ph issues

[waterbugs57]

Hi all
It is nice to be posting in a category other than 'algae'! We had 2 big downpours in the last 2 days. I drained my pool to the proper level and ran tests. 6-FC, 0-CC, TA-60, PH-6.8, 35 CYA. To address the low PH I added 2 boxes of borax, a little less than the calculator recommended but all I had. I added that an hour ago and just took a test sample and the PH is off the scale. Will this level out over hours? The last time I tested PH was 2 days ago (before rainfall) and it was 7.5. I really havn't had PH issues...

 

[tim5055]

I added that an hour ago and just took a test sample and the PH is off the scale.

off the scale low or high?

 

[timerguy]

Has me confused too. First thing today his pH was 6.8 so he added 2 boxes of borax, but then, he says the last time he tested was 2 days ago and his pH was 7.5 I don't know what it is now.

 

[Richard320]

If the water was not well mixed after the rain, you might have just tested the rainwater layer, but treated the whole pool.

 

[timerguy]

Seems to me he tested after draining the excess water caused by the rain. Just no telling when that was.

 

[waterbugs57]

Sorry for not being clear. Friday am ph was at 7.5 We have had 2 huge downpours since then and I had to drain the excess from the pool this morning. When I ran the daily chlorine and ph test the result was 6.8. I plugged the numbers into the calculator and it suggested180 oz of borax for ph.After dumping in 2 boxes and waiting an hour my ph was high I don't know how high, but at least 8.2. I tested again just now and it is still 8.2 or above. Not sure where to go from here....Any suggestions? thanks-Melinda

 

[pwrstrk]

Has your pump been running 40-60 min to mix water well before you take your tests ?
If everything is right you need to lower that PH ASAP. ?

 

[timerguy]

You unfortunately have the wrong volume for your pool. I plugged in 180 oz of borax into a15000 gal pool and it said it would add about 1.31ppm pH. That sounds close. But then, I plugged that same 180 oz into a 27200 gal pool and came up with a .72 pH increase. That sorta sounds what you may have been shooting for? Maybe your pool size isn't what you think it is? Did you plug the wrong pool size in pool math to come up with the 180oz?

 

[timerguy]

Also, you said you used 2 boxes of borax that would be 152 oz. 180oz would be a little over 2.36 boxes of 20 Mule team. This all doesn't quite compute.
Further, all that rain should have aerated the pool increasing the pH some. That could explain why. Your pH is now over 8.2

 

[zea3]

Use MA to bring the pH down. Add half you you think you need and test after 30 minutes of circulation. Add more MA if needed.

 

[waterbugs57]

Pwrstrk ,yes my pump has been running non stop. I believe the numbers I have posted to be correct. When I read "If everything is right you need to lower that PH ASAP. �� " I went to the box of chemicals that came with the pool and found a box of PH Down. Mixed 3 lbs. of that in 2 batches of water and dumped into pool. This mornings tests show 7.5 PH. I have to laugh because I had turned in for the night and just checked TFP on my ipad to see if there was any info on my situation and I did spring out of bed to find a remedy! Can you tell me why the ph being as high as it was required a sense of urgency? Did I damage anything? I still don't understand why my ph test or rather my 'fix' went so wrong. I take water from as far down as I can reach and the pump had been running all night so the theory of catching the rain water on top doesn't make sense to me. I didn't really learn anything from this experience. :-(
timerguy, I believe my calculations are correct on my pool volume. I used the calculators formula but used the depth at 4 feet, for just under 25,000 gallons.
Thank you all for your help.
Melinda

 

[timerguy]

Unless you added acid your pH shouldn't have decreased .7 in a couple days. That's why I said if anything all that rain more likely should have increased your pH a little and that probably explains how it went so high. Your 6.8 reading might have been in error.

 

[duraleigh]

I didn't really learn anything from this experience.

Read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. That should help you understand better on going to high or too low on virtually all the parameters for which we test.