Help!

[SkipLynn]

I recently switched to using liquid chlorine from tabs. Now my ph is running high. I keep adding Muriatic acid in front of one of my keys but it doesn’t seem to change the ph. What am I doing wrong? My pool needs to be drained and refilled due to old water. I am also getting a lot of calcium buildup on the pool walls all the way to the bottom. I run my pool pump 5 hours a day. What can I do? My pool maintenance has been somewhat neglected due to back issues.

 

[mknauss]

With your fill water your TA will constantly increase and thus the pH will rise and you need to add acid.

You need to test pH at least every other day and add acid. Test TA every week and adjust within PoolMath so your acid addition is correct.

 

[SkipLynn]

How do you test for TA?

 

[mknauss]

What test kit are you using?

 

[SkipLynn]

A Leslie’s basic pool care kit. I found my test strips and here are the results.
FCI -0
TCI-0.5
ALK-180
PH-7.8
TH-800
CYA-150
Not sure how accurate they are because they are past the expiration date. I started having more issues after changing over to liquid chlorine

 

[mknauss]

You need a proper test kit
Test Kits Compared

 

[SkipLynn]

What is the best way to add Muriatic acid? I want to start tackling the ph first, I will buy a better test kit but in the meanwhile, what can I do? Right now I can test ph and chlorine.

 

[mknauss]

Muriatic acid should be added to the pool by pouring slowly in front of a return jet with the pump running. You should pour slowly enough that pouring an entire jug takes more than two minutes. Leave the pump running for at least 30 minutes after adding muriatic acid.

Input your test data into PoolMath. Target a pH of 7.2 in the app. Add the amount of acid noted.

Be very careful using the data you are getting from your current testing methods.

 

[SkipLynn]

Thank you for your help! I premixed my Muriatic acid and drizzled it around the deep end of the pool. My ph came down to 7.6. That worked better for me than adding in front of jets. Now to scrub the walls of the pool to remove the calcium buildup.

 

[mknauss]

Do not walk around the pool adding acid. Much more chance to spill the acid. Just brush the pool well after adding acid.

 

[Deb04]

You don’t need to drain the pool bc of “old water”. There are other reasons it may be necessary to drain some water, even a lot of water, but the age of it isn’t one of them. When you have a proper test kit, post your results and we’ll help you determine if and how much of your water needs to be drained. If your CYA is actually 150, that’s a reason to drain water.

I understand why you’re pouring diluted MA from a height (your back, I assume) but it really isn’t safe. Do you have someone else who could do that for you? Spouse, teenage or older child, neighbor?

 

[SkipLynn]

Ok, i will start adding the Muriatic acid slowly in front of a jet! My pool water is about 7 years old and due to my back issues, y maintenance suffered this summer. Before I stain treat with ascorbic acid, I need to address the calcium buildup on walls and floor of my fiberglass pool. They feel like sand paper. Is there any alternative to a lot of scrubbing? We are getting older and sometimes life gets in the way of pool maintenance! Does the product Scaletec work? Or is there something else that will dissolve it? We have exceptionally hard water here in the desert.
Does borax work to remove calcium deposits?

 

[SkipLynn]

Does anyone want to give me any suggestions!

 

[mknauss]

If you have calcium scale on the fiberglass, I believe you will need to drain the pool this winter and use dilute acid to wash the acid off. Will be a nasty, dangerous job.

Otherwise, you could also (if you do not have water line tile with cement based grout) lower the TA to zero once you get into winter and not run the pump for several weeks and see if you can get the scale to loosen up.

 

[SkipLynn]

Thank you for the response! I have been having luck with scotch brite pads so far. I have some scaletec coming and will give that a try also. I also ordered a better test kit! My pool filter pressure has gone up to 25 so I have to wait now until the excessive heat warning is done before I pull it apart and clean the cartridges.

 

[mknauss]

Good luck.
Best to not let this happen -- lots easier to prevent than remove.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I use Bluetec for scale removal on my tiles.

 

[SkipLynn]

You are so right! If the scaletec doesn’t work I’ll give the bluetec a try! I had tried the liquid chlorine and Muriatic acid but due to high ph in our city water (8.0) it was extremely difficult to control the ph and with the back injury it got away from me. I’m going back to tabs and will shock with liquid chlorine. PH increaser and tabs are so much easier and safer to deal with and store! Now I’ve got to let my fingertips heal after 2 hours of scrubbing! LOL! And my toes cause I use my feet for deeper parts! I will let you know how it all goes.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Keep in mind that the Bluetec and probably Scaletec too are just slow workers on the scale. It can take a few weeks or months (Bluetec is a once per month additive) for it to soften the scale. I was able to use my fingernails to scrape my tiles off but I just have diamonds on the steps and bench seats.

 

[PoolStored]

Bluetec

I can't find a product call Bluetec.