First Time Post - Did I add too much pH Minus?

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M

marzie

0
May 22, 2012
2
Twin Lakes, Wisconsin
OK, so I set up my pool last weekend and I am just getting around to adding the chemicals. The details are below but my question is:

Is 17 oz of pH minus too much to add to a 1350 gallon vinyl (inflatable ring) pool at one time?

Now, the long version:

I started with testing the water as-is. I started with the pooltime test strips but when I saw the hth strips had greater resolution, I switched to them as of today. I know, I know, the strips aren't as accurate as a drop test but that's what I'm starting with. Here is my first set of test results from 5-20.
FC 0 (Haven't added chlorine tablets or shock yet)
pH 8.4
TA 180
CH 250
CYA 50

According to the local pool supplier, the first thing to target is TA. Yesterday, 5-21 I added my first dose of pH minus. I added 3 oz and waited 2 hours. The results stayed the same. I added another 3 oz and went to bed. I tested again tonight before adding more chemical. Here are the results.

FC 0 (Still haven't added chlorine or shock)
pH 7.5
TA 180
CH 200
CYA 25

I'm using hth's chemicals and test strips so I checked their website and saw conflicting/confusing information. On one part, it said I needed 2lbs 6 oz of pH minus for my 1350 gal pool. I noticed next to the chemical itself that it said to add no more than 32 oz for each 10k gallons every 24 hours, but I pretty much ignored it.

So, I put in about 16-18 oz of pH minus. It said I needed 38 oz total to bring down the so I thought I was playing it safe. I waited two hours then tested again and got

FC 0
pH 7.2
TA 180
CH 200
CYA 0

I started checking online to make sure I was going about this the right was and then I found this forum entry. That got me a little worried that I might have overdone it and I am going to wake up to a hole in my yard where my pool used to be.

So I thought I would sign up and see if anyone has any emergency advice that I need to do before I go to work tomorrow.

Thanks,
Mike
 
Read pool school (button at upper right of every page).

Order a good kit.

Add cya and fc ... pH in last test looks ok.

TA is one of the last things to worry about.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone :)
 
Your levels should be fine, but check in the morning. Worse case at all....dump the water and refill.

http://tftestkits.net/Basic-OTO-Test-Kit-p69.html

Grab one of these...and use a pool store for the rest of your tests. This will help keep an eye on your PH and FC levels. Test daily.....if you have chlorine, go swimming...if not add some and go swimming. Welcome to the site!!
 
Welcome to TFP.

Also learn to use the Pool calculator, it will be your new best friend.

As said above, the TA is one of the last things to worry about. Yours is a bit high, but not terribly so. The instuctions for the pH minus doesn't take the TA into account. Your high TA is why it took more product to move the pH than the instructions said it would. The Pool Calc takes it into account and will give you a closer approximation of how much it's really going to take.
 
Thanks everybody for the quick responses! I will stop worrying now. I'll pick up one of those kits in the next few days.

One more question, my pool water is green and very cloudy. It was like this from day one. I have well water and iron in the water is a known issue if that makes a difference. Is this algea or something else? I'm going to start the four day shock treatment tonight to raise the CYA and FC, in case that will help.

Thanks again,
Mike
 
You may want to go back and read the Temporary/Seasonal Pool Guide before continuing.

And, if you know there is iron in the well water, you prob want to add a sequesterant before adding anything else.

You may prefer to dump and start over.
 
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