First time poster with old pool

[calxtreme]

Hello TFP!

I'm a first time pool owner and luckily found this community. My new to me (~20000gal) pool was crystal clear during the cold spring, but is now turning a bit green as the weather warms up. I bought the TF-100 kit and did a few tests.

CYA 70
FC 5
CC 1
TA turned purple right away when I added the green drops. Does this mean I have pH <4.5 and TA=0?

Looking at pool math, should I do a shock of 28, meaning adding about 5 gal of 10% CL and few pounds of Borax to raise the pH? Thanks in advance.

 

[DeanP66]

I don't see a pH test. You do need to do a SLAM, but you need to test pH first and bring it down to 7.2 before SLAMming because the high chlorine will render the pH unreliable above 10 PPM.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to the forum! I agree, let's see your pH results before we go much further. Might not be a bad idea to see your CH as well since you have plaster. Not important for the SLAM, but will give you an idea of what to expect afterwards.

 

[calxtreme]

I did the pH test, but it was a light yellow, a bit lighter than the 6.8? It was very similar color to the chlorine test.

 

[Texas Splash]

I did the pH test, but it was a light yellow, a bit lighter than the 6.8? It was very similar color to the chlorine test.

In that case, I would start working on bringing the pH up to a point where it is at least approaching the orange - about 7.0 to 7.2.

PH can be raised in three ways: borax, soda ash, and aeration. Borax is usually the best choice. Borax raises the PH and also raises the TA level just a little. If your TA level is low soda ash will raise both the PH and TA levels. If your TA level is high, aeration is best as it will not raise the TA level at all. However, aeration is rather slow compared to the other two.

Let's get that pH under control before going in too many other directions. PH is simply too important right now.

 

[calxtreme]

Thanks a lot. I'll get a couple 4lb boxes of the 20 mule today. Do you suggest me dumping full box in and then remeasure?

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you suggest me dumping full box in and then remeasure?

Borax and Soda Ash are best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return. I'd use the Poolmath calculator and dose in stages just so that you don't over-shoot your target. Add, let it mix for about 30 min, then test again. That should work well.

 

[calxtreme]

Is Borax the cost efficient method here? Pool math says for a 20 gal pool to get from 4.5 to 7.5, it'll take either 17lbs of washing soda/ soda ash or 34lbs of borax. Borax is currently $4.05 for a 65oz box at my local Target. Baking soda is $7.99 for a 13.5lb bag at Costco.

 

[Texas Splash]

At this point with pH so low, you can use whichever is a good cost value for you. If you can aerate at the same time that may help. But I wouldn't assume a low-end number like 4.5 since our pH testers only go down to 6.8. Everything below that is questionable. So go in stages with an amount of Soda Ash or Borax with a calculator dosage for 6.8 - 7.5. Add that amount, wait 30 min, test, and continue until in cycles you start to see orange. Once you see orange on the pH tests, you can get back into the TA numbers to see if that changed.

 

[calxtreme]

A quick update: I've been still trying to bring up the pH. So far I've put in 12lbs of borax and 6lbs of soda ash, but it's still right around 6.8, so I'll go to the store and buy more soda ash. One to note is that after the addition of soda ash, all the green algae turned blue. The pool is a cloudy blue now, though I think they eventually settle. I've also realized I have a DE filter and not a cartridge, so I went out and added in DE, but not sure if the filter is actually working.

 

[Texas Splash]

So far I've put in 12lbs of borax and 6lbs of soda ash, but it's still right around 6.8,

That's a lot for it to not be getting closer. Curious, how old is your R-0014 reagent? You are using "R-0014" (not R-0004) correct? Five drops? Water is circulating okay?

 

[kellyfair]

Is Borax the cost efficient method here? Pool math says for a 20 gal pool to get from 4.5 to 7.5, it'll take either 17lbs of washing soda/ soda ash or 34lbs of borax. Borax is currently $4.05 for a 65oz box at my local Target. Baking soda is $7.99 for a 13.5lb bag at Costco.

Are you using soda ash or baking soda? They are two different things - you want to use soda ash.

 

[calxtreme]

Are you using soda ash or baking soda? They are two different things - you want to use soda ash.

No baking soda so far. Only borax and soda ash. The good thing is that the stuff in the water does eventually settle on the bottom, the bad is that I can't seem to get it out since the filter doesn't seem to be catching it. I also just bought a Dolphin A20. It's able to pick it up with it's fine filter, but it almost immediately fills up.

I heard that the green algae turning blue might be due to metals in the water and that the soda ash caused it to precipitate out. Thoughts?

 

[funandsun]

This was by far my favorite purchase in 2017. Someone posted an ebay model that was similar... never doubt the power of a good vacuum head.

I don't mind working on the pool clean up but I do mind wasting my time on it. This gets all my debris off the bottom in very quick order, I put a hairnet in my skimmer basket to help save the filter a bit. Works great.

I have bought and tried just about every other type of vacuum head the pool stores sell and never bought one of these because I wanted to save a few $$'s and all I got out of it was --->

My savings from chemicals paid for this 3 times over already so basically it was free and since the pool looks so great the wife even bumped my budget up. #Winning