First attempt to open pool.

[epxroot]

Got home tonight and opened up my TF-100. Man this thing looks intimidating, but jumped into it and were you guys right about those testing strips. I used a strip before I used the FAS/DPD test. Strips showed from my best guess 6 or 7ppm, while the FAS/DPD shows 14.5ppm! Crazy! Here are my results from my testing.

PH 6.8
FC 14.5
CC .5
TA 110

I performed the test twice because I couldn't believe it was off that much. Plus my directions had an error, "Multiply the number of drops you added x 0.5 (i.e. 14 drops x .05 = 7ppm)". Threw me off at first. Also, when adding the heaping spoonful of powder does it matter if there are a couple clumps still once it turns red?

 

[jblizzle]

I would suggest letting the FC drop below 10ppm and then adjust the pH back to the low 7s ... it must be pretty low at this point.

Then maintain your shock FC level until you have passed the 3 criteria to stop.

 

[epxroot]

OK, so allow the FC to fall to 10ppm and then I can use Borax to raise the PH to 7.2? What do you mean "until you have passed the 3 criteria to stop"?

Borax will only raise PH correct?

 

[jblizzle]

OK, so allow the FC to fall to 10ppm and then I can use Borax to raise the PH to 7.2? Borax will only raise PH correct?

Yes, borax will mostly raise pH with a small effect on TA.

What do you mean "until you have passed the 3 criteria to stop"?

Read Pool School for the Shocking Your Pool PROCESS. See Step 5.

 

[epxroot]

When I first measured my PH it was at 7.2 before I started adding chlorine. When I was reading about getting rid of your swamp it stated to measure the PH before you start since high FC can cause unreliable PH tests. Would it be safe to keep going from my initial reading (7.2) before I started shocking?

 

[jblizzle]

What type of chlorine did you add?

When the FC is > 10ppm, the pH reads artificially high. If you are showing low pH with a high FC, then the pH may be even lower. I would adjust it back up and then continue.

 

[epxroot]

12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite box just says pool shock.

So once it reads 10ppm or lower I should be able to get a more accurate reading for PH, correct?

Those strips are so worthless. I must of had way too much chlorine since the last time I added chlorine was around 8 last night and it was still that high!

 

[epxroot]

I was thinking about what I added to my pool after my initial reading of 7.2ph before I added anything. Could the large amount (6lbs to get from 0 to 30ppm) of stabilizer make my ph read artificially low?

 

[jblizzle]

If you look at the Effect of Chemicals, part of poolcalculator.com, you will see that stabilizer is an acid and does lower the pH some (it is not an artificially lower reading).

 

[epxroot]

Jason, thanks for pointing that out. That would explain the loss in ph. I have 4 boxes of Mules to help get my ph back up to 7.2 and continue the shocking process. Is 30 to 45min wait time sufficient to test ph after borax is added?

 

[jblizzle]

30-60 minutes should be enough time.

 

[epxroot]

Just finished up with my testing.

PH 6.8
FC 7
CC 1
TA 120 or 130 at 120 it starts to turn red, at 130 it is red
CYA 30
CH 370

I am going to try and get my PH tp 7.2 first. According to pool calc I need to add 3.1 boxes of borax. Is there a preferred method of adding this, or can I just start putting all 3 boxes in at the deep end?

[Edit] Forget the last question. Pool School told me [/Edit]

 

[jblizzle]

[Edit] Forget the last question. Pool School told me [/Edit]

 

[Richard320]

Just finished up with my testing.

PH 6.8
FC 7
CC 1
TA 120 or 130 at 120 it starts to turn red, at 130 it is red
CYA 30
CH 370

I am going to try and get my PH tp 7.2 first. According to pool calc I need to add 3.1 boxes of borax. Is there a preferred method of adding this, or can I just start putting all 3 boxes in at the deep end?

It would be cheaper to just aerate your water. That will raise pH. And if you overshoot, add some acid. It will lower the TA as a side benefit. Borates will make it harder to lower TA later on.

It can be as simple as turning the return up so it breaks the surface a little, or build something. Check some of these threads. Search and look for the

symbol. Those have pictures.

 

[jblizzle]

Sure, cheaper, but the idea to was to get it in range quickly to allow the shock process to continue. I suppose you could start aerating while you are in the shock process.

 

[epxroot]

Thanks for the advice but I had already purchased the borax at lunch, only 12 bucks so it wasn't too bad.

 

[epxroot]

I checked my PH a little over an hour after I added the borax and it was at 7.3. I then brought my FC up to 12ppm and I will be checking FC before I head to bed and raise if needed.

Since I have been backwashing a lot over the last few days I have noticed 3/4 to 1 cup of sand in my driveway. Is this normal or am I looking at opening my filter and having to inspect all the plastic inside?

 

[epxroot]

Getting confusing results. From my last test results I added 143oz of 12.5% chlorine (FC fell from 7 to 6) to get me from 6ppm to 12ppm for my CYA shock value. After a little over an hour I tested my FC with the FAS/DPD test and my FC came back at 17ppm. Thought maybe I did something wrong I went back to the pool and grabbed another sample from the other side of the pool, and those results were at 18.5ppm. Somehow I am off by +5ppm of FC?

 

[epxroot]

Since adding the chlorine last night, it has now dropped to 11.5 a little after 6. I am still not sure why my FC raises so much when adding the recommended amount. I am going to try bringing the FC back up to 12 in a little while but I think I will only add half of pool calc states and see where that puts me.

 

[Butterfly]

The pool may be smaller than 24K.