Can’t bring Ph up - New pool

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Papabigface

Active member
Jun 30, 2019
30
Rialto, Ca
Hey guys, just filled my new pool for the first time a week ago today. I’ve been trying to get levels where they should be. The pool looks crystal clear. However, my attempts to increase pH seem to have no effect.

For 2 nights in a row I added borax to the pool to raise pH. The following day, after a complete pump cycle I’m still getting a reading that’s yellow on my Taylor k-2006c. This appears to be lower that any indicated pH on the scale. Any tips here? Do I need to avoid putting any other chemicals in (chlorine) until I balance pH?

I think you can view my logs by clicking my name? Let me know if you need me to copy the logs here though.
 
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What type of start up was used for your new plaster? Did the pool builder give you start up instructions?

Yes, we can see your test logs.
 
So far we have been brushing the pool 3x a day. It is a pebble tec finish. Communication with the pb has been a major problem since the start of the project. Most recent communication of sorts happened yesterday when a guy showed up out of the blue and added half a gallon of chlorine and left. All I have been told so far is keep brushing, don’t use the heater yet and no pool vac for the first 2 weeks.

I am taking it upon myself to get the levels right, but this is my first rodeo. I’m new to this, and I’m not sure why my attempts to raise the pH aren’t working.
 
We know and expect new plaster to often have higher than desired pH results, which are treated with muriatic acid to lower.

Having a perpetually low pH at this early stage is quite unusual.

Have you registered your pebbe tec product yet with the company? Did your builder provide you with printed directions for the first 30 days?

Maddie :flower:
 
You indicated a TA of 70, you added baking soda, and then a TA of 70 again. That is odd, it should have raised your TA.

In Poolmath, enable CSI. It is wise with new plaster to keep your CSI slightly positive. Aerate as much as you can and your pH should come up.
 

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Yes, I’m sorry. The guy who came yesterday did add about 4 lbs of conditioner in the am when he added the liquid chlorine. I tested the cya when I got home and could still see the black dot with the vial completely full. I’m taking that to mean cya is still too low to detect?

Should I add the rest of this cya bucket tonight (4 lbs)? Should I pour what’s left of this gallon of 12% liquid chlorine in?
 
Do not add any more CYA. The 4 lbs was enough to bring it to 30 ppm. I assume he dumped it in the skimmer (not a good practice) so it will not show up for several days to a week in your testing. So test for it in a week.

Maintain your FC based on 30 ppm CYA using the FC/CYA Levels.
 
papa,
so I reviewed your pool logs. Here is what you need to do.

1. TA - Now that you've raised your TA over the past few days from 40 to 70, leave it alone.

2. CYA -4 lbs of CYA was added recently, In your 15K gallons of water, 4 lbs would put you right at about 30, it can take a few days for it to show up on the test, so leave it alone for now, and consider the CYA to be 30 and dont worry about it anymore. Retest a week from now and adjust if you think you need to.

3. FC - Continue to add chlorine daily and MAINTAIN that FC per TFP recommendations.

4. pH - To raise the pH you can use washing soda or soda ash (not baking soda). If you cant find that in the supermarket, get some pH increaser at the pool store. Or you can aerate the heck out of it. Considering your TA level, aeration to raise pH may take a while, or not. How quickly depends on your pools response is with the new plaster.

5- Your CH is for the most part ok at 220. If you want to increase it to 250, you can, but its not a big deal.

Use pool math to tell you how much of something to add reach your target.
After adding anything (except CYA), let it mix for 30 minutes before testing again to see if you reached your target.

Free Tip - Its easier to err on the low side than on the high side, so depending your confidence in testing, and measurement skills, you might shoot for a value just a little shy of your actual target, then make small adjustment 2nd time around.

Papabigface said:
Yes, I’m sorry. The guy who came yesterday did add about 4 lbs of conditioner in the am when he added the liquid chlorine. I tested the cya when I got home and could still see the black dot with the vial completely full. I’m taking that to mean cya is still too low to detect?

Should I add the rest of this cya bucket tonight (4 lbs)? Should I pour what’s left of this gallon of 12% liquid chlorine in?
Click to expand...
 
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Trying to cover all the possibilities here, but make sure you rinse your test vial well after each test. If there is any residue from the FC test it will effect the pH test and the result is a false (low pH) reading.
 
Are you sure you are supposed to be adding anything? Our pool is also Pebbletec and was filled last week. The startup guy comes every other day, but has the PH low for the curing process. The first day he had it down to 6.8 and currently 7.2. I'm not supposed to add anything until at least the next 2 weeks when the startup guy is done. He is also coming back at the 28 day mark to add the salt and start up the SWCG.
 
Hey guys, I was just skimming through the forums and noticed My own thread had new responses.

I think JamesW has it right, in that I’m not sure what this service guy is adding. All I have to go on is my test results. He’s supposed to come for the first month, so 2 more weeks. Levels are all fairly close. I guess until I’m sure I’m the only one doing anything with the chemicals, it’s hard to really say what’s going on with the pH.

I’m still testing daily to every other day, and will continue to add as I see the need. But chasing the pH right now seems like a losing battle. Yesterday’s test showed it again at 7.0.
 

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