Your TA only needs to come up a little. For a plaster pool with manual chlorination TA should be 70-90. Adjust the TA to get in range and then adjust the pH as needed.
Why not use Trichlor tablets if CYA is low?
- Thread starter TomAtlanta
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Not normally, most pools experience a slow rise in pH
Depends on what type of chlorine but, as a rule, chlorine has a VERY minimal affect on pH because the quantity is so small. Pucks CAN be the exception and may tend to lower pH somewhat.
Is Muriatic Acid the best thing to lower ph? What is the best form of Muriatic Acid and what is a reasonable price?
Muriatic acid is probably the most widely used product to drop pool ph. Dry acid is available (ph-down) is a little easier to handle, but it is more expensive. Either will lower both ph and TA.
Here's what I know about the stuff...
- Muriatic acid is readily available, from hardware stores, as it is used in masonry work. It can also be obtained from pool supply stores, but is usually more expensive. (As a general rule, pretty much everything labelled for pool use is more expensive than it's exact equal labelled for some other use.)
- M.A. is a somewhat diluted form of hydrochloric acid, and is rated for strength in Baumé, higher numbers indicate stronger acid concentrations.
- The pool calculator (poolcaculator.com) has several typical M.A. strengths built into it, making adjustments simple.
Here's what I know about the stuff...
- Muriatic acid is readily available, from hardware stores, as it is used in masonry work. It can also be obtained from pool supply stores, but is usually more expensive. (As a general rule, pretty much everything labelled for pool use is more expensive than it's exact equal labelled for some other use.)
- M.A. is a somewhat diluted form of hydrochloric acid, and is rated for strength in Baumé, higher numbers indicate stronger acid concentrations.
- The pool calculator (poolcaculator.com) has several typical M.A. strengths built into it, making adjustments simple.
I'd first focus on getting your CH up, which is what you were in the process of doing. Baking Soda won't raise the pH very much but you won't need to raise the TA very much. A high pH isn't an issue for scaling in your case because both the CH and TA are low. The main risk for high pH is metal staining if you've got a lot of metals in your water.
Thanks for the info. I added more calcium yesterday and tested today. CH is now 170. I just added some more calcium which should bring it slightly over 200. I'll test everything tomorrow and post the numbers.
Is there any problem adding baking soda at the same time you add calcium and chlorine? If so I'll go ahead and add that today also.
Maybe I should ask a more general question so I don't repeatedly ask about this: is there any problem with adding any combination of chemicals at the same time, or can you just add whatever needs to be added all at once?
Is there any problem adding baking soda at the same time you add calcium and chlorine? If so I'll go ahead and add that today also.
Maybe I should ask a more general question so I don't repeatedly ask about this: is there any problem with adding any combination of chemicals at the same time, or can you just add whatever needs to be added all at once?
One more general chemistry question: Which measurements change on their own over time, and which pretty much stay the same unless you add chemicals? I know ph and chlorine change, and CH stays the same, but what about the other measurements?
TomAtlanta said:
http://www.chemaxx.com/pool_chemical_explosion.htm
http://www.chemaxx.com/pool_chemical_fire.htm
Never mix chemicals or add chemicals at the same time without knowing what the results will be before hand!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great videos of fire and explosion. Thanks. Seeing those will cause me to remember and be careful more than just reading about the danger.
I will change my original question: Is there any problem with adding one chemical to your pool, watching it disolve, waiting 10 minutes and adding another chemical to your pool water?
I will change my original question: Is there any problem with adding one chemical to your pool, watching it disolve, waiting 10 minutes and adding another chemical to your pool water?
Not unless say you take a PH reading add something that affects PH as a side product and then want to add your ph balancer, Or TA etc etc. I dont think there is any issue with adding your calcium and chlorine but again wait for one of the "Pool Gods" around here to chime in, They tend to know things that average humans shouldn't need to know about pool chemistry 
Water here is high in Ph, and I've had to work 12 hr shifts so have used tri-chlor. I now have a sand filter though so do lose some water in back washing. I also drained about a foot from my 4 ft deep pool for winterizing. Do keep an eye on your CYA though; I think mine is still about 60 even after replacing a foot of water, so won't be using tri-chlor again for awhile. If you use it at all to raise your CYA you'll also have to use borax and baking soda. Probably be easier for you just to add stabilizer and stay away from tri-chlor.
Thanks for the info swimgirl. My problem is that just before I started learning about pool chemistry here, I bought 50 lbs of triclor tablets. I figure I might as well use them and test the CYA and keep using them until CYA gets high. You mentioned using borax and baking soda with them. Do they lower ph or TA?
As for adding chemicals, you can add one slowly in front of a return with the pump running, let it circulate for 30 minutes then add the next chemical.
Pool school says in the pool chemicals section: "Bleach should be added to the pool by pouring slowly in front of a return jet with the pump running. You should pour slowly enough that pouring an entire jug takes more than one minute, preferably two minutes. "
Why do you need to pour it so slowly?
Why do you need to pour it so slowly?
To ensure thorough mixing. If you pour it more quickly, then brush the side and bottom of the pool to prevent pooling. Chlorinating liquid, bleach and Muriatic Acid are all denser than pool water until they get thoroughly mixed in the water. If you add it too quickly in one spot, it can settle to the bottom in concentrated form which is not good for pool surfaces (most especially with acid on vinyl). One minute for a 96-ounce jug of bleach is 5 seconds per cup.
We do not recommend pouring bleach into the skimmer. Pour it in front of a running return.
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