If it ain't broke, should I fix it?

[Gregadaka]

Hi everyone!
I'm new to the forum, but TFP comes very highly recommended.
We moved into this home four months ago. The in-ground salt water pool rapidly turned green within a few weeks. Then we got a fantastic pool service to manage it for us. They cleaned it up in a couple of days. They've maintained it for the last 3 months and as you can see, it's pristine.
We'll be self maintaining the pool going forward.
These are the numbers I got yesterday:
Total Chlorine - 5
Free Chlorine - 5
Total Alkalinity - 40
pH - 6.2
CYA - 0
Hardness- 0
TDS - 3100 ppm
Looks like too much chlorine & too acidic, but the water looks great.
Should I leave things as they are, or should I start adding chemicals?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

I assume the water test is from a pool store. This forum advocates pool owner testing.
Order a TF100 test kit
The only other real option for a test kit is a Taylor K-2006-C. Be careful comparing prices because the K-2006 comes in sizes, designated by a letter. The basic K-2006 has .75oz bottles. You need to get the K-2006-C to get the larger bottles that you want.
I also have the SpeedStir. It makes testing much easier.

The pH reading, if correct, is very concerning. I hope you do not have a heater. You need to add baking soda ASAP to raise your TA to 70 ppm and then aerate as much as possible to raise your pH. I also doubt your CYA is 0 or your FC would burn off in minutes.

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.

 

[Arizonarob]

Yes definitely order a test kit ASAP, it will be essential in getting accurate readings. A PH of 6.2 is VERY low, but I have a feeling that your test results may not be accurate.

Follow the links that Marty provided to order the TF100 test kit, or I’ve provided a link to the proper Taylor test kit.

Also, when you get a min, fill in your signature area with all your pool information and equipment. It will help people on the forum guide and answer your questions along the way. See Marty’s or mine for reference.

https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Service-Complete-Water-K-2006C/dp/B0002IXIJ0

 

[Gregadaka]

Thanks so much!
I actually used Aquacheck 7 test strips. I've just uesd the link you provided to order a TF100 test kit. I'll recheck these numbers as soon as the kit arrives.
There is a heater connected to the system, but we've never turned it on.

 

[Gregadaka]

Yes definitely order a test kit ASAP, it will be essential in getting accurate readings. A PH of 6.2 is VERY low, but I have a feeling that your test results may not be accurate.

Follow the links that Marty provided to order the TF100 test kit, or I’ve provided a link to the proper Taylor test kit.

Also, when you get a min, fill in your signature area with all your pool information and equipment. It will help people on the forum guide and answer your questions along the way. See Marty’s or mine for reference.

https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Service-Complete-Water-K-2006C/dp/B0002IXIJ0

I'll get those details uploaded asap. Where's the "Signature area"?

 

[ajw22]

Thanks so much!
I actually used Aquacheck 7 test strips. I've just uesd the link you provided to order a TF100 test kit. I'll recheck these numbers as soon as the kit arrives.
There is a heater connected to the system, but we've never turned it on.

Understand, even if you don’t turn the heater on your possibly acidic water is flowing through the heater core. Unless you have valves that bypass the heater and remove it from the water flow.

Raise your TA & pH ASAP. Having high pH does not damage things the way low pH does.

 

[mknauss]

I would suggest you take a sample to a pool store today and let them test it. Ignore anything they try to sell you and use the pH and TA they provide to input into PoolMath and use baking soda to raise your TA to 70 ppm. Then aerate any way you can to raise your pH.

Of course, the pool store test may show your pH is fine. As guess strips are truly useless at showing any kind of test result.

 

[setsailsoon]

With your pool water possibly that acidic, I'd see if you can find red-blue litmus paper. It's only binary acid or base. But it's pretty accurate for that and this could be important as others have mentioned above. Used to be able to find this at stores that sell aquarium supplies. Note this is not pH paper. Usually contains strips of red and blue paper.

Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[Gregadaka]

Understand, even if you don’t turn the heater on your possibly acidic water is flowing through the heater core. Unless you have valves that bypass the heater and remove it from the water flow.

Raise your TA & pH ASAP. Having high pH does not damage things the way low pH does.

Got it ?

 

[Gregadaka]

With your pool water possibly that acidic, I'd see if you can find red-blue litmus paper. It's only binary acid or base. But it's pretty accurate for that and this could be important as others have mentioned above. Used to be able to find this at stores that sell aquarium supplies. Note this is not pH paper. Usually contains strips of red and blue paper.

Hope this helps.

Chris

Thanks Chris!
Greg.

 

[Gregadaka]

Our pool is about 13,000 gallons. If it does turn out to be that acidic, how much baking soda will raise the pH by 1 point?

 

[mknauss]

Baking soda is not directly for raising the pH. It primarily raises the TA. Then you use aeration to raise the pH.

To raise the pH primarily, use borax. But it is safer to do the baking soda and aeration.

IF your TA is 40, to raise your 13000 gallon pool to a TA of 70, you need 92 oz of baking soda, according to PoolMath

 

[Gregadaka]

Baking soda is not directly for raising the pH. It primarily raises the TA. Then you use aeration to raise the pH.

To raise the pH primarily, use borax. But it is safer to do the baking soda and aeration.

IF your TA is 40, to raise your 13000 gallon pool to a TA of 70, you need 92 oz of baking soda, according to PoolMath

Brilliant!

 

[kimkats]

I am going to share a set of links I put together for new pool owners. You might have already seen some of these links but I don't want to take a chance of you not seeing one:

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Trouble Free Pool

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Kim

 

[Bama Rambler]

Just an interjection here, but with the pH & TA that low I'd guess that the pool company used pucks and if that's the case I'd almost guarantee that your CYA is very high. Strips nor pool stores are reliable at reading CYA levels, so be suspicious of those readings.

 

[PoolGate]

I would not do/add anything until you get the TF-100 and take valid tests.

 

[Gregadaka]

Got it!
Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Did you do what was suggested in Post #7?

 

[RMcGirr83]

Where's the "Signature area"?

 

[Gregadaka]

View attachment 92908

Thanks!