I opened my pool on April 26. It looks better than last year but I am starting to get nervous about next steps. I brought my TA down from 180 to 115 using dry acid. As a result my pH went from 7.8 to 6.8. I put my jets pointing up so I am making bubbles on the surface with the hope the pH will increase naturally. I don’t know if this enough aeration. I have my pump running full blast for 12 hours a day. At night I reduce it to two because it is on the outside wall of my bedroom and is noisy. I added one bottle of liquid conditioner on April 29. My CYA is still at 5. I think I need to add another one. My pool is clean but cloudy. Here are my numbers: FC .42, TC 3.62, pH 6.8, TA 115, Calcium Hardness 412, CYA 5, iron .1, copper .5, phosphates 3937, TDS 5000. I know the TDS and phosphates are really out of whack. What do I do first? Add CYA, do a SLAM or worry about copper or pH? Thank you.
Need some help please
- Thread starter Grammyx2
- Start date
- May 11, 2021
- 973
- Pool Size
- 7000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-30
In most cases there is no need to reduce TA. A high TA will push your pH upwards and Muriatic Acid will bring both down, so TA should eventually get lower. Sulfates don’t belong in a pool, so the sake of your own pool stop using dry acid.
Can you test your water? Those results surely look like pool store’s. Acting on unreliable data is just a waste of time and money.
Can you test your water? Those results surely look like pool store’s. Acting on unreliable data is just a waste of time and money.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
"Grammy" (Mary), first & foremost you MUST get a TF-100 (link link my signature) or Taylor K-2006C test kit. Many of your test numbers took questionable, and if they are from a local pool store or test strips I would not add any chemicals (except liquid chlorine) until you get the test kit. You can cause more harm than good. It's that important. So if you get a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit, post back with results from one of those.
In the meantime, I suspect you have algae (cloudiness). It's a hunch, but that's my guess. I would add 1/2 to one gallon of liquid chlorine to the pool each day until you get the proper test kit. Then we can really help you through this issue. With proper home testing, there is virtually no chemical issue we can't coach you through.
Pool Care Basics Archives
Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
www.troublefreepool.com
I always do my own testing at start up and go to the pool store to see what theirs says. I will test today and post my results. What do sulfates do? I ran out of dry acid and won’t buy anymore. Thanks.
I do have a Taylor test kit and use it all the time. These were pool store numbers. I will test today and post my results ASAP."Grammy" (Mary), first & foremost you MUST get a TF-100 (link link my signature) or Taylor K-2006C test kit. Many of your test numbers took questionable, and if they are from a local pool store or test strips I would not add any chemicals (except liquid chlorine) until you get the test kit. You can cause more harm than good. It's that important. So if you get a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit, post back with results from one of those.
In the meantime, I suspect you have algae (cloudiness). It's a hunch, but that's my guess. I would add 1/2 to one gallon of liquid chlorine to the pool each day until you get the proper test kit. Then we can really help you through this issue. With proper home testing, there is virtually no chemical issue we can't coach you through.
Pool Care Basics Archives
Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
Here are my current numbers using my test kit: FC 2, CC 2.5, pH 6.8, TA 160.
Here they are FC 2, CC 2.5, pH 6.8, TA 160. Thanks."Grammy" (Mary), first & foremost you MUST get a TF-100 (link link my signature) or Taylor K-2006C test kit. Many of your test numbers took questionable, and if they are from a local pool store or test strips I would not add any chemicals (except liquid chlorine) until you get the test kit. You can cause more harm than good. It's that important. So if you get a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit, post back with results from one of those.
In the meantime, I suspect you have algae (cloudiness). It's a hunch, but that's my guess. I would add 1/2 to one gallon of liquid chlorine to the pool each day until you get the proper test kit. Then we can really help you through this issue. With proper home testing, there is virtually no chemical issue we can't coach you through.
Pool Care Basics Archives
Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
With a heat pump we need to get that pH up ASAP. Do you have any borax or soda ash? Borax would be best and is available as 20 Mule Team® Borax Natural Laundry Booster. Only enough to increase the pH to about 7.2-7.4. Yes, your TA is slightly elevated, but that's not an urgent issue at all. Let's be sure the pH is in a safer (non-corrosive) range.
At the same time, use some liquid chlorine to increase the FC to around 6 - 8 ppm. We'll come back to the FC shortly.
Did you test your CYA?
At the same time, use some liquid chlorine to increase the FC to around 6 - 8 ppm. We'll come back to the FC shortly.
Did you test your CYA?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Hopefully you use and are familiar with the PoolMath APP (Effects of Adding) to help you with dosage amounts. But if you have any questions let us know. I would follow-up with the pH in a couple hours to see if it's back in the lower 7 range.
I have soda ash. Should I put that in and wait a bit before adding the chlorine? I do use the pool math calculator. My CYA reading was better-by that I mean I could still see the dot when the tube was full but it was getting fuzzier. I hope that makes sense. I think it is almost there.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,309
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
MITBeta
Gold Supporter
- May 28, 2020
- 1,182
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I decided to use Borax to raise the pH. Pool math says to add 17 pounds if the alkalinity is 115 and 23 pounds if TA is 160. Should I use my test number or pool store #? These seem like insane amounts. Do I add it all at once?
MITBeta
Gold Supporter
- May 28, 2020
- 1,182
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
