Baffled ! Water Test Results ???

[linen]

It looks like the granuals also add a form of borates and maybe even more stabalizer? ( the 22.2%) The borates wouldn't be bad, but adding more stabalizer (if that is what it is), would speed up how fast you would need to do water changes. Take a look at the "dichlor then bleach" method for hot tubs here: http://www.troublefreepool.com/how-do-i-use-chlorine-in-my-spa-or-pool-t10095.html. Using trichlor verses dichlor is similar, though the dichlor adds more cya per ppm of FC. Trichlor does lower ph more than dichlor per ppm of FC.

 

[Sarah]

Ok ! Got my test kit.
FAC: 2
FC: 1.5
pH: 7.2
CC: 1
TA: 80
CH: 250
CYA: 30
Looks like the test from Leslies was wrong on the CYA (whew )
So I believe, the only thing I need to do is add a little bleach to raise the FC (according to the Pool Calculator)

 

[Sarah]

Ok..got my test kit !
FC: 1.5
PH:7.4
CC: 1
TA: 80
CH: 250
CYA: 30
Guess the test done at Leslies was wrong (whew :-D )
Pool calculator indicates to add 30 oz bleach (Done !)
and 23 oz of borax (?); I guess because it's off by 1/10 from the goal. Comments ? Also not sure about "Borates" ??

 

[JasonLion]

Ignore borates, they are optional and not worth dealing with until later.

There is no point in raising the PH. It will no doubt come up on it's own eventually.

Because CC is above 0.5, you should raise the FC level some more, to say 8, and watch to see if the CC level comes down. If CC doesn't go down to 0.5 or lower in the next 24 hours you will need to shock the pool.

 

[Sarah]

So, in effect, I am shocking it. To bring it up to 8, I would have to add 4 bottles of bleach. I would expect it would be at least 2 days before you could swim. And this would be in addition to the 30 oz I just put in this afternoon.....ok. What would the goal be, for FC, if I did have to shock it?

 

[linen]

Using poolcalculator.com, and your cya of 30 ppm, your shocking FC level is 13 ppm.

 

[Sarah]

6-24 Test
CL: 5.1
PH: 7.5
FC: 1 ppm
CC: 1
TC: 2
TA: 50
CH: 280
CYA: 30

So, since my CC didn't rise, and the pool calculator indicates I should use 7.5 jugs @ (96oz) ea, to attain a CC=13 (shock level) should I also add (at the same time) the 205 oz of baking soda to increase my TA ? :?

 

[linen]

Your test results are not correct from what I can tell. What is the measurement you labeled CL? How did you get that measurement? Your FC level is very low, did you raise your FC level up to 8 as JasonLion suggested? Your CC level is still 1 ppm and should be below 0.5 ppm.

 

[Sarah]

That was the 1st test for Chlorine (using the "Daily Test" kit)
To get the FC to 8, pool calc indicated 7.5 jugs of bleach; all I had was 2 (got some more today) so I'm assuming that the 2 jugs didn't do much, since the FC is still 1. I will add the 7.5 today, but do I add the baking soda ?

 

[linen]

Are you planning on doing the shocking process? If yes, I get 6.5 gallons of 6% bleach to raise your FC from 0 to 15 ppm. You will need more quite a bit more bleach ready to go to continue the shocking process.

Go ahead and add the baking soda, I get 101 ounces by volume of baking soda to raise your TA from 50 to 70 ppm for your 27000 gallons per poolcalculator.com.

 

[Sarah]

Ok...thanks. I have 7 jugs and will get 12 more tomorrow.

 

[Sarah]

I decided against adding the baking soda & chlorine, at the same time. I added 7 jgs bleach, yesterday evening. Test @ 7:00 a.m. EST:
Daily test - Clorine: 5
Daily test - pH: 8.2
Kit Test: FC: 13
CC: 0
TA: 60
CH: 270
CYA: 30
Pool calculator indicates to add 109 oz Baking Soda. Also: " 32 oz of 31.45% - 20" Baume' muriatic acid". Before I buy muriatic acid, I'd like some opinions on the wisdom of doing so, on brand new plaster.(Adding the baking soda this morning). And also, I'm not sure I fully understand the CSI indicator. Does this rely on an accurate temperature reading ? Thx's !

 

[linen]

Pool calculator indicates to add 109 oz Baking Soda. Also: " 32 oz of 31.45% - 20" Baume' muriatic acid". Before I buy muriatic acid, I'd like some opinions on the wisdom of doing so, on brand new plaster.(Adding the baking soda this morning).

You absolutely should to add MA to your new plaster pool (is that information new in you sig?) :!: Never let new plaster ph get above 7.8. Most likely you ph is higher than 8.2 since every ph above 8.2 reads as 8.2. Check you TA, then dose with Muriatic Acid to get you pool down to 7.2. Then give it 1/2 hour and test ph and TA again. Redose ph to get down to 7.2. It is important to get this down.

I decided against adding the baking soda & chlorine, at the same time.

Never add at the same time, but different chemicals can be added 1/2 hour after the previous chemical.

And also, I'm not sure I fully understand the CSI indicator. Does this rely on an accurate temperature reading ? Thx's !

For now, do not worry about csi, get you ph down! Temperature is part of the calculation, but not a huge part, so get a good estimate.

 

[Sarah]

Info in signature NOT new...just re-distributed, so as not to take up so much room.
Ok...I'm off to get the MA; but for the record, the pH was good untill I added 7 jugs of bleach. Yesterday pH was 7.5. Today, TA was 60 (see entire test on today's post).
I'll hold off on the baking soda untill this afternoon when the pH comes down.
(whew ! I'm getting frazzled!!!)

 

[Sarah]

I waited to add the baking soda (good thing !)
the TA= 70 & the pH =7.2.
Pool calc: 4 bx baking soda & 76 oz of Borax.
I'm adding the baking soda, but I went to 3 stores and they are out of the green Arm & Hammer, so that will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

[MattB]

The reason why your pH tested high was because you had an FC reading over 10--in your case 13. When your FC reading is high, the pH test always reads high and is invalid. To accurately measure pH, your FC must be below 10 or so. Also, the "daily test" for chlorine you are using doesn't go past 5 for FC--anything above 5 will test as 5. Use the FAS-DPD kit test for FC and only test for pH when your FC is below 10 or so.

 

[linen]

Yes, MattB is very correct! As he said, when above 10 ppm your ph measurement is not accurate!

I missed that you had include a FC test and only saw what you are calling "Chlorine"

You do not need to include the "chlorine" number in the future...it is confusing, and we really are only interested in FC and CC. Next time you drop your FC below 10 ppm check your ph and adjust if it is below 7.0 before going back up to shock level.

 

[Sarah]

Thanks for all the help and good information !
Here's hoping that tomorrow's test will show a balanced pool chemical. Now if I could only get rid of those blasted ducks !

 

[Sarah]

I appears to be more stable, but the FC is still high. Pool calc indicates to add 13 boxes baking soda & 39 oz stablizer even though the CYA is in Goal range ?? :?:
FC: 9.5
pH: 7.5
TA: 70
CC: 0
CH: 310
CYA: 30

I'm concerned about adding that much baking soda, since I am leaving town for a week & 1/2 tomorrow morning, and won't have time to do readings & required actions. I was going to throw a couple of 3" tabs in the return (as suggested earlier) but with the FC so high, I'm not sure if that will cause any harm or possibly make the FC worse.
I feel like a gerbal (going 'round & 'round)
Comments ? Suggestions ?? (Sympathy ...just kidding)

 

[linen]

Are you still doing the shocking process? Remember you are not done till you pass all three criteria simultaneously...the criteria are also in my sig.

How are you doing against the criteria?

With a cya of 30 ppm, your FC level should be at 13 ppm at much as possible, even dosing a little higher to remain close to 13 ppm by the time your able to dose again.