Is It SafeTo Swim

[wireform]

Not pool in signature:
Get a call, heard your name around can you check pool and advise. Went to see new to me pool/customer yesterday and pool reeked of chlorine. Pool is palster approximately 18k with attached spa, chlorinator being fed by pool guy. No automation, Two single speed pumps one for pool and the other for spa, mastertemp heater and rather large DE filter.
Took water sample with me for analysis.
Fc- 25 (50 drops, higher but stopped counting)
CC-0
PH- inaccurate
CH-225
TA- went from green to yellow after few drops
CYA-160 (diluted testing)
Salt- 800
Water is crystal clear. Customer is clueless and was only bothered about some bugs floating that weren't going into the skimmers. A gross adjustment was needed to balance the manual jandy never lubes.
Bottom line:
Need to advise customer....

 

[Newdude]

Slam is 64 FC for them, so if it's 16-ish to 64, it's good. Lol.

See if they'll get off the puck routine, or walk away.

 

[Texas Splash]

TA- went from green to yellow after few drops

This is the troublesome part for me. From the TA testing instructions:
Add 5 drops of R-0008 and swirl to mix. The solution should turn green or blue. If the sample turns red, pink, or yellow, you are done, your TA is zero, and your PH is very very low (4.5 or lower).
At this point I would say no until both the pH and TA can be validated.

 

[wireform]

How would I go about getting a PH reading, isn't there some kind of diluted testing method for this. Thanks in advance.

 

[Texas Splash]

How would I go about getting a PH reading, isn't there some kind of diluted testing method for this.

Let's see if we can get @JoyfulNoise or @Donldson to chine in if they are available.

 

[Texas Splash]

Come to think of it, the TA may be getting skewed by the exceptionally high FC level as well. An additional drop of two of the R-0007 may be in order. I'm sure Matt or JD will confirm though.

 

[mknauss]

You can dilute the water sample with distilled water to get a pH reading.

The TA reading just use an extra drop of R0007. May be different colors for the end point.

 

[wireform]

I tried 1 extra R-0007 but it only gave me a small difference, another drop or two to get to the same yellow result. I see Taylor makes a R-0007C but not sure ....

 

[wireform]

You can dilute the water sample with distilled water to get a pH reading

How much would that be

 

[mknauss]

You said TA test went from Green to Yellow. That is a normal test for high FC. TA would be 30 based on your post.

Try cutting the sample in half with distilled water for pH. Read the result quickly.

 

[Hootz]

pH test with high FC

Moderator note: Moved from this thread- Saltwater Pool is always reading High Chlorine Its also true that with FC above 10, other tests can be effected. Most prominently, the pH. Do you know if the PH readings will be false high or low? My FC now is a little too high at 10. The HDX (Home...

www.troublefreepool.com

This is an old post but there is some good info in posts 4 and 5

 

[wireform]

You said TA test went from Green to Yellow. That is a normal test for high FC. TA would be 30 based on your post.

Try cutting the sample in half with distilled water for pH. Read the result quickly.

Just to clarify the droplet that causes green to yellow is the end point?

 

[wireform]

Just remembered I did this for the fun of it.

 

[mknauss]

Just to clarify the droplet that causes green to yellow is the end point?

Yes.

Total Alkalinity

A drop-based test used to measure the alkalinity in water. Alkalinity helps serve as a … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

Continue adding drops until the color changes to something more or less red, pink, yellow, or clear. The sample may switch between green, blue, and gray while you are adding drops. That is not the color change you are waiting for.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Advice … that’s easy … drain 75% of the pool water and start over. The pool chemistry is a mess and their heater is likely wrecked from the previous pool service. I would suggest you take apart the heater manifold and document its conditions before you go anywhere near that pool OR you write a contract that explicitly red-lines any equipment failures as being the fault of the previous bad water chemistry.

 

[wireform]

So, the latest PH tesing with 50/50 pool and distilled water came out to 6.8, does this mean that it's divided by two. If it so with a PH of 3.4 can we assume the TA is "X" and would I be able to raise the PH with one of the three products that raise PH and TA. I know each one of them is better in raising one property more the the next so which one would you recomend I try. Customer is willing to try this as the season is nearing the end and prefer not to drain now if possible.

 

[mknauss]

The pH test is not adjusted. So the pH is 6.8.

TA was 30 as you reported. Add enough baking soda to raise TA by 40 ppm.

 

[wireform]

Thanks @mknauss, I'm going to run another TA test now to get a better focus on the level.

 

[wireform]

How many extra R-0007 drops should I use.

 

[mknauss]

One or two. That reagent should not interfere with the results.