Balance Question(added New Question)

[moppymo]

Hi, I'm not sure how to get my pool numbers correct. I have borax and baking soda on hand and wondered if I should use them. I need to re-read the pool school because my brain is mush and none of this is making sense right now.

Here is what I have:

I tested using the T100 kit. I added a large jug of bleach two days ago after a ton of swimmers and a couple of small green looking leafy things were randomly spotted floating in our pool. (Not sure if that is what algae looks like or not) I do not see any after the beach was added and I allowed the pump to continue to run on the high speed overnight and during the following day. Also added a bit of salt- no exact measurement-just dumped in the rest that was in a bag because my salt system light went on and the pool guy said just add some salt if that happens. Yeah, real specific huh? Last time I did that and added a whole bag and it was super salty so this time I just added about a 1/3 of a bag. My pool is fiberglass. We've had rain since the bleach and salt was added also.

TC-9
FC-8.5
CC-.5
CYA-40
PH-7.8
TA-300 or 30 drops (?) It turned bright pink and I stopped at that point- will it actually turn a true red?? It didn't appear to change beyond the bright pink.

ETA- My water is clear- has been the entire time. Never any cloudiness despite bather load or whatever the green leafy things were.

I have a salt system but I have NO idea what the salt reading is- my salt panel just says 80% and we don't know how to use it. There are buttons to push the salt level up or down-that takes the % up or down depending. I know we should know how to use it but the manual doesn't tell us anything and the pool install guy didn't either. UG!

Thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Balance Question

Borax raises pH ... you do not currently need that
Baking Soda raises TA ... you certainly do not need that

See: Recommended Pool Chemicals

Good idea to supplement with bleach after heavy usage

Your buttons on the SWG are just changing the % of time the cell is generating (has nothing to do with the salt concentration). Have a pool store test for salt or get yourself your own salt test kit. I do not know that system, but I thought most would display the salt level (maybe not).

We also recommend a CYA of 70-80ppm for SWG to better protect the FC from the sun.

And finally, you pH is getting on the high side. A SWG will tend to make it drift up. And having high TA will also tend to make it drift up. Add acid to get it down to 7.2 or so and keep an eye on it so it does not get above 7.8

 

[moppymo]

Re: Balance Question

Thank you for the info Jason! I think our salt system is totally budget so it isn't great with all the info- that may be why the pool guy didn't give us more info about it. That or he didn't understand it himself.

I have some of the PH down stuff- just one bottle. Can I add that?

Would it hurt my kids to swim in it the way that it is?

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Balance Question

Yes you can use that ... use poolcalculator to tell you how much.

What makes you think it is not safe?

Water is safe to swim if: FC > minimum and < shock level for your CYA (see chart in Pool School), CC is not more than 0.5ppm, water is clear, pH is in range

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Re: Balance Question

PH Down = Dry Acid on the poolcalculator.com website. Notice that it gives volume and weight options for measuring it.

 

[moppymo]

Re: Balance Question

So I added some PH down- something I purchased from Walmart. Now I am at 7.2!

When I do the TA test with the T-100 test kit- should I stop adding regent at the bright pink color? Mine doesn't seem to ever get to red. I was at 30 drops the other day- today I'm at 14 drops and it is just bright pink. Advice??

 

[Richard320]

Re: Balance Question

So I added some PH down- something I purchased from Walmart. Now I am at 7.2!

When I do the TA test with the T-100 test kit- should I stop adding regent at the bright pink color? Mine doesn't seem to ever get to red. I was at 30 drops the other day- today I'm at 14 drops and it is just bright pink. Advice??

Barbie Pink is the final color.

It will probably go green - grey - pale pink - barbie pink. When you add a drop and it makes no change to the pink, that's when you stop and subtract the last drop.

 

[moppymo]

Thank you so much for clarifying Richard!!

I wish it would have just said "pink or even Barbie Pink" rather than red. I think I wasted more drops than I needed to especially since I've done this test a few times trying to get RED. Arg!!