I can’t get ph up

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Richterpool

Richterpool

Member
May 20, 2020
19
East Lansdowne pa
Hi,
I have a 18’ x 48” intex round pool.

Here are my current results from my test strip:

250 hardness
2 free chlorine
0 cyanotic avid
40 total alkalinity
6.8 ph

I bought some stabilizer that should help with the cyanoyic acid that will arrive in a few days. I’m trying to get my Ph and total alkalinity up. I bought doheny’s pH plus and tried the recomend amount 3 times and still have not change. My pool does not have a deep end but twice I tried spreading it out and once dumped it right in the skimmer hoping it would desperse. Is there something I’m doing wrong? Why won’t the level go up? Do I need to get cyanotoc acid up first? Should I shock it and try again? The package did not say anything about pre mixing it, but should I premix one 5 gallon bucket?
Thanks
 
You need a proper test kit, see Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF100. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols. The test strips are not good but normally they do report pH at least close.
You have been adding Soda Ash. How much have you been adding? It should be premixed in a bucket and poured slowly in front of a return with the pump running. Check to be sure what you have added is not sitting on the floor of the pool.
 
So I dumped in 1.7 pound of stabilizer for 6500 gallons. It said to wait 48 hours for results. At this point I thought it might not be circulating well enough so I switch which port the skimmer pulled from. I also noticed my cartridge filter was clogged so I ringed them off and not the pump is way more powerful.

Still have low ph confirmed with 2 different test. Waiting to see if Acid goes up with stabilizer. I didn’t see any of the ph chemicals or stabilizer on the floor.
 
Stabilizer could lower your ph slightly, you can use washing soda or baking soda to raise your TA and PH (using PoolMath ) Vinyl does not like low PH!
Can you get at least the HTH 6-way drop test from Walmart? Strips are not accurate for maintaining an affordable clean clear pool :)
 
Did you put the stabilizer in a sock to dissolve? Or dump down the skimmer? Was this before or after you cleaned the cartridges?

Did you get a proper test kit as recommended on Monday?
 
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mknauss said:
Did you put the stabilizer in a sock to dissolve? Or dump down the skimmer? Was this before or after you cleaned the cartridges?

Did you get a proper test kit as recommended on Monday?
Click to expand...

Borrowed the proper test kit from a neighbor. Gonna buy one on amazon. Stabilizer was dumped slowly in skimmer like the directions suggested. (Yesterday. Had to wait for delivery so I don’t infect family with corona) Probably took about 5 min to dump in the 1.7 pound bottle.

As of yesterday night Chlorine was 3, ph was 6.9, acid was 0, hardness was slightly low (I forgot how low)

I was thinking of waiting another 24 hours with pump on now that skimmer is further away from return jet and filters are cleaned. Thought it might make it circulate better.
 
Last edited:
You said you cleaned the cartridge filter. Was that before or after adding the CYA to the skimmer?
 

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Did you see white granules when you cleaned the filter? Most likely a lot of the CYA was washed away when you cleaned the filter.

We use the sock method so the CYA is dissolved prior to going through the pool equipment. Multiple reasons but the biggest one is what happened to you.

Please add what test kit your using to your signature.
 
I didn’t see any granulals, but there was a lot of junk on them. Filters were overdue. Mostly green and brown slime stuff. I cleaned them with a hose so I may have missed white granulals on white filter.

Should I try to correct ph first or cya or both at same time?
 
I suggest you add 3 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine each day until you receive your test kit.
 
I read it and forgot lol. Free chlorine. How do people feel about the poolmaster test kit? I just got a msg from amazon saying the Taylor 100 isn’t available and they canceled order. The Taylor 2006 is pricy. The poolmaster says it can test acid demand. Is that the same as a sanitizer test?
 
Richterpool said:
What is FC? I’ve been useing granular chlorinate when it’s low and tabs in skimmer when it’s normal. I’m normally between 3-5 ppm. Neighbors test said 3 ppm.
Click to expand...

TFP (Trouble Free Pool) has a specific method for proper pool maintenance. It is based on science, owner involvement and most of all a proper test kit. Most random test kits have varying degrees of accuracy and hence will deal out various degrees of success with your pool. The TF-100 test kit uses quality, lab grade reagents to provide you with accurate, repeatable test results. It is of course your decision as to what degree of success you would like.
 

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