Help with total alkalinity test

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TimandCeri

TimandCeri

Bronze Supporter
May 13, 2020
62
Vancouver, Washington
Pool Size
6092
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
So I need some help with the TA test. The instructions say to count the drops till it turns red. At what point is it considered red? The first sight of it? Or does it all have to be red? It NEVER turns red? Like 20 + drops it still does not TURN red/pink.
I recorded my test process here:
Help!
 
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Check the reagent numbers to be sure you are using the right ones.

Hold the reagent bottle vertical. Let the droplet form on the end and fall off. Little to no pressure on the bottle.

Leave the Speedstir on.

Test your tap water. Your local water utility (if it is the City of Vancouver) reports the tap water has a TA of 120 ppm.
 
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Timandceri
As mknauss said and I'll go it again. Make sure you rinse the vial with the same water you will be testing with and not tap water. The spinning thingy should also be rinsed well.. vial filled to the correct line prior to putting in the spinner. The magnetic stirr should be running throughout the test and the following goes with all regents. The bottle needs to be completely vertical and sideways as you demonstrate... when dropping into solution. Help the drop ever so slightly but once the drop is out let it drop on its own to keep drop size equal. With the TA dropper you need to turn the bottle right side up, wipe with damp cloth and go for the next drop and keep this going until the last drop doesn't change the red color anymore. Then subtract that last drop from your count.
 
1. Dropper tip vertical
2. Let the drops FALL of the tip
3, I never saw you wipe the dropper tip.....not once. Wipe it in between each drop
4. You are too slow. Keep the test moving along.....it WILL turn COMPLETELY red/pink and it will stay Red/pink once you use enough drops
5. The end of the test is when the last drop you add makes NO FURTHER color change whatsoever......then don't count that last drop
 
Thanks all! I have been bad about getting back to this. The pump that came with the pool, broke after I posted this. Ugg! After PLENTY of searching, I was able to find an
3000 Gph Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump for only 80 more than what its regular price (stupid COVID pricing!) I was happy to find one. I planned on upgrading next season to avoid the price spikes but oh well. Anywhoo, I was wiping but not every time but I appreciate all the insight, and I did it much faster, and yes it FINALLY turned pink an stayed that way!! Yeah! So my number of drops was 15. So my TA is 150 and that's really high? How do I begin to lower? I think if I understand, I need to add acid? I have Klean-Strip Green Muriatic Acid. The concentration is 10.0-30.0%.
My Recent test info is:
FC.1 - just added 1 QT, 3 cups 7 oz to it I know it's low.
CC .1
PH 7.8
TA 150
CH 75
CYA 40

(I will test my tap water) I am Vancouver WA yes....
My water is clear and clean. Where do I go from here?
 
You obviously need to start from lowering the PH to 7.2 so you will then be able to start a slam. The muratic acid I use is from big box store called Lowe's. They have in the paint department two jugs made by jasco. One is 14% and the other is what I like to use 31.45% 20 baume. Use pool math and figure out how much you need inorder to drop to 7.2. Make sure to calculate using the correct MA strength. After the water is confirmed 7.2 ,using poolmath calculate the slam level for a CYA 40. Keep the slam level up minimum 3 times a day along with at least once a day brushing. Let us know how it going for further instructions. 20200730_171032.jpg
 
wireform said:
You obviously need to start from lowering the PH to 7.2 so you will then be able to start a slam. The muratic acid I use is from big box store called Lowe's. They have in the paint department two jugs made by jasco. One is 14% and the other is what I like to use 31.45% 20 baume. Use pool math and figure out how much you need inorder to drop to 7.2. Make sure to calculate using the correct MA strength. After the water is confirmed 7.2 ,using poolmath calculate the slam level for a CYA 40. Keep the slam level up minimum 3 times a day along with at least once a day brushing. Let us know how it going for further instructions. View attachment 155911
Click to expand...
I am confused why I need to do a slam? everything is looking good but the TA is too high? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
 
Nothing dumb. Your FC is low. Does it drop and not hold and you have a CC of 1 which can mean algae on the move but you may not see it yet. You can do an OCLT tonight and take it from there but I would slam to be sure and kill all off.
 
wireform said:
Nothing dumb. Your FC is low. Does it drop and not hold and you have a CC of 1 which can mean algae on the move but you may not see it yet. You can do an OCLT tonight and take it from there but I would slam to be sure and kill all off.
Click to expand...
I assumed it was low because I had not put any in for a couple of days. Bad me I know... I added yesterday and tested after we swam it was right where it needed to be. 4.0 FC and CC .5. Today I just now tested it (I did not do an overnight one at it is 3.0 FC and .05 CC. Does this mean I need to slam it? I brushed and vacuumed yesterday. Yesterday we hooked up the new intext sand filter. It ran for 4 hours. I will add the bleach after they swim today, and do a test tonight, and again in the AM.
 
With CYA 40 your FC should be 5-7. You should be raising your FC to around 7 if it tested at 3 or 4. See FC/CYA Levels
 

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Ok is the attached pictures enough to consider at aerating? There’s lots of bubbles. I added acid yesterday. This AM my PH was 6.8 this afternoon it’s back up but at 7.2 I’m gonna start a slam now. This AM I added chlorine to bring it up to 16 and I’m only testing at 10.5??
My water is pretty clear but there is cloudy stuff attached to the debris I was vacuuming up yesterday so a couple days slamming is in order I think. My TA is down to 130. I’m confused because the TF 100 kit says foot TA for a manually chlorinated pool is 100-120 but pool math has it at 60-80?! Do I correct pool math? So what’s my target for TA?

Here is my logs from pool math.
==========================================
Colman 18x48 power steel swim vista series all
------------------------------------------
Build Type: Vinyl
Volume: 6092 gallons
------------------------------------------
Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 10.5 (7 hours ago)
CC: 0.0 (7 hours ago)
pH: 7.2 (7 hours ago)
TA: 130 (7 hours ago)
CH: 75 (4 days ago)
CYA: 40 (4 days ago)
==========================================
------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-03-2020 @ 02:28 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 10.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 130

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 08-03-2020 @ 08:53 AM
------------------------------------------
+ 74 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-03-2020 @ 08:47 AM
------------------------------------------
pH: 6.2

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-02-2020 @ 04:17 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 6.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 7.5
Total Alkalinity: 150

------------------------------------------
Maintenance 08-02-2020 @ 02:29 PM
------------------------------------------
Vacuumed, Cleaned Filter, Backwashed, Brushed

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-01-2020 @ 01:06 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 7.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 8.2
Total Alkalinity: 160

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 07-31-2020 @ 11:20 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 32 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-31-2020 @ 11:08 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 4.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.5

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 07-31-2020 @ 09:41 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 51 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-31-2020 @ 02:22 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 3.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 7.7

------------------------------------------
Maintenance 07-30-2020 @ 04:18 PM
------------------------------------------
Vacuumed, Brushed

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-30-2020 @ 03:10 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 4.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.5

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 07-30-2020 @ 12:34 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 63 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-30-2020 @ 12:31 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 0.1
Combined Chlorine: 0.1
pH: 7.8
Total Alkalinity: 150
Calcium Hardness: 75
CYA: 40

------------------------------------------
Maintenance 07-29-2020 @ 12:33 PM
------------------------------------------
Vacuumed, Cleaned Filter, Backwashed
 

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Once you start the SLAM Process just test FC and CC and occasionally CYA.

Do not try and adjust pH or CYA when your FC is over 10. Your pH test can be invalid.

At CYA 40 your SLAM Fc is 16. Test often and bring it back up to 16.
 
ajw22 said:
Once you start the SLAM Process just test FC and CC and occasionally CYA.

Do not try and adjust pH or CYA when your FC is over 10. Your pH test can be invalid.

At CYA 40 your SLAM Fc is 16. Test often and bring it back up to 16.
Click to expand...

thanks! I was just going to ask about adding acid. I will wait. Here’s the recent logs for today of what I did. My FC is now 17.5 Do I run the pump another 4 hours to both? Or all night? It’s run about 8+ hours today so far (2 four hour cycles) I will do an Over night Corine test and see where I’m at in the AM right? I can stop if it stays within 1 point correct? If there is no change in the AM do I add more acid?

recent pool math log:
------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-03-2020 @ 10:28 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 17.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 100
Calcium Hardness: 75
CYA: 40

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 08-03-2020 @ 07:36 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 22 FluidOunces of MuriaticAcid14

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 08-03-2020 @ 05:46 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 35 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-03-2020 @ 05:35 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 11.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 100

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-03-2020 @ 02:28 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 10.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 130

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 08-03-2020 @ 08:53 AM
------------------------------------------
+ 74 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-03-2020 @ 08:47 AM
------------------------------------------
pH: 6.2

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-02-2020 @ 04:17 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 6.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 7.5
Total Alkalinity: 150

------------------------------------------
Maintenance 08-02-2020 @ 02:29 PM
------------------------------------------
Vacuumed, Cleaned Filter, Backwashed, Brushed

------------------------------------------
Test Results 08-01-2020 @ 01:06 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 7.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 8.2
Total Alkalinity: 160

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 07-31-2020 @ 11:20 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 32 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-31-2020 @ 11:08 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 4.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.5

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 07-31-2020 @ 09:41 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 51 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-31-2020 @ 02:22 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 3.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
pH: 7.7

------------------------------------------
Maintenance 07-30-2020 @ 04:18 PM
------------------------------------------
Vacuumed, Brushed

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-30-2020 @ 03:10 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 4.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.5

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 07-30-2020 @ 12:34 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 63 FluidOunces of Bleach

------------------------------------------
Test Results 07-30-2020 @ 12:31 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 0.1
Combined Chlorine: 0.1
pH: 7.8
Total Alkalinity: 150
Calcium Hardness: 75
CYA: 40

------------------------------------------
Maintenance 07-29-2020 @ 12:33 PM
------------------------------------------
Vacuumed, Cleaned Filter, Backwashed
 
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