? Do I have to use my sodium bicarbonate and my ph increaser first?
When do I have to put stabilizer in?
 
1. Drop all thought of the borates until your pool is stable and balanced.....a couple of weeks would be good.

2. Order the test kit now. A prime pricinple of BBB is accurate testing. If you want to start with the advice most often suggested on this board, you need an accurate test kit to do it. Refilling and starting over without a good kit places you right back where you were before you drained.

3. You will have some CYA in your pool now. Just how much is important and you need a good test kit to find that answer.

4. Your Walmart kit is fine for testing pH. Using the Pool calculator, calculate enough 20 mule team borax to raise your pH into the mid 7's. Do not confuse this adjustment with borates.....it's unrelated. Get your pH into the 7's sooner rather than later.

5. Did I mention to order a good test kit? :lol:
 
I agree with Dave, Wait on the Borates.

Use Borax to raise your PH.
Ideally you want your TA up a little too, use should use Baking Soda for that.

Once the PH is in range- you need to shock with bleach again, and then make sure the FC level is holding overnight. Keep shocking until it does, and the water is clear.

You do need a better test kit, read the article in Pool School that compares the two kits.

Do you know how to use the Pool Calculator?
 
frustratedpoolmom said:
Do you know how to use the Pool Calculator?
Click to expand...


Holy mackerel! that pool calculator might be the best thing since sliced bread.

TC is 5
TA is 80
ph is 7.4

I have a sock with stabilizer that my return is distributing into my pool
there is enough solid stabilizer in there to get the cya up to 30.
I don't want to push my luck after just emptying the pool.

I'm using Great Value Bleach, what chlorine level do I need to get my pool up to shock level?
 
Isn't it! Jason's creation is priceless. :goodjob:

Right now, shoot for a FC level of 10. Use the "dilution method" to measure the chlorine level with your kit.

Once the CYA is dissolved, assume your level is now 30 and raise your FC shock level to 12.
 
So when i went out and checked the pool this morning.
The water was 98% clear except for the dirt that was on the bottom of the pool.

pH is 7.5
TA is 80
cya should be 30 as I followed the pool calculator
my chlorine level is 12

Now if only the weather would cooperate and let us actually use the pool for the second time this year.
 
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