Aquacheck results. Need some help

[stepowell7]

Guys,

Could I get some pointers on the results of my aquachek chemical test.
I need to know what to buy and how to use of each. Thank you in advance

Total Hardness 100ppm should be min 250
PH 7.2 needs raising slightly
Alkalidity 60ppm should be minimum 80
Cyanuric Acid 20ppm should be min 30

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, stepowell7

Are those test strips? If yes, then I would not rely on them for your test results since they can be inconsistent...and consistently wrong.

Take a look at this pool school article: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison

Also, what type of pool surface do you have (vinyl, fiberglass, plaster)?

 

[stepowell7]

hi, thank you for replying. I think I found most of my answers from this site. What a great new resource.
I think from the calculator that i need to add 20lbs of calcium . Does this sound right ? I know its a pebbletech surface.

 

[linen]

You did not answer if those are test strip results. I will assume they are.

In addition to likely being wrong, the Total Hardness measurement you get from test strips does not tell use what we need to know for Calcium Hardness (CH). Total hardness is a combination of CH and Magnesium Hardness (which we generally do not care about, since it is rarely a problem). Therefore we do not know how much to raise (if any) your CH. Take a look at this pool school article:http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_water_chemistry

Bottom line you need an appropriate test kit to get FC, CC, TA, ph, CH, cya. In addition, we would need to know your pool volume.

 

[stepowell7]

Sorry, yes I am using the aquachek 7way strips.
I just moved into this house so and I inherited the chemicals the owner had used. I did not see any calcium hardening chemicals. Its quite possible my hardness is way off ?

 

[pwrstrk]

+ 1 on getting a good test kit !

 

[duraleigh]

and I inherited the chemicals the owner had used

A very, very common approach for newbies is to "use up" whatever was left over and then adopt what we teach. I encourage you not to do that. A prime part of what we teach is that you NEVER put things into your pool when you are not certain of the results.

I think there was a Homer Simpson cartoon wherein he ate some food that made him a little bit sick but he ate the rest of it because he didn't want to waste it. Perhaps not the best analogy but you get the idea.