Test Results - Should I Increase CH?

[hoffmandj]

Pool looks great and I have really appreciated the knowledge share of TFP - thank you.
I just bumped up the CYA a little due to a refill I had to do a couple weeks ago (in doing so, a friend recommended TFP). Prior to the CYA add, my PH was at 7.2 and now it’s at 7.6. Just curious if they are connected?
Also, should I be concerned with my CH number?

Hopefully I attached my picture ok.

John

 

[ctrav]

Welcome to TFP J...first off one of the water experts will have to answer if CYA effected your pH but I don't think so. FC is at the bottom end and I would push that up for sure. TA is high (have you tested your fill water with test kit?) so I would let the pH drift up to 8 and then lower to 7.2 then aerate water to raise pH and repeat until TA falls within range. I would also raise CH to at least 250 if not 300. Finally I would bump CYA up to 40.

I like to have my numbers within all the target ranges as indicated by pool math. On the other hand your current numbers show a balanced CSI of 0.07 which is balanced.

Thats a big pool so your chlorine use must be high? Thus increasing CYA will help to protect/shield the chlorine when the summer heat kicks in. Is Exton in PA?

 

[hoffmandj]

Cliff - thank you for the feedback. Yes, Exton is in PA (suburb of Philly).

The TA has been elevated since filling which must mean our water supply is just naturally high with TA.

Does pH naturally drift up?

My CYA was somewhere less than 30 according to my test kit and therefore the chlorine was disappearing really fast (plus we've had a recent heat waive here). I followed the TFP recommendations to get it to 30 and I agree, I need to go higher to conserve bleach use.

Thanks for your help & suggestions.

 

[ctrav]

I have the T-100 test kit from tftestkits.net and Im not sure what yours does or does not do. Yes pH will rise on its own. Testing your water for TA and CH would be of benefit. I like to know whats going in my pool...

How did you take care of your pool last year? Knowing what has been used in your pool will be helpful for the real experts when they chime in.

 

[ajw22]

How old is your pool and plaster?

 

[Richard320]

If anything, the CYA would have lowered the pH. It is, after all, an acid.

Normal operation will cause pH to rise some, and you have some good TA pushing it.

If it was my pool, I'd raise CH a little.

I wouldn't be in any hurry to lower TA. You're not in imminent danger of scaling, and the TA isn't so high that you're doing daily acid additions, so just leave it be. As it says in the How-to, "You shouldn't lower TA just to reach a target number." When pH gets too high, lower it with acid. TA will slowly come down on its own. No need to expend any extra effort.

 

[hoffmandj]

The pool and plaster is 12 years old. Based upon some coping and decorative tile coming loose and repositioning, I think it’s time to replaster, re-tile and re-cope. Could the age of the plaster be effecting my #’s?

 

[hoffmandj]

Prior years we tested at the pool store and used pucks and granular chlorine for sanitizing. We also added a weekly application of shock, Algecide and Stain & Scale (not all together).
This year the chemical balance was so out of whack, the pool store recommend a refill. We followed their advice, did the refill, but starting our own testing (K2006C) and following TFP. Pool has never looked better!

 

[ctrav]

Stick with TFP and not only will you save money but love your pool even more...

Maybe its time to upgrade a few things and maybe even consider SWG??