Calcium is way high please help

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W

Watson

0
Aug 1, 2012
51
Dallas
My pool just got done and my tap water levels were:

FC = 1
CC = 2
PH = OVER 8.2
TA = 80
CH = 150
CYA = 0

They started my pool and my calcium jumped to 370.

They stabilized my pool two days ago and my calcium was 450

NOW, These are my levels today and my calcium has steadily gone up.

FC = 10
CC = 0
PH = 7.5
TA = 80
CH = 550 (DID TEST TWICE TO BE SURE)
CYA = 40

The only thing being used right now are trichlor pucks while I go through the breaKing in period on my plaster. Do they have calcium in them? I am really getting worried about how high the levels have raised in a week.

Greg
 
Your calcium levels have went up from the new plaster. I would reccomend vaccuming to waste as you need to clean and refilling. Your calcium levels aren't ridiculous, but keep you PH in balance or you will have issues.
 
JamesW said:
I don't think that new plaster could cause the calcium levels to go up that much. I would ask the service people if they have added calcium.
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I took a sample to Leslie's near me and they confirmed the calcium numbers. They recommended Caltreat but I have seen mixed reviews on it.

Greg
 
Keep an very close eye on PH and do not let it go above 7.8 or you risk calcium scaling. 550 CH can still be managed but not if you can not check PH daily. Otherwise I would suggest a partial drain and fill to lower your CH level.
 
Even if Leslie's confirmed it, I'd question that reading unless it was done with a speedstir.

My CH level dropped several hundred points when switching from hand swirling to speedstir. Nothing else changed. Keep the pH in the lower reaches of the comfort zone and you'll be all right. My CSI is still negative despite CH levels over 800. Play with the pool calculator and see what lowering pH and TA will do.

You can also pump out a few inches at a time to water the lawn, as I do. It might only be a 5% reduction each time, but it helps, and none of the water is wasted.
 
I think that it's important to find out why the calcium is so high. For the plaster to contribute that much calcium, I think that it would have to be defective. If the calcium came from someone adding it, then they should be responsible for either explaining why they added so much, or lowering it.

Also, if you have copper in the water, then the test might be inaccurate. Try adding 5 drops of R-0012 first and using a speedstir.
 
Watson said:
My pool just got done and my tap water levels were:

FC = 1
CC = 2
PH = OVER 8.2
TA = 80
CH = 150
CYA = 0

They started my pool and my calcium jumped to 370.

They stabilized my pool two days ago and my calcium was 450

NOW, These are my levels today and my calcium has steadily gone up.

FC = 10
CC = 0
PH = 7.5
TA = 80
CH = 550 (DID TEST TWICE TO BE SURE)
CYA = 40

The only thing being used right now are trichlor pucks while I go through the breaKing in period on my plaster. Do they have calcium in them? I am really getting worried about how high the levels have raised in a week.

Greg
Click to expand...


What happens to a pool when the calcium levels are too high?
 

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Even with high calcium levels you can prevent scaling by keeping a careful balance of pH and TA to produce a CSI at zero of very slightly negative. I have been able to prevent scaling with CH levels as high as 1000.
 
Richard320 said:
Even if Leslie's confirmed it, I'd question that reading unless it was done with a speedstir.

My CH level dropped several hundred points when switching from hand swirling to speedstir. Nothing else changed. Keep the pH in the lower reaches of the comfort zone and you'll be all right. My CSI is still negative despite CH levels over 800. Play with the pool calculator and see what lowering pH and TA will do.

You can also pump out a few inches at a time to water the lawn, as I do. It might only be a 5% reduction each time, but it helps, and none of the water is wasted.
Click to expand...

I ordered and received the speed stir and you were right. My 550 CH dropped to 490 with the speed stir. This little device is awesome and makes testing so much easier.

Thanks for the tip.

So right now I am sitting at

FC - 5
CC - 0
PH - 7.5
TA - 80
CH - 490
CYA - 40

Pool is crystal clear and is looking great. If only summer had held out a little longer here in Dallas :(

PS turned off the Rainbow and switched to bleach yesterday. I am hoping to be able to alternate all winter to keep my CYA right around 40 and keep my FC at a consistant 5 :)
 
Watson said:
PS turned off the Rainbow and switched to bleach yesterday. I am hoping to be able to alternate all winter to keep my CYA right around 40 and keep my FC at a consistant 5 :)
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You will likely find that as the water temperature drops, your chlorine consumption will go way down. And if the CYA is 40 now, and you don't have it overflow with rain, it will probably be close to 40 when it starts warming up again.
 
Richard320 said:
Watson said:
PS turned off the Rainbow and switched to bleach yesterday. I am hoping to be able to alternate all winter to keep my CYA right around 40 and keep my FC at a consistant 5 :)
Click to expand...
You will likely find that as the water temperature drops, your chlorine consumption will go way down. And if the CYA is 40 now, and you don't have it overflow with rain, it will probably be close to 40 when it starts warming up again.
Click to expand...

We do have a rain overflow and I figure between evaporation, as well as, overflow, my CYA and CH will drop as the winter goes on. My wife is not into all this pool stuff, she just wans to swim :), and I travel quite alot.

I figure I will turn the rainbow on for the days that I am away from home usually 3 days a week, and turn it off and use bleach when I am home. This should keep my CYA consistant over the winter, or at least that is my hope.

By start of summer I should have my parastalic pump set up in place.
 
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