Adding Water to New/Unbalanced Pool

[MM32]

Hello, I’m a very new pool owner so please forgive my ignorance. My pool was just completed Memorial Day weekend. I took a sample of water to my local pool store and it showed I had 8.3ph and 197 TA. The pool store recommended I put 44lbs of dry acid in my pool but on the advice of some TFP members I bought a couple of gallons of MA instead.
I’m happy to say that after a couple of days and adding a gallon of MA to my pool my pH dropped to 7.6 and the TA dropped to 165. I understand that I need to continue to lower my pH and then raise it back up/repeat the cycle in order to keep lowering my TA.
However here’s my concern. The level of my pool has dropped (probably due to evaporation) and I Need to add an inch or 2 of water. I’m afraid to do this while I’m in the cycle of lowering my TA but I’m going to have to add water soon in order to keep it above the skimmer line.
Am I over thinking this or will adding water totally throw off the chemistry? Please let me know what you think! Side note: I ordered the TF-Pro salt testing kit today and it should be here by Thursday so I don’t have to rely on the pool store anymore. Thanks in advance!

 

[proavia]

Add whatever water your pool needs.
Adding a few inches of water won't affect the chemistry too much.
Keep the water level about 1/2 way up the skimmer opening.
Right now, be concerned with having enough chlorine in the pool and have pH in the 7's (7.2-7.8).

Once your TF-Pro Sal arrives, post a full set of test results.

If you haven't already, install PoolMath and set up your pool in it.
Link PoolMath to your forum account so your entered and saved test results are available for us to see.
Or you can post your results here in the following format...

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Water temperature

 

[MM32]

Add whatever water your pool needs.
Adding a few inches of water won't affect the chemistry too much.
Keep the water level about 1/2 way up the skimmer opening.
Right now, be concerned with having enough chlorine in the pool and have pH in the 7's (7.2-7.8).

Once your TF-Pro Sal arrives, post a full set of test results.

If you haven't already, install PoolMath and set up your pool in it.
Link PoolMath to your forum account so your entered and saved test results are available for us to see.
Or you can post your results here in the following format...

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Water temperature

Thank you so much. I think my chlorine is actually a little too high. The last test was FC 5.25. Should do you think I should decrease the % of my SWG? Right now it is on 60%. I’m not 100% sure what model swg I have.

 

[proavia]

What is your best guess of your CYA level right now?
I know it's just a guess for now, but better than nothing until your test kit arrives.
Use FC/CYA Levels to determine FC target range for your CYA. Shoot for the top of the target range.

Post a pic of your equipmemt pad from a few different angles and also a pic of your SWG showing any labels, etc.

 

[MM32]

The pool store test said the CYA is 58ppm today. I will post a pic of my equipment pad soon, thank you!

 

[Mdragger88]

Wow- I have seen some terrible recommendations but 44# of acid!
Thank goodness you didn’t do that.
Surely that was a typo?

 

[MM32]

Wow- I have seen some terrible recommendations but 44# of acid!
Thank goodness you didn’t do that.
Surely that was a typo?

Here is the proof!

 

[proavia]

It says 44+ pounds, added 2.5 pounds at a time.
At apparently 4 hour intervals.
Really bad advice. But at least they didn't say to add all at once.

Until your test kit arrives, add between 3 ppm and 5 ppm liquid chlorine daily.
Use PoolMath, Effects of Adding to determine how much liquid chlorine that is based on your pool volume.

 

[MM32]

Add whatever water your pool needs.
Adding a few inches of water won't affect the chemistry too much.
Keep the water level about 1/2 way up the skimmer opening.
Right now, be concerned with having enough chlorine in the pool and have pH in the 7's (7.2-7.8).

Once your TF-Pro Sal arrives, post a full set of test results.

If you haven't already, install PoolMath and set up your pool in it.
Link PoolMath to your forum account so your entered and saved test results are available for us to see.
Or you can post your results here in the following format...

FC - 11.5
CC
pH -
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Water temperature

My kit came a day early! I added liquid chlorine per your recommendation today following the effects of adding in pool math. My FC went up about the expected amount but my CYA looks low relative to the FC… Looks like my pH crept back up but my TA is down from my first test at the pool store. Should I add more MA tomorrow to bring down the pH? Add CYA? I’m assuming I did something wrong with the salt test cause 6400 is almost double what the pool store results were. Let me know what you think. The testing kit is awesome btw!! Thank you

FC - 11.5
CC - Accidentally skipped
pH - 8.2
TA - 160
CH - 100
CYA - 40
Salt - 6400 (guessing I did something wrong?$
Water temperature - 81

 

[PoolStored]

My FC went up about the expected amount but my CYA looks low relative to the FC… Looks like my pH crept back up but my TA is down from my first test at the pool store. Should I add more MA tomorrow to bring down the pH? Add CYA? I’m assuming I did something wrong with the salt test cause 6400 is almost double what the pool store results were. Let me know what you think. The testing kit is awesome btw!! Thank you

Are you using the speed stir? 6400 is very high. Without the speed stir, the salt test is difficult. If you used the speed stir, every drop is 200. That would have been 32 drops.

CYA of 40 is fine for the moment, let's sort out salt and pH first.

TA being high ONLY means your pH will rise. Manage your pH. Lower it with Muriatic acid to 7.2, in .4 increments. Test and add again after 30 minutes. When pH rises to 8, reduce to 7.4 in .4/.2 increment. Continue this until your TA reached 80, then only reduce pH to 7.8...pH will likely stabilize 7.8-8.0 with TA of 80...totally OK.

Confirm that it was 32 drops for the salt test with the speed stir.

With the heater, I would raise CH to 200.

 

[MM32]

Are you using the speed stir? 6400 is very high. Without the speed stir, the salt test is difficult. If you used the speed stir, every drop is 200. That would have been 32 drops.

CYA of 40 is fine for the moment, let's sort out salt and pH first.

TA being high ONLY means your pH will rise. Manage your pH. Lower it with Muriatic acid to 7.2, in .4 increments. Test and add again after 30 minutes. When pH rises to 8, reduce to 7.4 in .4/.2 increment. Continue this until your TA reached 80, then only reduce pH to 7.8...pH will likely stabilize 7.8-8.0 with TA of 80...totally OK.

Confirm that it was 32 drops for the salt test with the speed stir.

With the heater, I would raise CH to 200.

Thank you! I will add more MA tomorrow. Confirmed I used 32 drops but it stayed the same color for a while. It might have turned “salmon” around 19 drops or so which is much closer to my pool stores test 3 days ago. Keep you posted!

 

[MM32]

Thank you! I will add more MA tomorrow. Confirmed I used 32 drops but it stayed the same color for a while. It might have turned “salmon” around 19 drops or so which is much closer to my pool stores test 3 days ago. Keep you posted!

And yes I used the speed stir

 

[PoolStored]

Thank you! I will add more MA tomorrow. Confirmed I used 32 drops but it stayed the same color for a while. It might have turned “salmon” around 19 drops or so which is much closer to my pool stores test 3 days ago. Keep you posted!

Once the sample turns salmon stop. At 19, your Salt is 3800.

 

[proavia]

Verify you are use a 10ml water sample for the salt test.
Dispense 1 drop per second.
Test is complete when the sample turns and stays brick red. Don't continue adding drops after that.

 

[MM32]

Thank you! I will add more MA tomorrow. Confirmed I used 32 drops but it stayed the same color for a while. It might have turned “salmon” around 19 drops or so which is much closer to my pool stores test 3 days ago. Keep you

You had mentioned raising the CH to 200. How would you recommend doing that in a vinyl pool? I thought I read somewhere on TFP that I shouldn’t add calcium to a vinyl pool but I can’t remember where. Is there another way to increase CH?

 

[PoolStored]

You should read the manual for your heater, typically recommends a min ch of 200.

I would recommend getting calcium chloride from the pool store. The only chemical I recommend getting there. Might be a tad expensive, but you know it is pure.

 

[MM32]

Thank you! I will add more MA tomorrow. Confirmed I used 32 drops but it stayed the same color for a while. It might have turned “salmon” around 19 drops or so which is much closer to my pool stores test 3 days ago. Keep you posted!

I’ve been adding MA every day for the past few days. pH keeps going to 7.6 ish back to 8-8.2. TA dropped to 110 but plateaued there the last 2 days…. My FC seems high at 13. Should I decrease the percentage of output on my SWG at this point? My latest tests are below. I’ve also attached a pic of my equipment pad and close ups of my swg as requested as I don’t know the model.

Also my heater manufacturer doesn’t recommend a specific CH, rather there is a formula that takes into account multiple factors. I do think I need to up my CH but afraid that will raise the TA back up. Please let me know what you think. Thanks as always for all your help

FC - 13
CC - 13.5
pH - 7.9
TA - 110
CH - 75
CYA - 40
Salt - 3800

 

[PoolStored]

Do not worry about CSI, in a vinyl pool.

Adding CH will not affect TA.

Manage your FC using this...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Numbers look fine, yes FC is high, turn your cell down and keep FC in range for your CYA.

Go swim! It hot here!