High Calcium Hardness

[Btheodoru]

Hello All and thanks for having me,

I am in my first year of pool ownership, I bought a house last fall (August) with an IG pool. My wife had a Baby late august and wasn't allowed to go swimming and we closed the pool early (September).
Being as it is my first year with a pool I paid someone to come and close it for me. They Drained the water 6" below the Jets in the pool and did everything they were supposed to do (i think). My safety cover allowed rainwater and snow to fill the pool back up and I ended removing water about three times until we opened in May 2020.

My First water test revealed my CH was at 376, a week, and some chemicals to balance the water later and the CH was down to 350.
I haven't had to add much water to my pool (which is off a softened tap) and we have had rain but my latest test revealed my CH to be 412.

Why is my CH rising? Sorry if my post is scattered I just wanted you to have all the information.
The Pool is Crystal Clear.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! Well, about your CH changes, I suspect some of it may be due to how the water is tested. Still the pool store? That would be my #1 concern because if you are not testing the water yourself with a Taylor K-2006C (or TF-100 from the states if you can get one), it would be very difficult to treat those tests as reliable. Pool store testing is very inconsistent and we know CH levels shouldn't fluctuate much unless a lot of water was changed or calcium product was added. You signature shows an inline chlorinator, but do you use cal-hypo products at all for chlorination?

 

[Btheodoru]

Welcome to TFP! Well, about your CH changes, I suspect some of it may be due to how the water is tested. Still the pool store? That would be my #1 concern because if you are not testing the water yourself with a Taylor K-2006C (or TF-100 from the states if you can get one), it would be very difficult to treat those tests as reliable. Pool store testing is very inconsistent and we know CH levels shouldn't fluctuate much unless a lot of water was changed or calcium product was added. You signature shows an inline chlorinator, but do you use cal-hypo products at all for chlorination?

I have been using Trichlor 3" tablets in combination with Liquid Chlorine and Smart shock.
I would have thought that the pool store testing equipment would have been the most accurate.

 

[Texas Splash]

I would have thought that the pool store testing equipment would have been the most accurate.

A very common misconception from all of us at one time. That's why we're at TFP now and test our own water. Seasonal workers, poor lighting, long lines, over-priced products, and poor advice are all reasons we cut the cord from the pool store. You should as well. The more time you spend here and read other member's posts you'll see why.

 

[Btheodoru]

A very common misconception from all of us at one time. That's why we're at TFP now and test our own water. Seasonal workers, poor lighting, long lines, over-priced products, and poor advice are all reasons we cut the cord from the pool store. You should as well. The more time you spend here and read other member's posts you'll see why.

I don’t know how they can screw up the test. Doesn’t the computer do everything? I’ve attached the most recent report on my pool

 

[Texas Splash]

I don’t know how they can screw up the test. Doesn’t the computer do everything?

Remember this, the computer printout is only as good as the info put into it. When a pool store tech rushes a test, uses poor lighting, or gets distracted counting drops, your data is skewed. Also notice on that sheet the parameters or "their" recommended levels are based on what "they" believe to be reasonable. From there, they recommend "their" store products ($$$). By the looks of that printout, the products they are recommending are either useless, expensive, or both - usually both.

Here at TFP we advocate owner-user testing with a proper test kit to maintain a clean, clear, and sanitary chlorine residential pool. Many people find it refreshing to take ownership of their water and see the difference in the water. But you will have to make that choice. You can't try to maintain a TFP pool with pool store advice. Note that this forum sells no products and makes no profit from assisting members, only provides advice based on many years of science-back experience for all pool types. The only thing we do highly encourage is that owners obtain either a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit of their own when posting results here as those have been proven to be user-friendly and reliable.

 

[Texas Splash]

Also note on your printout that the store is trying to say some of your levels (i.e. CH) require adjusting which they do not, and advocating expensive products to do so. In addition, they do not list your CYA (Cyanuric Acid) level which is the most critical component to balancing the FC level to avoid algae as noted on the FC/CYA Levels.

 

[Btheodoru]

Remember this, the computer printout is only as good as the info put into it. When a pool store tech rushes a test, uses poor lighting, or gets distracted counting drops, your data is skewed. Also notice on that sheet the parameters or "their" recommended levels are based on what "they" believe to be reasonable. From there, they recommend "their" store products ($$$). By the looks of that printout, the products they are recommending are either useless, expensive, or both - usually both.

Here at TFP we advocate owner-user testing with a proper test kit to maintain a clean, clear, and sanitary chlorine residential pool. Many people find it refreshing to take ownership of their water and see the difference in the water. But you will have to make that choice. You can't try to maintain a TFP pool with pool store advice. Note that this forum sells no products and makes no profit from assisting members, only provides advice based on many years of science-back experience for all pool types. The only thing we do highly encourage is that owners obtain either a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit of their own when posting results here as those have been proven to be user-friendly and reliable.

I appreciate all your help and I will invest in a good test kit and get back here. Im not here to argue but I don’t understand how they mess up the test. They take my sample put it in a little disk and the machine runs the test. I don’t see them add drops or anything. That’s why I’m a little confused.
All is well and I will invest in a test kit and start there!
thanks again for your help!

 

[Richard320]

I laugh at your puny CH numbers! Ha!



Really. In ten years or so of maintaining my pool, I have never had CH below 400. It's not all that difficult to keep things balanced so it doesn't grow scale up to about 800 CH. Well, if you have your own test kit, it is.

 

[Btheodoru]

Also note on your printout that the store is trying to say some of your levels (i.e. CH) require adjusting which they do not, and advocating expensive products to do so. In addition, they do not list your CYA (Cyanuric Acid) level which is the most critical component to balancing the FC level to avoid algae as noted on the FC/CYA Levels.

The cya is on the front page. 73

 

[Btheodoru]

I laugh at your puny CH numbers! Ha!



Really. In ten years or so of maintaining my pool, I have never had CH below 400. It's not all that difficult to keep things balanced so it doesn't grow scale up to about 800 CH. Well, if you have your own test kit, it is.

Awesome thanks!