New pool owner: High pH and high Chlorine

[kathleflan]

For starters, I am a new pool owner and the last owner left no instruction manual on the pool. I measured the pool and it's about 30ft long, 16 ft wide and 5.5 ft deep at its deepest.

We acid washed our pool so the water is new, about 3 weeks ago. However, we have been having trouble keeping the chemistry where it should be.
I had my water test done (a second time) with these results:
FAC: 0
CYA: 0
TA: 100
pH: 8
Pho: 400

This was my pool's chemistry AFTER I had shocked it (causing the previous CYA 0 to jump to a 'high' reading of about 1) and put acid in it, a week ago.

Per pool store instructions, I just finished putting 35 ounces (16oz, wait 4 hours, etc...) then I shocked the pool and put conditioner in it and accidentally put phosphates in it a few hours after the conditioner (the verbal instructions just said to wait a little bit but when I read them (unfortunately after putting in phosphates) it said to wait 72 hours.

Anyway....now my FAC is on the high end of the reading (as to be expected) but the pH which was 7.5 four hours ago is back up to 8.0....what is going on with my pool...why is the pH rising so quickly?

Oh and I am located in Las Vegas, NV....right now the days are getting up to mid 80s but the nights cool down. Not sure if that makes a difference!
I think the water is pretty hard.

Any advise would be extremely appreciated!

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

Advice, you say? Read. Start with Pool School. Specifically, the ABCs, so we're all speaking the same language. Then, What is TFPC? Hint: it's doing your own testing and only adding what your pool needs.
Then, Recommended Pool Chemicals, How to use Poolmath, and Test Kits Compared. You could just skip the last one and jump right to TF100 but the article explains why it is a better deal. No, I don't get a commission, but I do recommend the XL option now as well as the speedstir. You will burn through a lot of reagents early on, so it's helpful to have the nearly-impossible-to-find-locally FAS-DPD powder refill now. Nobody who has purchased a speedstir regrets it.

The single most important thing to do is to test the water yourself. There's a rather steep learning curve when you get your kit and are trying to balance the chemistry. Two weeks to a month, typically. But after that, it's about as routine and difficult as brushing your teeth every night. And your water will be sparkling clear, clear enough to toss a quarter in the water and see whether it landed heads or tails in the deep end. I kid you not. The alternative is to climb on the pool store merry go round and get bled every week.

Some examples of being "poolstored":
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/78308-Unable-to-see-bottom
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/74854-How-do-I-fix-this-Foam-Ice-Bergs-plus-Green
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/75164-PB-didn-t-listen-Phos-Free-will-it-cause-damage

 

[Smykowski]

Welcome to the forum! Richard just gave the best answer a new poster could possibly get.

 

[kathleflan]

Thank you! I have been reading but it's like learning a new language!
One thing I have read a few times is if the Free Chlorine is very high it can alter the PH test? Is that true? I am only asking because this morning at 6AM our PH reading was 7.6 then we added in chlorine and conditioner (again pool store instructions b/c their test showed a CYA of 0 and FC of 0).
When I tested the water at 10AM the chlorine was really high and the PH was 8.2. A really short time for the PH to jump. I had added the muriatic acid last night to bring the high PH down.

In short, could my PH reading be wrong due to the high FC reading?


Thanks for the links and recommendations!

 

[Richard320]

Thank you! I have been reading but it's like learning a new language!
One thing I have read a few times is if the Free Chlorine is very high it can alter the PH test? Is that true? I am only asking because this morning at 6AM our PH reading was 7.6 then we added in chlorine and conditioner (again pool store instructions b/c their test showed a CYA of 0 and FC of 0).
When I tested the water at 10AM the chlorine was really high and the PH was 8.2. A really short time for the PH to jump. I had added the muriatic acid last night to bring the high PH down.

In short, could my PH reading be wrong due to the high FC reading?


Thanks for the links and recommendations!

Yes. If FC is above 10, your pH will read falsely high. Post 3 has photos that prove it. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/58834-Accurate-pH-test-during-shock-levels-with-R-007

 

[kimkats]

Yeah everything that Richard has said! He is doing a wonderful job, as always, showing you the way to a Trouble Free Pool.

TFP will help you keep a clear, clean, cheaper pool than any pool store.

Is a water test really "free" if you have to buy something every time you are in there?

Kim

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to TFP Kath,

It only seems like a lot at first, but what it will boil down too, is proper FC for your Cya level, good pH control as the core of what you need to learn first. Don't be overwhelmed, just take a bite at a time. We'll be here when you have questions.

 

[Divin Dave]

HI Kathleflan,
to emphasize one point which Richard noted. You REALLY, need a good test kit.
Pool Store testing is notoriously wrong and itsnt to be trusted (much like the advice they give).
The TF100 is da bomb! It will be the best investment in your pool that you can make. www.tftestkits.net

Oh, and if you would fill out your signature with some pool details, then we wont have to scroll back to post 1 to find out.
It really helps us to provide recommendations if we know those specifics.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post