Need help on what to balance first

[greg w]

Hey guys-

I shocked my pool due to an ammonia problem that had my CC very high. My chlorine levels are down to more manageable levels now so i want to start balancing ph, Alkalinity and CH. Here are my readings right now

FC-9
CC-0
Ph- 7.0 ( 2 drops of reagent got me up to 7.4-7.6 range )
TA- 60
CH-140
CYA- 50


What is the rule as far as what to bring up first? can I do them all at the same time? Thanks in advance

 

[jeffbrig]

What is your desired TA target? I like to keep mine around 60-70 because my pH tends to drift high. pH should rise naturally, particularly if you have water features or anything that helps aerate the water. If you want to raise it faster, 1 pound of washing soda will raise your TA by ~7ppm and pH by ~.2

CaCl is easily added too and does not impact pH.

 

[needsajet]

Good advice above. I would raise the pH first, with washing soda (soda ash) or borax. Then add the CH the next day. I would also leave TA alone and see if you're already at the right level for your pool.

 

[greg w]

my first year with a pool so I'm a little unsure of what i want my alkalinity at . 80-100 is what I'm seeing for a plaster pool? does that sound right ? I have have no water features fwiw.

 

[needsajet]

You've definitely been doing good research on this, and that is a common industry number. But it usually also leads to excessive acid use and a roller coaster between raising TA and then offsetting the rise with acid. Many (maybe most) TFPers find 60 or 70 to be a really good number.

Trouble Free Pool Care (TFPC) is a system that has dispelled most (maybe all) of the common pool care myths, and is based on tens of thousands of pools worth of empirical evidence over several decades, backed up by extensive scientific explanation.

The TFPC recommended levels for a plaster pool are found here: Pool School - Recommended Levels
You'll find 70-90+ there for TA, and 70 usually works better than 90

When I started out, I gained a lot from the first two posts in this thread: TFPC for Beginners

Probably most important of all is this article: Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Keep on asking! It will all come together quickly and then it all becomes a breeze
Cheers