New SWG pool owner, testing sal levels, first drop of silver nitrate causes curdling

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J

Jabo

0
Jun 15, 2014
47
Freeport IL
Using the Taylor sodium chloride test kit K-1766 - wondered why that first drop of silver nitrate causes what looks like a curdling effect in the water? By this test my salt content is 3000ppm, which is what Intex recommends for my pool. It appears to be a soft white powdery substance, left on the tube after emptying too. I have also noticed that this appears to be present on top of the electrolytic cell. Is this normal?

My test kit for all the other things I need to test has still not arrived, but by using the test strips that came with the pool, my levels are:
FC 3
PH 6.8
ALK 80
Copper 2

SWG shut down 2 days because chlorine was reading high when tested at pool store.
 
You should raise your PH to at least 7.2 right away. The standard PH test will report any level below 6.8 as 6.8, so your actual PH could be much lower.

Hopefully your copper level is actually 0.2, rather than 2. If copper is 2 you need to replace a great deal of water as soon as possible least you get unsightly staining that is nearly impossible to remove.
 
Thanks, yes copper level is .2.

To raise the PH, I need to add borax, correct? How much do I add? Sorry, forgot momentarily about pool calculator, will check that also. I tested again to be sure and got the very same readings. We have had a lot of rain over this week, 5 inches, maybe more, not sure. I know rain water affects PH, but not sure if it lowers or raises it. I added 8 lbs of lo' n slo on 6/17/14 because PH was too high and have run the pump only (not the SWG) each evening for 12 hrs. since then because FC, CC, PH, TA all too high. Also added shock oxidizer, approx 1 lb. (results were posted under "Getting Started" section that day). Pool left uncovered last two days and nights also.
 
If I used pool math correctly, I need 23 oz of washing soda, correct? My only question about pool math is, if I don't have all the numbers because I don't have my test kit yet, will it be accurate just to plug in what I need to raise, like ph of 6.8 to 7.2, that is what I did. Thanks.
 
When you empty the Taylor 1766 compartment tube after the test, it is normal to have a white 'ring' left over in the vessel. This is a byproduct of the test and is in no way indicative of a faulty solution or your testing methods. I simply take a rag or paper towel on my index finger, plunge and spin the tube to clean off the residue.
 
Got my kit today, here are my reading, now 4:45 here, so hope someone is still out there on a Friday afternoon. :)
FC 9.5
CC .5
TC 10.
CH 400
TA 260
CYA 45
PH 6.8

Pool Math says to add 178 oz Borax, but the calculator below shows adding about 90 oz will bring it up to about 7.29, without raising TA too much. How could TA be off so much? And my FC is way high, can we swim in this water? By all that I have read, it seems impossible for my TA to be so high and my PH so low??

Keep in mind that I added 8 lbs of lo' n slo on 6/17/14 because PH was too high and have run the pump only (not the SWG) each evening for 12 hrs. since then because FC, CC, PH, TA all too high. Also added shock oxidizer, approx 1 lb. (results were posted under "Getting Started" section that day). Pool left uncovered last two days and nights also. On 6-18-14, readings were; FC 6.77; TC 8.9; and CC 2.13; PH 7; TA 213; from pool store.
 
What "calculator below"?

PoolMath takes the TA into account for pH adjustments, so I would trust that.

Did you get the TF-100? Did you wipe the tip for the TA test like the instructions say? Or were the drops smaller than normal?

Forget all the readings and additions in the past and focus on using your good test kit and move forward.
 
Yes, I did the tests correctly. I did the TA test 3 times to be sure and this is as accurate as I can get it. I gave the prior info. because thought it might indicate how it got so out of balance, sorry.

The calculator below is referring to the Effects of adding chemicals calculator at the bottom of the pool math page.

Sorry, I am new to all of this, so I used that too. It was there so I thought I was supposed to use it before I did anything.
 

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Oh, you can not really use the "Effect" portion for pH adjustment calculations.

There is really nothing that out of balance. The pH is too low (due to your slo lo addition) and the TA happens to be high (which does not really matter for anything).

Get the pH back in the 7s and relax :D

What is the TA of your fill water? Did you ever add a bunch of baking soda?
 
I did not add baking soda. My original PH when I filled the pool was 7.2 every time I tested it so it was at low end all along, then on 6-17-14, it registered 8, and now 6.8. Lots of rain here if that counts for anything, pool overflowing.

OK, trying to relax but are the chlorine levels ok, thought since high and SWG, it might be irritating. It seems like my hands and arms are tingling from getting out pool water, but maybe it is in my head, kids planning to swim tomorrow so reason so concerned. Thanks so much!!

Also, I thought from reading TA was important and since newbie, everything I read is gospel to me!
 
With CYA in the water, your FC is not really that high ... so that must be in your head ;)

TA is the least important, well second least for you since CH does not really matter.
 
OK, thanks so much. Geez, sorry, sometimes too much reading just makes me more stressed! Now read how to add borates from Sticky, which borax is. It sounds a little complicated to do yet tonight.

I may try to aerate the pool overnight; I read that can raise PH without raising TA. Hopefully that is OK.

Or should I just run my filter pump and do nothing else??
 
Hold on ... you are no where near ready to add borates. Your TA is way too high. If you mean just adding a little borax to raise the pH, that is fine, you can do that now.
 
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