First test with 2006c
- Thread starter Dpooltest
- Start date
If you hold up the pH test block against a white paper it will help you to distinguish between the colors better. How many gallons is your pool? What does the water look like right now? Did you test for combined chlorine? What was the result?
What do I add first? pH down, bleach. Or something for cya?
~10600 gal
I don't have stabilizer.
Pics are of pH test against white background, would you agree it is 8?
~10600 gal
I don't have stabilizer.
Pics are of pH test against white background, would you agree it is 8?
Sorry I just saw your post history where you said in another thread you got a brand new pool so this is a new fill.
It's honestly hard to tell the pH but I would agree with you that it's either 7.8 or 8.0. And you need to try and at least lower to around 7.5.
There is really no magic order to balance the water. You can start with buying some stabilizer and adding enough to get you to 30ppm based on your pool size (calculate in Pool Math app or website). Alkalinity is fine and will gradually come down over time as you adjust pH so ignore that for now. You have a vinyl pool (I am assuming, right?) Unless your pool is plaster or fiberglass you don't need to worry about calcium hardness.
You definitely need to get some CYA in the water ASAP and some chlorine as well. Otherwise that pool going to turn green very quickly. Then get the pH in order. The rest of your chemistry is fine.
It's honestly hard to tell the pH but I would agree with you that it's either 7.8 or 8.0. And you need to try and at least lower to around 7.5.
There is really no magic order to balance the water. You can start with buying some stabilizer and adding enough to get you to 30ppm based on your pool size (calculate in Pool Math app or website). Alkalinity is fine and will gradually come down over time as you adjust pH so ignore that for now. You have a vinyl pool (I am assuming, right?) Unless your pool is plaster or fiberglass you don't need to worry about calcium hardness.
You definitely need to get some CYA in the water ASAP and some chlorine as well. Otherwise that pool going to turn green very quickly. Then get the pH in order. The rest of your chemistry is fine.
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Do you have a Wal-Mart nearby? Or a hardware store? You can buy cyanuric acid (any brand) marketed as "pool stablizer / conditioner" at those stores as well as muriatic acid which you will need to lower your pH with.
Yeah, I'm a bit afraid of MA, is cyanuric acid as 'bad'?
I do have some pH decreaser they gave me (or I paid 400$ for probably). I'll dump some of that in.
Also do I need to test for salt? 2006c kit had instructions for it but no drops.
I do have some pH decreaser they gave me (or I paid 400$ for probably). I'll dump some of that in.
Also do I need to test for salt? 2006c kit had instructions for it but no drops.
Do you have a salt pool? If you don't have a salt water chlorine generator then you have no need to test for salt.
Also if you have a salt pool then best to avoid dry acid (your "pH decreaser") as this will cause long term degradation of the SWCG.
Wear gloves and eye protection and don't inhale the dust but CYA is not horrible. Muriatic acid is worse.
Also if you have a salt pool then best to avoid dry acid (your "pH decreaser") as this will cause long term degradation of the SWCG.
Wear gloves and eye protection and don't inhale the dust but CYA is not horrible. Muriatic acid is worse.
No swg
Any recommendations on eye protection, and respiratory (I usually don't breathe lol but I don't that's effective)
I did buy nitrile gloves, those ok?
Yep I have Walmarts and HDs nearby, any reason to use Clorox bleach over store brand?
Any recommendations on eye protection, and respiratory (I usually don't breathe lol but I don't that's effective)
I did buy nitrile gloves, those ok?
Yep I have Walmarts and HDs nearby, any reason to use Clorox bleach over store brand?
OK, No Swg so ignore salt test instructions.
I use basic lab safety goggles. You can buy from home depot. And a disposable mask also from home depot.
Nitrile gloves should be fine too. Just some basic protection so these chemicals are not entering your skin, eyes, nose, etc. accidentally or from the wind blowing.
Do NOT use clorox bleach. Store brand is best. No low splash or scented either. Clorox brand has polymers (says on the bottle "Cloromax Technology) that will add chemicals to your pool that you DO NOT want!
I use basic lab safety goggles. You can buy from home depot. And a disposable mask also from home depot.
Nitrile gloves should be fine too. Just some basic protection so these chemicals are not entering your skin, eyes, nose, etc. accidentally or from the wind blowing.
Do NOT use clorox bleach. Store brand is best. No low splash or scented either. Clorox brand has polymers (says on the bottle "Cloromax Technology) that will add chemicals to your pool that you DO NOT want!
You can add bleach or acid first. Either one. Dribble it into the return stream so it gets blown out into the pool and mixes.
Then you need to measure out some granular CYA. It's a very weak acid and it's granular. Put it in a sock or a nylon stocking and tie it up and set it in the skimmer or dangle it in the return stream
By the time you're done fussing with that, 15 minutes should have elapsed, so you can then add the bleach or acid you still need to add.
What to use and how to add it is in pool school in Recommended Pool Chemicals - Trouble Free Pool
You can buy the bleach in the pool section at walmart for a decent price. It's 10%. Walmart will also have the CYA. They call it stabilizer. Look for 99 or 100% Cyanuric or Isocyanuric Acid. It's with the pool stuff, it should be obvious.
Not sure if Walmart sells the acid. If they don;t Lowes or Home Depot will, either in the pool section or in the paint dept where it is used to etch concrete before painting.
PoolMath will help you calculate amounts.
Assuming your 10,600 gallons is correct, you ought to see 41 oz 10% bleach, 16 ounce of 31.5% acid, and 3lbs 89 oz CYA. Just round up and use all 4 lbs in the canister.
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