ACK....Need to lower ph

[hlemon]

I have read for over 45 minutes this morning but can't find my exact answer.

I got the following read from the pool store yesterday (no test kit yet):

FC 0.0
TC 0.1
CC 0.1
pH 7.7
Alkalinity (w/stabilizer correction???) 80ppm
Cyanuric Acid 35ppm


I added the amount of chlorine, as indicated on the Pool Calculator. THAT'S the part I DO understand She told me to dump 5-10 pounds of soda to bring up the TA to atleast 100. She then told me to add 2.5lbs of pH down to lower it. I added the soda and will need to retest after it completely mixes.

I went to Lowes and bought pH and Total Alkalinity Decreaser (sodium bisulfate). This isn't what I wanted, is it?

ACK

 

[dschlic1]

Yes that will work. When you lower the pH you will also lower the TA.

 

[JasonLion]

We tend to call sodium bisulfate "dry acid" around here. It will lower PH a lot, and lower TA just a little. I prefer to use muriatic acid to lower PH, it is less expensive, but dry acid is fine in most situations.

You should do some more reading and not be so quick to do what the pool store recommends. Your PH and TA levels were acceptable. In general you don't want to adjust things just for the sake of hitting the ideal number, there is a much wider range that is acceptable. Better to leave things alone until they are starting to drift out of range.

What you really need right now is chlorine.

Long term you need to get a good test kit. I recommend a kit from TF Test Kits, see the link in my signature. The Taylor K-2006 is also good. The best investment you can make in your pool is a top quality test kit.

Feel free to ask questions, that is how we learn!

 

[hlemon]

You should do some more reading and not be so quick to do what the pool store recommends. Your PH and TA levels were acceptable. In general you don't want to adjust things just for the sake of hitting the ideal number, there is a much wider range that is acceptable. Better to leave things alone until they are starting to drift out of range.

Sage advice. I had dumped the soda before i went back to the pool calculator to determine the amount of liquid chlorine I needed. That's when I noticed that the ranges from the pool store were so much different than the ranges in the pool calculator.From now on, I'll look here FIRST instead of second.

Yes, I desperately need a better test kit. Right now I'm working with the HD one!

 

[hlemon]

Wanted to add that I am working on the chlorine issue!