Accidentally Too Much Baking Soda

[jaybytez]

So I learned my lesson on using the app and paying attention to what I type into the app and what it suggests.

In the TA, I accidentally set the Current TA to 8 and the Target TA is 80. So it recommended that I put in 5 lbs of Baking Soda. I put in 4 lbs of Baking Soda and now the pool is turning greenish and can't really see the deep end.

I did put in some Muratic Acid and we are putting water into the pool (it's probably a 30,000 gallon pool and filled it about 2-3 inches), but it is still murky. There is no waterfall or feature like that to aerate the pool.

Any suggestions?

 

[mknauss]

Baking soda raised your TA and raised your pH a little bit.

Test your pH. Keep using acid to lower it to 7.2. Test your TA every couple times you add acid.

 

[mknauss]

The 'greenish' is probably iron. When your pH goes up, the iron oxidizes. I suspect your cartridge filters are covered in iron if you check them.

 

[JamesW]

You have 30,000 gallons and the app told you to add 5 lbs baking soda to increase the TA from 8 to 80?

That doesn't add up. 4 lbs of baking soda is not going to make your water green and murky.

We're missing some critical information.

Why were you increasing the TA anyway?

What are all of the readings for the chemistry?

 

[jaybytez]

Okay, totally my fault because I added confusion to the title and my info.

I went through my logs and realized that around Sep 7, the Alkalinity was 60 and to put it to 80, I put in 4 lbs of baking soda.

The next week I misentered the alkalinity at 8 when it was actually 80.

The pool was low on chlorine previously, but it caught me off guard that it is now green again and last week it was starting to get murky. So I identified it as the alkalinity.

In my notes for last week, everything was on but PH was 7.8. This is when I started to get murky. Today, it’s green and you can’t see the bottom of the pool, all chemicals were on except chlorine was 1.5, alkalinity is 90, and PH is about 7.6.

I originally had the pool listed about 24,000 gallons but just bumped it last week, because it looks around the size of my pool which is about 32-33,000 gallons.

It does have the new Polaris Quattro that had gunk all in it so it might not have had good water flow.

 

[wireform]

We need to see full set of numbers and if all is within range ...slam away. The problem is the TA was fine where it was at 60. You have a big time algae problem now as your FC was too low for too long. Get your ph into the mid 70s and start to slam.

 

[beautifulpool]

Jaybytez, I’ve had my pool that shade before ....if that’s your mom’s pool-I read you said you ‘bumped-up’ gallons to 33,000, because ‘it looked similar to mine’....
Have you tried calculating pool volume thru a pool volume calculator?.....since dosage amounts are more accurate when Pool volume is accurate.
I agree, this needs a slam, lower your pH before you start.
You mentioned a new Polaris Quattro, and ‘gunk in cleaner So not good water flow’
When were mom’s filters last cleaned???
I hate to say this, but if you can, clean the filters pre-slam. Good circulation is critical -to clearing that up. you may not Can believe what’s already Sitting in her cartridges .... and Clean cartridges AGAIN after-else it’s gonna re-cycle what ought not be re-cycled.
I have been there....I was my pool “guy”
This pool has as much stuff growing around it as ours does....
Much luck
Blessings

 

[beautifulpool]

One more thing, have you tested her CYA? I wouldn’t waste money on shock if cya’s sky high....

 

[JamesW]

You didn't need to add any baking soda.

Your pool is green due to lack of chlorine.

You need to SLAM and then maintain the fc at the correct level.

 

[jaybytez]

Thank you guys so much. I am going over there today and I am going to measure the pool length, width, and shallow/deep depth to calculate the pool volume. Then as you mentioned, I will make sure I get the PH to the right levels for slamming the pool. I used one of the great troublefreepool resources to evaluate the stabilizer and the suggested FC. I bought only liquid bleach/chlorine so I could put in enough today and to keep the pool at the slam levels until the green algae dies. And I will clean the filters daily for about a week.

What through me off guard is that I can sometimes be lazy with my own pool, meaning sometimes I test once a week or like 10 days and I don’t get a ton of green but my Moms pool goes green quick. Of course we both have pools that algae redwood trees and oak trees, so lost of tree debris. Her pool is cooler, more shade, and not as powerful a pump.

Once I start today, I can post my test results.

 

[jaybytez]

I almost at 7 days running the SLAM of 18 FC based on the documentation. The pool is still green but the ashy grayish green for the past 3 days. The filter looks white when I hose it off, not much green on it (I have washed it off 4 times). How long does the SLAM process take to clear up the pool?

Also, as the pic shows, my Yellow and appears to be 7.0 while the Alkalinity is 60. Do I need to address these two or just focus on the Chlorine and the pool getting clear first?

 

[gonfishin]

While you are SLAMing, you only worry about chlorine.

Are you targeting 20 FC for your SLAM? We round up on CYA, so you should be using a CYA of 50 for your SLAM level.

 

[jaybytez]

Gotcha, I will increase to focus the SLAM FC at 20 when I go to clean the pool tomorrow. Thanks for the info!