High(240+) Alkalinity and low ph(6.8)

[Old Foogie]

Hello all. About a week and a half ago I opened my 24' round by 54" deep above ground pool and started trying to balance it. Last week the local pool store tested my water and had me add 25 pounds of Maintain Pro alkalinity increase. Now my TA is at the top of the test limit, 240. My pH is sitting at 6.8. Stabilizer at 50. Free and Total Chlorine are at the top of the test limit with both at 10. Total Hardness is at 250. These results are from two separate tests using the Clorox testing kit and app. I then triple checked by testing with a different brand of strips and their colors align with these numbers.

Can I just add Muriatic acid in one spot at the farthest point from the return nozzle with the pump off, let it sit an hour and then restart the pump, until I get the TA down? Then I would raise the pH and TA together. I have JASCO Muriatic acid that is 20 Baume Hydrochloric acid 31.5% by weight. I am hoping someone could tell me if one gallon would be a good place to start. And if this method of bringing things back in balance will work.

I am not going to add any chlorine for a few days to let it drop back to a more balanced level.

 

[JamesW]

Those numbers don't make sense. High TA causes the pH to rise. The numbers are pretty unlikely and unreliable.

You need a good test kit to get reliable results.

 

[Old Foogie]

Thanks for the reply JamesW!

My thoughts exactly after my first test. My test kit is brand new and is done using the online app to scan and read results. I tried it a second time and came up with duplicate results. The third test was with another brand of test strips and they show the results are out in the same way. I plan to get a good reagent based test kit.

I am hoping someone with experience can tell me if my plan is workable if the TA is as high as it shows.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The two pool store results are shabby. FC and CC certainly can be tested at higher levels assuming they were to use the right tester.

The pool store also sold you 25 pounds of very expensive Baking Soda! Yup- that's all "Alkalinity Increaser" is- baking soda. You could have purchased a large bag from Walmart's baking section for a fraction of the cost. Assuming you even needed it!? Which I doubt....

Please save yourself time and aggravation and go to www.tftestkits.net and get the TF-100 test kit. It *will* save you a fortune, i promise.

Then run a full panel of tests and get back to us....we'll know what you're actually dealing with then and will be better able to help.

Oh yeah.... your plan makes no sense to me. Why would you have the pump off? I don't trust the results so how can you know what or how much to add to do anything?

Maddie

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Do you recall the big conundrum on Facebook a year or so ago.....about the color of the dress? You know, was it gold and white or blue and white??

A phone may show colors differently than another phone.... so which do you trust?? I think the whole phone pic testing is a gimmick.

I distrust most of the Clorox products after learning how much copper is added yet not advertised. Copper is a big problem for blonds who don't want green hair and pool owners who don't want stains on their pools.

<rant over...steps off soapbox>

Maddie

 

[Old Foogie]

I will get a good test kit and share the results. That is good information about the Clorox products too. Thank you Maddie.

 

[LGLDSR73]

The Clorox app is pathetically inconsistent and egregious at best! pH measured 6.8 then two minutes later measured 7.8. Total Chlorine measured 10.0 and then the same two minutes later measured 5.0. I went through 6 more strips in the next 10 minutes and the readings were all over the map and all readings taken with no additions of chemicals. All readings taken in same amount of sunlight in the same location for the same length of time. Now retired after working for the largest Defense Contractor on the planet, my background for many years was in Photographic QA/QC, Process E6, C41, EP2, and thank God those analysis tools (Densitometers, Hydrometers for Specific Gravity, etc) worked back in the day.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

So true, LGLDSR..... hey, and welcome to TFP!

A drop based test kit is about the most accurate you can get. The TF-100 is worth every penny and basically pays for itself in chemical savings.

Maddie

 

[LGLDSR73]

Thanks for the welcome, great forum! I'm going to take your advice on that test kit and thank you very much for taking the time to provide the advice, much appreciated!

Skip

 

[Old Foogie]

I received the new test kit and have the following results.
This is after the pool circulated for 2 days with no chemicals added during that time.

FC - 1.4 Should be raised to 3.0?
CC - .8 Looks high?
PH - 7.6 OK?
TA - 110 OK?
C.Hardness - 100 Needs raised to 300?
CYA - 70 OK?

 

[mknauss]

Based on a 70 ppm CYA your FC range shown in FC/CYA Levels is 8-10 ppm. So add enough liquid chlorine to get to 10 ppm FC now.

No need for any calcium. You have a vinyl pool.

Great job on the testing!

 

[Old Foogie]

Thanks for the quick reply! Now to figure out what chlorine product I can get today and how much to use.

 

[mknauss]

Walmart, Home Depot, farm stores, pool stores, all carry liquid chlorine.
Grocery stores have plain bleach - no additives. Most are 6% sodium hypochlorite.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

PoolMath, either the TFP App or the classic web version found at the bottom of the page will guide you on how much to add.....
PoolMath

Maddie

 

[Old Foogie]

Walmart 10% Sodium Hypochlorite. The Pool Math app said to add 3 quarts and 3 cups. I added a gallon and will check the level later today.
Thanks guys!

**EDIT**

I retested the Chlorine and it is 55! The water looks great.

Thank you all

 

[mknauss]

I assume your pool volume is about 13500 gallons. 1 gallon of 10% would raise your FC by 7.4 ppm.

I believe you have a testing error with your reported FC.

 

[IceShadow]

You put in 110 drops with a 10ml water sample before it cleared?

 

[GTF]

You put in 110 drops with a 10ml water sample before it cleared?

Isn't it drops x 10? or am I thinking of another test.

 

[IceShadow]

For the FC / CC test, if you used a 10ml sample then it's drops x 0.5. If 25 ml sample it's drops x 0.2.

Drops x 10 is for 25ml sample of TA and CH.

 

[Old Foogie]

On my June 30th post I listed the chlorine level wrong.

I just tested my pool water using the Taylor K-2006 Complete (FAS-DPD chlorine) kit.

FC is 1.4 (7 drops in 25 ml of water to turn clear)
CYA is 75

Using the Pool Math app set at 14,000 gallons, it shows I need 82 oz (2qts, 2 cups) of 10% liquid chlorine to get to 6.0. I put in this recommended amount.

Pool Math calculator shows a recommended chlorine level between 6.0 and 11.0
In the Taylor testing and treatment guide, the recommendation from APSP for aboveground/on ground residential pools reads Minimum is 1.0, Ideal is 2.0 - 4.0 and Maximum is 6.0.

Is the app recommending higher levels than APSP because of the collective experiences of the developers?