Very Very Low pH. TA Fine

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M

midwestboat

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Jun 4, 2010
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Hello all. I had my inground pool put in 12 years ago. Last 2 years have been awful. I have a automatic cover so it is covered all the time unless we are in it. Last year spent $2800 in chemicals, This year $3000 so far. I also have a hot tub and have had it for 12 years. It is flawless. My problem currently, no or super low pH. Pool is crystal clear. TA is fine. Fress Chlorine is fine. I have added 300lbs of PH increaser with no luck. I was told last year my TDS was extremely high and to drain pool. I did not do this. Another pool guy told me TDS no big deal just keep adding chlorine. Well this year same thing, TDS high and cant balance my water. Should I drain pool and start over? Hate to with all $$ in it. But ready to tear pool out of the ground. Any suggestions much appreciated. I have put in

400lbs of granular 56
25 gallons liquid chlorine
300lbs Ph increaser
200lbs TA increaser
60lbs stabile
2 gallons algacide

other than the last 2 years, it only cost me $700-$800 to run the pool for the season. I feel I should drain and start over. I fill off Well water. I did just order a test kit from this site.
 
Welcome to the forum! :lol:

Your pool can be easily be fixed without draining but we'll need a starting point.

Can you post a full set of test results? That'll get us the info we need to suggest some things.

Eventually, you will be best served with your own test kit but we can get you started if you can post results from a pool store test.
 
Pool store said pH was to low to show any results, Computer wouldnt take it. I just ordered the $68 kit today from here. Should have in a few days. On my test strips which I have learned from here are no good. TA is right where it should be"by Color on strip" Free Chlorine is perfect by color on strip. Stabil is high but close by color on strip, pH is not changing the color on strip at all. This probably isnt helpful. But I will test when the kit comes in. The last pool guy said to just let it run and not to add anything for a while. Again the pool looks great smells good. IS total TDS something not to worry about? They told me it was like 38000?? My pump always runs 24/7 and has for 12 years. Sand is coupl years old. Steps look great. With pH low can the kids swim? They have been and havent complained about anything.
 
Welcome to TFP.

I've typed a bunch of stuff up a couple of times and deleted it.

All I can say is once you get your test kit, lets see where you really are.

Can you tell us the ingredients are in all those chems you've added?

I have this bad feeling that your going to have to drain at least a good portion of your water if those things are what I think they are. I hope I'm wrong. For instance, if the 60 lbs of stabile is cyanuric acid you've added 205ppm CYA to your pool and if the TA increaser is baking soda, you've added 408 to your TA.
 
Oh my...

Granular 56 appears to be dichlor.

If you added 400 POUNDS of it to a 35,000 gallon pool, it would have raised your CYA by... deep breath... 691 and significantly lowered your pH.

If the 60 pounds of "stabile" is stabalizer, that's another... well... at this point it's academic.

I wouldn't do anything before others with more knowledge weigh in, and perhaps you point out something that I am misunderstanding. But, it looks like you have a refill in your future.
 
IS total TDS something not to worry about?
Click to expand...
That's correct.

Since you have some Free Chlorine, I think you're just fine to swim.

I'd like to get a better idea of that pH. Do you happen to have a pH test laying around? It's usually a plastic test block with various shades of reddish colors on one side and shades of yellow on the other side. It'll come with two bottles of reagent. You fill it with pool water, put 5 drops of the yellow on the yellow side and same for the red.

If you don't have that, you can probably pick one up at Wal-mart/Lowe's/Home depot, etc. Get the cheapest one you can find since all we want is an idea of your pH. You are also getting a pretty good one in the kit that's coming to you so don't spend over $5.00 or so.....the pH test can wait if it needs to but it would be reassuring to know where you are.

Assuming it is low, be prepared to buy several boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax at the grocery store in the laundry aisle.
 
I am usually not one to say "stay out of the pool".

And, I am still thinking that there is some miscommunication with the amount of chemicals added.

But at least until there is a better understanding, I am going to say: STAY OUT OF THE POOL.
 
I am by no means an expert but it seems to me that if you are able to spend that much on chemicals you could easily spring for a $70 test kit. The whole situation circles around the fact that you haven't produced any real numbers for the people here to direct you with. If you are hoping to DIY your pool like most here do, then you need a test kit of at least some kind. Most including myself recommend this one: http://tftestkits.net/splash-page.html

Buy the kit and you will most likely find that you are throwing a LOT of money away on chemicals you don't even need. Again, really your only options are DIY or pay the pool store and trust there readings and advice.

The better option is to read Pool School and get a test kit. Even if you don't decide to use the BBB method you MUST have accurate water test results or dumping stuff in your pool is a wasted effort and huge waste of money. My advice would be to to get the kit, test and come back.

CLICK HERE
 
waskydiver said: "And, I am still thinking that there is some miscommunication with the amount of chemicals added."

I don't know about that, the amount midwestboat claims he spent so far this year ($3000) would seem to indicate he did indeed put that much into the pool.
 

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kenmar said:
waskydiver said: "And, I am still thinking that there is some miscommunication with the amount of chemicals added."

I don't know about that, the amount midwestboat claims he spent so far this year ($3000) would seem to indicate he did indeed put that much into the pool.
Click to expand...

I thinking, for example, it's 400 *OZ* (25 Pounds) of dichlor that was added.

You are now talking about reasonable number.

Same with the CYA, and many of the other numbers... If you think oz instead of lbs... things are not THAT unreasonable... STILL somewhat excessive, but not unreasonably so.

If many of these chemicals are actually OZ instead of LBS, I think that things can be salvaged without a redrain. Otherwise, that water needs to be removed from the pool NOW.
 
No, not other than a refill. There's likely 1000 ppm CYA in there. Since the pool is vinyl, it will take several drain/refill cycles to get it down to a manageable level. Once that is done, following the advice given here will get it up and running and trouble-free.
 
Well, after much thought, I drained the pool on this weekend, took out about 25000 gallons. Hasd been refilling off my well now for 15 hours. Should be full by this afternoon. Checked with my strips as I am eagerly waiting for my test kit, and Ph was 7.2, TA was 180. Stabile was 300 with no free chlorine showing. I have about 2.5 more feet to fill yet but I feel my problem was my Stabile was way high. Not sure if I will need to redrain again but by then my test kit should be in. Question I have is what chlorine to use to shock as my stabile is still high? Thanks
 
Stabile was 300 with no free chlorine showing.
Click to expand...
Do you mean Stabilizer/CYA/Cyanuric Acid?

If so, you need to retest. Are you using strips?

EDIT: I just saw above that you mean CYA. I don't trust that result if you have drained 25k.....more than half your pool, is that right?

We'll advise you on chlrine but first let's get an accurate test for all your parameters.....have you tracked delivery of your test kit?
 

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