Do I need to lower my TA and other questions

[Brian W]

Hi all,

I have a new 13,500 gallon (24 ft by 54 in round) above ground pool in So Cal.. I am new to pool ownership and testing.

Here are my current levels with the pump running at a low speed (1400 rpm-- I don't know how many GPM that is)

FC 5
cc 0.5 (It has just the slightest pink color after I add the 5 drops of the 003)
TA 210 (I tested it a few times before the pump started) (Incorrectly at first but consistent thereafter) The local water quality report says it averages 170 from the underground portion of the imported water
PH 7.5
CYA 40
Calcium 250

I haven't added any salt or any other chemicals, besides the Home Depot Chlorine 10%.

The Pool School here says to lower it immediately "because you want to slow down the rate that the pH rises, or if high TA is contributing to a high calcium saturation index"

I don't think I have high calcium, and not sure about the rate that the Ph rises. It and the chlorine both vary wildly depending on if the pump is running, what speed, how much sun there's been. Is that normal?

So should I add acid to lower the TA? If I do will I need to do it on a regular basis?

I just started putting the solar cover on yesterday. How much will that affect my levels?

When can I start my SWG. What does balanced mean?, for how long? Two days? 10? a month?

Help?

Brian

 

[Richard320]

Short answer: No.

Reread that pool school article. It gives two reasons to lower TA immediately, but also says not to do it just to reach a number.
Those numbers are fine, but I wonder where the 40 CYA came from if you've added nothing but Home Depot Chlorine 10%.

If you're going to be using saltwater chlorine generator, your should get CYA up to 70ish, but until you figure out what you're doing wrong testing or what got put in the pool, I wouldn't do it.

Right now the pool is swimmable, so go ahead and add the salt and let the kids swim through it like a giant snow globe. You should wait 24 hours after the salt has dissolved and dispersed to start the SWG.

"Balanced" just means all the numbers are in range. The only one of yours at the moment that needs attention is CYA. The pH will likely need attention in a couple days. No big deal, just add some acid. I do it a couple times a week, whenever I add topoff water.

 

[Brian W]

Sorry, I did add the stabilizer according to the pool math app. Kudos to the programmer!

Thanks, I understood that I didn't need to lower it to reach a number, but I don't know what a high calcium saturation index is, nor what was meant by Ph rising rate is. From what I saw on here somewhere 250 Calcium is high for an above ground pool so is it ok? (You say my numbers are fine, thanks I am trying to learn rapidly). My Ph seemingly changes overnight and everytime I run the pump. Is that rising rapidly?

I had a small 4000 gallon intex pool with a swg for a few months last year but the water stayed clear and I only had it tested occasionally at a national chain pool store and listened to them. Live and learn. Thanks to all that have guided me in my first serious attempt at pool ownership

 

[Richard320]

Until TA gets down below 70 or 80, your pH is going to bounce back up fast. Every day or two it may need adjustment, then every third or fourth, and so on. If you never had to add more water, you'd find a sweet spot where pH would just sit for weeks. Given your fill water, that won't happen. The whole TA reduction process just accelerates what you'll be doing, but not by much.

As long as CSI is less than 0.3, you're fine. You have a vinyl pool so there's no plaster to damage so it can go as low as you want with no problem. And so what if CH is 250? What can you do about it? Replace it with more of the same? You just have to manage things, and I will tell you from firsthand experience that it doesn't get really complicated until you get around 800 CH. You have plenty of time.

So bump CYA to 70. Add salt whenever you want. Adjust pH when it hits 8. Chlorinate for your CYA according to FC/CYA Levels using the bleach chart until you turn on the SWG. Pool chemistry is really not all that difficult. Two or three weeks of testing and dosing and seeing the changes and it will suddenly make sense. And then you just coast.

 

[Brian W]

Thank you from a slightly, at least, stressed reduced new pool owner
" Pool chemistry is really not all that difficult. " Sure, that's what I tell my Calculus students too.