New pool owners here! TFP and the pool calculator have been amazing in helping us learn, but there’s one question we still have. We need to add calcium to our pool. 20k gallons plaster. Current level is at 210. We’re working on lowering our TA as well, current level is at 160 (we lowered PH to 7.2 and aerating). Should we balance TA before adding calcium? Is low calcium something we can let go for a week or so? How aggressive/quickly will the water leach it from the plaster? Thanks!
Calcium Chloride - when to add?
- Thread starter BrettAnna
- Start date
-
- Tags
- calcium calcium chloride
Hi, welcome to TFP! You can add calcium now. Why are you lowering the TA? Are you having problems maintaining the pH level? I ask because TA is one of the less volitile values in pool chemistry. If the pH is stable there is usually no need to adjust TA. High TA itself does not cause any harm to the pool or swimmers.
Ok good to know and thank you! No issues with PH as of yet, we were just trying to get within recommended numbers. Regarding the calcium chloride... we can buy it now at the pool store for a significantly higher cost or wait a week or so to order and ship through Home Depot. Would we be ok to wait? Is it something that needs addressed immediately?
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,171
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcometo TFP! 
What is the pH, TA and CH of your fill water? If you have hard water, the CH will rise on its own due to evaporation/splashout as you refill the pool.
With a CH of 210, you can probably wait a few weeks to address it if you choose to add calcuim. Or you could chlorinate with CalHypo to raise your CH level while maintaining your FC level.
What test kit are you using? Add it and your other pool equipment and specs to your signature.
By pool calculator, I hope you mean PoolMath. Pool Calculator is another entity and hasn't been well maintained/updated to reflect current TFP guidelines.
What is the pH, TA and CH of your fill water? If you have hard water, the CH will rise on its own due to evaporation/splashout as you refill the pool.
With a CH of 210, you can probably wait a few weeks to address it if you choose to add calcuim. Or you could chlorinate with CalHypo to raise your CH level while maintaining your FC level.
What test kit are you using? Add it and your other pool equipment and specs to your signature.
By pool calculator, I hope you mean PoolMath. Pool Calculator is another entity and hasn't been well maintained/updated to reflect current TFP guidelines.
Thank you! I added details in the signature. Fill water is from our well with CH at 55 and TA at 30 (when we bypass the softener). It’s acidic though, PH less than 7.0. We have a good Taylor test kit with the DPD powder. CalHypo is a good idea. We can incorporate more of that. Sounds like we are good to wait and save some $. And yes, PoolMath. It’s awesome. When we opened a few weeks ago, we were relying on advise from pool store and the company that opened for us, led us astray and our parameters were out of wack. TFP has really helped get us on track!