High CH

[roth79]

I want to ask if it is time to drain and refill;
My test results are as of today;
PH7.8
FC 4
CH 620
CYA 60
Salt High 4200, Pentair 40 should be 3400
Borate 30
Temp 77
I am concerned about the CH level, it is in direct sun all day in florida, should I worry about it?
Thanks and happy Memorial Day.

 

[mknauss]

TA?
With elevated CH you need to monitor CSI - Calcium Saturation Index (CSI) - Trouble Free Pool by using PoolMath. I cannot give you CSI using your data because you did not post your TA.
Why is your CH that high? Is your fill water that high in CH?

 

[Richard320]

If you're reading 620, that means you're using 25 ml sample and each drop is 10. It must have taken you twenty minutes to run that test!

Use 10 ml water, 10 drops of R-0010, 3 drops of R-0011 and each drop of R-0012 counts as 25. Less swirling and precise enough for us. Does it really matter if you get 600 or 625?

Also, if you're not using a speedstir, you should be. My CH dropped almost 200 ppm when I switched to testing with it. Hint: makes a swell Father's Day gift.

I suspect your CH is not as high as you think, so I would hold off on any water replacement until you're certain. It isn't all that hard to maintain a decent CSI up to about 800 CH, so you have time to figure it out.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Have you been using CalHypo to chlorinate your pool?
Being that you're in FL with its frequent rains, I would have not expected such a high CH. Do you have to lower the water level on your pool frequently with those drenching rains y'all get?

Maddie

 

[roth79]

Sorry Ta is 60, no cal ever as I was schooled here, lol. I haven’t tested fill water, but I do have whole house salt softener. Mmmm. Thanks all.

 

[mknauss]

Are you filling your pool through the softener?
Test your fill water for CH, TA, pH

 

[roth79]

I just checked CH from house and it was blue before I added anything else. So I assume CH from fill water is not the issue? I did use the 10 mll test this morning and it was 650 today? Salt is real high right now I guess I overdid it weeks ago. Its 4400 should be 3400 with IC40, that wouldn't cause this correct?
MK I just read one of your responses to a post, heres my answer for the Salt, I will quote you "A water softener. It exchanges Calcium for Sodium."

Duh!!!
Thanks all!

 

[roth79]

I just checked CH from house and it was blue before I added anything else. So I assume CH from fill water is not the issue? I did use the 10 mll test this morning and it was 650 today? Salt is real high right now I guess I overdid it weeks ago. Its 4400 should be 3400 with IC40, that wouldn't cause this correct?
MK I just read one of your responses to a post, heres my answer for the Salt, I will quote you "A water softener. It exchanges Calcium for Sodium."

Is it time to drain and refill with non softened salt wate, I can override the home softner and use city tap water? Or am I overthinking this and let it evaporate and let the Florida rain replace it over time?


Thanks all!

 

[mknauss]

If your tap water had that result for CH the level of CH is less than 25 ppm. VERY soft. I assume that is after the softener.

The salt level does not effect the CH reading. And the softener is not adding salt. It adds sodium ions. That does not read as salt.

Again, are you filling this pool using the softened water?

 

[roth79]

Yes sir I was... and that test was from the kitchen faucet after the softner..

 

[mknauss]

OK -- can you test the CH of the water BEFORE the softener?

If you do a sizable water exchange, can your softener keep up?

 

[roth79]

So Im using the TFT test and did the CH 20 drop test and it was blue immediately without adding any r-0012. And yes worst case is the house will have non soft water for a while. You thinking I should drain some water and refill some?
Today results,
Ph 7.5
FC 4.5
TA 60
CH 650
CYA 50 just put sock in with 2lbs dry
salt 4400
Temp 80

 

[mknauss]

Did you test the water before the softener? We need to know what your raw fill water is to see if draining some and adding fresh water will reduce your CH enough that you do not need to manage pH and TA so closely.

 

[roth79]

Yes I did test before the softener 20 drop test blue immediately without adding r0012.

 

[mknauss]

Why do you have a water softener??

 

[roth79]

House Florida nasty water...

 

[proavia]

What Marty is asking is to test the water before it get to the softener. If you have an outside water spigot where the water enters the house - and it is before the water softener - test that water and report the CH. If water before the softener and after the softener are both CH 20, you would have no need for a softener. We need your hard water CH.

How do you add water to your pool - auto fill, hose? Is this fill water softened water?

 

[roth79]

Yes I did test it from the spigot and before the softener, a 20 drop test turned blue immediately without adding r0012.

Today results:
PH7.6 added MA to drop it to 7.2 this morning
FC 6 (salt)
TA 50 added Baking soda to bring up
CH 625 (did the .25 test)
CYA 60
Salt high 4200
Borate 50
Temp 74

I now am going to turn off the softener and bypass it when filling, I have a new Eley hose and spool as I think my hose water hose was rotting away inside as the water was foaming up. I am getting rain today again so I will not drain any yet and check results next weekend. Thanks again all. Happy Fathers Day Dads.

Roth