a little input?

[SHADEZ]

I have not started the pool yet I'm still dealing with algae at the moment just filtering

I'm wondering should I test the water before I first shock the pool with algae?

I decided it wouldn't hurt to test it so yesterday i got
Ph 7.2
Ta 40

I added about 12 lbs of baking soda .. 24 hours later

Ph 8.0-8.2
Ta 60

there is a storm coming and wondering if I should hold off shocking with bleach
and just add some acid to bring the Ph down .. wouldn't that take my ta back to 40?

so acid to lower ph then more baking soda .. repeat .. then shock?

 

[duraleigh]

Well, let's review your baking soda dose. 12 lbs of baking soda should have moved your TA by about 30 ppm and moved your pH by .06. Clarifying that decimal as .06.....not .6

Baking soda raises TA and has virtually no affect on pH.

You have a testing or dosing error or a combination of those two.

 

[SHADEZ]

it was possibly 10 lbs i didn't weigh it but every time i have done it it moves 20 ppm ...

my test kit is about a year old .. I tested the ph 3 times and got a high reading .. but it was fine yesterday .. or was it? hmmm
maybe i should just keep filtering and forget testing until I get a new test kit?

 

[SHADEZ]

i used a 2 year old test kit and got relatively the same high ph reading .. should I let the acid rain do the work for me?

 

[fast1971chevelle]

I would lower to pH to 7.2 and start the shock process and only test fc and cc during the shock process because high fc levels givethe ph test false high results.....do you have one of the recommended test kits?

 

[SHADEZ]

yes a taylor from tftestkits .. but it is a year old

 

[JasonLion]

Taylor recommends replacing the reagents each year. We have found that if you store them carefully, in a cool dark place that doesn't freeze, they will last two years (or more sometimes).

 

[duraleigh]

I would lower to pH to 7.2 and start the shock process

The problem I see there is that I don't know what OP's starting pH is. 8.2 for pH is purple.....7.2 is orange. SHADEZ, are you somewhere in the red to pinkish orange?

Testing and dosing accurately is imperative to managing your own pool water.

 

[SHADEZ]

it was orange the first day i test but i only tested it once .. the last five times it was purple .. so i added 1 lbs of dry acid (or close to it).. will check again 6 hours later

 

[duraleigh]

Pump running, pH changes are completed in an hour.

 

[SHADEZ]

Even with dry acid? The instructions on the container says to add 4oz per 10,000 gallons of water then allow 6 to 8 hours for distribution

 

[JasonLion]

Pre-dissolve in a bucket of water, pour slowly in front of a return while the pump is running, and wait one hour.

 

[SHADEZ]

My Ph is about 7.5 and Ta is about 65 (turns purple at 60, turns red at 70)
I read that changing ta also changes the Ta
I'm about to shock tonight with bleach
I'm going to attempt to drop the ph with 1 lbs or so of dry acid
then I'll try shocking with bleach .. would this raise my ph back up along with raising ta a little also?
so I skip the baking soda?

 

[SHADEZ]

How can I test for cya below 20?

what are the risks and disadvantages of going over the recommended shocking level?

 

[fast1971chevelle]

there is no way, after your cya is dissolved for a week test cya if it is still not registering add enough more cya to get you to 40 in a sock in front of the return and wait a week and test again. as far as overshooting your goal aslong as you use the pool calculator you should end up close to where you want to be, but if you overshot it by a little no harm no foul just drain a little and top off the pool or let the rain do it for you......Mike

 

[fast1971chevelle]

SHOCK LEVEL
if you overshoot shock level it usually wont hurt anything unless you go WAY over and it could fade your liner over time.....Mike