Ugh, I swear I've read all this, but I'm a learner by doing. Soon, I'll be a professional. Thanks for your help. Again.
Just got my kit and completed tests
- Thread starter Enzman
- Start date
You haven't ruined your water, no worries about that.
I'm a learn by doing guy myself, but don't fret, this will seem as easy as riding a bike before you know it.
Hang in there, and let us know how your latest pH came out.
I'm a learn by doing guy myself, but don't fret, this will seem as easy as riding a bike before you know it.
Hang in there, and let us know how your latest pH came out.
There are lots of people here that love to help. Keep at it, keep posting results and questions, and we will help you learn.
Went to the pool store, the guy told me he didn't have borax, and that I didn't want it because it has extra additives so he gave me ph up. I put half the bottle (1lb) into my pool, and now we're at a solid 7.2. Also picked up some 10% liquid chlorine at $3.25 a pop.
The pool store guy was deceiving you -- intentionally withholding materially important information you would need to know to make an informed purchase decision. If you look at the ingredients for pH Up, it should say "Sodium Carbonate". If you look in the grocery store at the ingredients of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, it is also 100% "Sodium Carbonate" but for a much lower price. However, either of these raises the Total Alkalinity (TA) in addition to the pH. If you were to have purchased 20 Mule Team Borax, it will raise the pH with only half the rise in TA and also be less expensive than the pH Up product.
There are NO extra additives in 20 Mule Team Borax. It is nearly pure "Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate". It is true that using the Borax will increase the level of borates in your pool, but for some pool owners that's a good thing since they provide additional pH buffering and are also a mild algaecide.
You're going to have to decide whom you trust. You cannot mix the advice from the pool store and that which you get here.
There are NO extra additives in 20 Mule Team Borax. It is nearly pure "Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate". It is true that using the Borax will increase the level of borates in your pool, but for some pool owners that's a good thing since they provide additional pH buffering and are also a mild algaecide.
You're going to have to decide whom you trust. You cannot mix the advice from the pool store and that which you get here.
Not that I don't trust you guys, just frustrating as **** going to the store and asking for stuff and then they're like well you don't want that. I asked him for liquid chlorine and he says "for what". Wtf?
Since you have your own test kit, there's not really a reason to go to the pool store anymore. If you ask for something and they give you a hard time about it, I'd find somewhere else to take my business.
Numbers are much better now. Constantly in the 7's with the ph. I just splash about a cup of acid into my pool each day for the last couple days. Still in the testing phase.
Sounds like you are getting it nicely sorted - once you get the hang of it, you only test every 2 or 3 days and get into a 'holding pattern' - you pretty much know what to add and how much, and make very small adjustments.
I tested every day at first, but it didn't take too long before I could accurately predict the test results before testing, so I backed of to every 2 or 3 days as well. However, when things change, rain, more or less sun, lots of leaves, etc, then I still had to test daily to be sure. That was in the summer. Now in the winter, I can test once or twice a week. In that cold shaded water, things change very slowly.