High calcium and borates

[Pikerbu]

Hello,

Want to ask for your advice about my high calcium situation. My numbers are

FC: 2
Cc: 0
Ph:7.6-7.8
Ta: 70
Cya: 20
Ch (tf100): 640. Hth from Walmart : 420
Fill water ch (tf100): 150; hth:120
Water condition: crystal clean

As you can see, the 2 different test kits show 2 different numbers but regardless my calcium is high. I am also constantly (every 2 days) adding MA to bring my ph down. There isn't any noticeable scale yet. Questions are

1. Should I begin to think about partial drain to bring ch down?
2. Add borates to battle the frequent adding of MA which is a real pain?

Appreciated any advice.


Thanks
Hean

 

[JasonLion]

If your fill water CH level is 150, you should try to hold out until CH gets a bit higher before replacing water. Many people find CH manageable until it gets to almost 1000.

Adding borates can help slow down the PH increase, partly because a pool with borates can be run at a lower TA level. Even without borates you could lower TA a little further, down to 60. With borates you can lower TA down to 40.

Believe your own results from the TF100, and just ignore all other test results. Adding in the results from other sources just confuses the situation to no gain.

 

[Pikerbu]

Thanks. The only reason I am using the hth test is about a month ago I got my tf100 testkit the ch number was more like 410- 440. Over the course of 4-5 weeks the numbers went up to 600+. Been using hth for about 6 months it has been going up from 350-400. Perhaps I was using the tf100 ch test incorrectly when I first got it. I am trying to follow the laminated instruction coming with the kit....

 

[JasonLion]

If you have any doubts about how to use the kit, take a look at the Extended Test Kit Directions.

 

[Richard320]

A speedstir makes a huge difference when doing the CH test. My test numbers dropped dramatically when I started using the speedstir. That test really needs a lot of mixing. Sometimes just another cycle without addiong drops will get the color to change.

 

[Pikerbu]

Thanks guys. I have the speedstir. The extended directions help quite a bit...

Thanks again

Hean