Testing Calcium

[RaviePoolGirl]

My Calcium level is high and I just have to deal with it for now. I run 550's to 650's. I want to know what I can dilute my sample with so I am not using as much testing reagents and maybe I can get a more precise number. Will distilled water work? 50/50?

 

[Vette]

Distilled and 50/50 is the way to go. Tap water adds unwanted minerals and differing ratios makes the math a little fuzzier.

 

[RaviePoolGirl]

Thank You! I will do that

 

[Richard320]

My Calcium level is high and I just have to deal with it for now. I run 550's to 650's. I want to know what I can dilute my sample with so I am not using as much testing reagents and maybe I can get a more precise number. Will distilled water work? 50/50?

HA! I laugh at your puny numbers!

Use 10 ml sample, 10 drops of R-0010, then each drop of R-0012 counts as 25 ppm. The extended directions say 3 drops of R-0011, but I use 5 and the number hasn't changed. When you get up there, who cares if it's 810, 825, or 840? The difference is minimal as a percentage.

If you don't have a speedstir, I pity you. It must take forever to run the test. For what its worth, my CH dropped dramatically just by testing with the speedstir. Thorough mixing is essential. Sometimes it seems to hang at dark blue (almost indigo) and another minute of high speed swirling will get it to go sky blue with no extra reagent.

 

[jblizzle]

You can also use a 10 mL sample and then each drop is 25ppm. Check out the extended testing instructions sticky in the testing forum.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[RaviePoolGirl]

Ha Ha Rich, I agree. What does it matter with numbers so high I feel like my color is such a gradual change I just don't know when to call it done. I was actually hoping that I would see a more dramatic change to know it is done. Maybe to 10cc sample would suffice as well. And I do have a "Speed Stir"!!!!!

 

[Richard320]

Ha Ha Rich, I agree. What does it matter with numbers so high I feel like my color is such a gradual change I just don't know when to call it done. I was actually hoping that I would see a more dramatic change to know it is done. Maybe to 10cc sample would suffice as well. And I do have a "Speed Stir"!!!!!

10 ml sample. 10 drops r-0012. Spin it one cycle. Then 10 drops r-0010. Spin again. 5 drops r-0011, spin until the purple blob is dispersed. Then add another 10 drops of r-0012. That will get you in the ballpark for 500+ CH. If it's still pinkish, add drops 2 at a time. When it starts turning purple or indigo, slow down and do the drops one at a time and let it go a full cycle between drops. When it turns SKY BLUE, like this,, you're done. Not dark blue. Sky blue.

That's how I do it. Except I do the rough dump starting at 700 CH and go up slowly from there.

 

[RaviePoolGirl]

Ok, I will try that [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

 

[burine]

So is there any way to lower CH? Or do you have to drain and refill with no/low CH water?

 

[RaviePoolGirl]

Drain, refill is cheapest option. I've heard of having a water treatment done at the pool like Reverse Osmosis. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.


Sorry So Short. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[257WbyMag]

So is there any way to lower CH? Or do you have to drain and refill with no/low CH water?

Depending on where you live, you may be able to use a reverse osmosis company. Most people just do drains and refills. But if your fill water is the culrpit as it is for most in the desert SW, it doesn't help much. Some people, like Richard320 mentioned, have to deal with high CH levels no matter what. It can be done by managing you CSI in other ways such as by running lower pH and TA levels. Just have to get creative if you are in that situation.

From this point forward, only use the 10 ml sample, high concentration test for CH. You might go ahead and check your tap water and see what the CH there is. Keep in mind too that the CH in municipal water can vary at times since some places use multiple sources depending on the time of year.

 

[Richard320]

From this point forward, only use the 10 ml sample, high concentration test for CH. You might go ahead and check your tap water and see what the CH there is. Keep in mind too that the CH in municipal water can vary at times since some places use multiple sources depending on the time of year.

She's just, uh...spiraled...yeah, that will get past the censors

The Napa Valley has exceptionally hard water. And to think people pay big money for the crud that comes out her tap! Ever hear of Calistoga Mineral Water?