Raising PH but not TA

[nsb85]

After a 10 day vacation, I came home to a green mess. Apparently, it was over 100 degrees most days I was gone and I came home to a green pool - big time green. I shocked it, which killed the algae, and after a couple of days of filtering, gave in a flocked it. Which cleared it beautifully, however it was messy and used a lot of water vacuuming to waste. Anyway, after several rounds of vac and wait, I ended up with water that was just slightly cloudy. So I filtered and balanced and waited. A week later, I still have cloudy water - greyish. My PH is super low, and my TA is perfect. I'm running the waterfall nonstop trying to aerate - considering adding borax (should I do that or wait for aeration to move PH). Calcium hardness is really high - around 500, but I can't replace water until fall. We are in a drought with water restrictions, so I'm stuck with the water I have. I'm not sure what else I should do get my water back to pretty and would appreciate any insight...

TC 7
FC 6
PH 6.8
TA 110
CH 500
CYA 80

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

After a 10 day vacation, I came home to a green mess. Apparently, it was over 100 degrees most days I was gone and I came home to a green pool - big time green. I shocked it, which killed the algae, and after a couple of days of filtering, gave in a flocked it.

TC 7
FC 6
PH 6.8
TA 110
CH 500
CYA 80

Your FC is just barely in the right range for maintaining the pool, but with cloudy water you probably need to go through the full shocking process as defined here: pool-school/shocking_your_pool

If that is what you did, then the problem has come back because your Combined Chlorines (CC's) are at 1ppm based on the TC and FC values shown above (TC-FC=CC). How did you test these or did you get a pool store to test them?

 

[Bama Rambler]

How are you chlorinating the pool? If it's with tablets, that's probably why your pH is so low. In that case, I'd use borax to raise the pH.

 

[nsb85]

I'm using a TF-100. I retested just now, and here's what I got:

FC 10
CC 1.5
TC 11.5
PH 6.8
TA 110
CH 500
CYA 80

 

[nsb85]

I usually chlorinate with tablets, but I've been using a granulated chlorine for the last week.

 

[Bama Rambler]

is that Dichlor or Cal-hypo?

If it's Dichlor, STOP now. Your CYA is already too high.

 

[nsb85]

Dichlor granulated.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Switch to liquid and it's going to take a lot of it.

 

[jblizzle]

If you were not in a water restriction your CYA is almost to the point where we would recommend a 50% water replacement ... so PLEASE stop using any solid forms of chlorine. You need to switch to liquid chlorine / bleach.

And as Bama said it is going to take a LOT. For your CYA of 80ppm, you need to maintain a shock FC level of 31ppm to clear your pool.

What test did you use to get your numbers?

 

[RobbieH]

What he said above, tells the test kit.

I'm using a TF-100. I retested just now, and here's what I got:

FC 10
CC 1.5
TC 11.5
PH 6.8
TA 110
CH 500
CYA 80

 

[jblizzle]

Oops, missed that line.

Well, good, then you are all set up be testing FC levels that high.

 

[nsb85]

I ran the tests as listed in the top of TF-100. Chlorine drop test, ch, cya, ta, and the daily chlorine/ph. I'm going to retest again this evening and I'll repost. Would it help to let the water evaporate down some so it's more concentrated and then change out a smaller %? I could probably get away with that. I was planning to try to change out water in the fall - when/if we go off restrictions. I used bleach only for the first two summers, but with a crazy work/travel schedule switched to the tabs.

 

[jblizzle]

The CYA does not evaporate (although I think you get that). I do not think letting it evaporate (will take along time) and then changing water is going to work if you want to use it this year.

 

[nsb85]

How do I make it usable (safe to swim) without water changes?

 

[jblizzle]

Go through the shock process described in Pool School using liquid chlorine.

For your CYA of 80ppm, the shock FC level is 31ppm.

After pass the 3 tests to stop, never let your FC drop below 6ppm.