When it says to add to the skimmer...

[gale]

Does it mean I can literally put the powder (ph minus, cya, whatever) directly into the skimmer basket while the pump is running? I tried the CYA in a sock in the basket and it just stopped it up so I took it back out. So I wasn't sure if I'm supposed to just pour the powder in there or dissolve it first?

Sorry if this was already asked somewhere. I did a search for skimmer and it said it was too common a term and I couldn't figure out what else to put in there.

 

[257WbyMag]

CYA can be added to the skimmer, but this can be hard on some filters. Putting it in a sock is fine as long as it is tethered in a way that it won't plug your skimmer drain. Sometimes, putting it in a sock and hanging the sock in front of a return is a better idea.

ETA: You can really add almost anything to the skimmer. The only thing that I would say is an absolute no-no for putting into a skimmer is muriatic acid.

 

[gale]

How about the PH Minus? I have to add some every day until we get our ph down (it's normally high for our water and it'll probably take all summer to get it close to the right amt) and it's getting old dissolving it in water and then trying to get it all poured in while holding the solar cover out of the way. I'm debating the muriatic acid but since I'm in such a precarious position trying to get anything poured in I have not tried it yet.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Dry acid shouldn't go in the skimmer either. As you suggested though, I would ditch the dry acid and use the MA.

Why do you think it will take all summer to get your pH down? That sounds strange; you should be able to get it down very quickly. If it's because your pool store only says add XX oz per day, you can ignore that. Just use the pool calculator (www.poolcalculator.com) to calculate the amount, add 2/3 of it, check again, and go from there.

 

[257WbyMag]

I would stop using pH minus altogether and just go to muriatic acid. Muriatic acid is much cheaper, much easier to measure, and doesn't add anything that you don't want in your pool.

Considering that pH minus is also fairly strongly acidic, I wouldn't put that in the skimmer either.

 

[gale]

In past years, with temporary pools, it never did get down and stay down. I originally thought my TA this time was 330 but I redid the test, wiping after each drop, and although it's still high, it is about 210 (or 220 depending on how red the water is supposed to get-or maybe a bit more if it's supposed to be solid blood red) so it's not as bad as I thought. When I tested ph today it was 7.2 so it's holding. Tomorrow the kids will swim to aerate and it will probably get in the correct range. Maybe I won't be battling high ph all summer after all.

eta: I don't have a pool store. There is one here but they don't have a whole lot anyway (I went there to find out pool options before we bought ours online). Y'all are my pool store.