Edited for readability.Hi, I am new to this site. We had fiberglass pool installed in 2009 it is approx 20K and we have Sta-Rite Equipment including a Max E Term heater I keep set at 86, Intelliclor IC20 I use in the summer, not turned on yet, a 1.5HP pump and a cartridge filter with new cartridges last week.
I had so much trouble the first 3 years having to replace the heater twice and the pump and I fired the pool guy thinking it must have been his fault then my troubles got much better when they finally came out and replaced the SWG which was the IC40 with the IC20.
I swim every day and keep a dome over the pool in the winter, shutting off the SWG and switching to chlorine tablets in a floater thing until summer (that seemed to keep the PH from bouncing back up so fast). I thought I was doing ok just watcing chlorine PH and TA until this past year when I started getting scale build up. I tried a scale remover which I put in 2 months in a row but it seemed not to do much then when I took dome off for summer I put in a packet of shock from Leslies which led to a ton of white powder on the bottom of the pool which I had seen before but did not know what it was. The scale on sides of pool seemed to be much better after shock so I did it again, same thing happened.
I went to search for answers which led me to this site. So I thought I must have the test kit and auto stir machine. I ordered them. They arrived and I had a great time yesterday playing chemist and checking my water but when I went to decide what my pool needs I became so confused I decided I just need to join and ask. This is what I came up with CH 300, TA 100, CC 1.5, FC .5, PH 8.5, salt 700. and the CYA test was so clear I always saw the black dot. After reading a lot of posts I was more confused, do I need borax do I need CYA do I really need 400 lbs of salt? So my husband takes a sample to Leslies today (after I had added muriatic acid this morning) and this is what they came up with FC 1.5, TAC 1.5, PH 7.4, TA 80, CYA 0, CH 210, salt 1700. They recomended 4 bags of salt (did not write lbs on the paper just bags) and 121lbs of conditioner.
My questions include not only what to put in but should I use borax? Is the CH what is causing the scale? How do I get CH down? I have to add water quite often due to evaporation in the summer. Should I test my tap water for CH? Why would I get 700 salt using the strips I bought from this site and they get 1700? (my strip read 2.8) Should I repeat that test? Would adding the acid this morning have changed that reading? Sorry I sound confused, I am though. Thanks for any help.
I had so much trouble the first 3 years having to replace the heater twice and the pump and I fired the pool guy thinking it must have been his fault then my troubles got much better when they finally came out and replaced the SWG which was the IC40 with the IC20.
I swim every day and keep a dome over the pool in the winter, shutting off the SWG and switching to chlorine tablets in a floater thing until summer (that seemed to keep the PH from bouncing back up so fast). I thought I was doing ok just watcing chlorine PH and TA until this past year when I started getting scale build up. I tried a scale remover which I put in 2 months in a row but it seemed not to do much then when I took dome off for summer I put in a packet of shock from Leslies which led to a ton of white powder on the bottom of the pool which I had seen before but did not know what it was. The scale on sides of pool seemed to be much better after shock so I did it again, same thing happened.
I went to search for answers which led me to this site. So I thought I must have the test kit and auto stir machine. I ordered them. They arrived and I had a great time yesterday playing chemist and checking my water but when I went to decide what my pool needs I became so confused I decided I just need to join and ask. This is what I came up with CH 300, TA 100, CC 1.5, FC .5, PH 8.5, salt 700. and the CYA test was so clear I always saw the black dot. After reading a lot of posts I was more confused, do I need borax do I need CYA do I really need 400 lbs of salt? So my husband takes a sample to Leslies today (after I had added muriatic acid this morning) and this is what they came up with FC 1.5, TAC 1.5, PH 7.4, TA 80, CYA 0, CH 210, salt 1700. They recomended 4 bags of salt (did not write lbs on the paper just bags) and 121lbs of conditioner.
My questions include not only what to put in but should I use borax? Is the CH what is causing the scale? How do I get CH down? I have to add water quite often due to evaporation in the summer. Should I test my tap water for CH? Why would I get 700 salt using the strips I bought from this site and they get 1700? (my strip read 2.8) Should I repeat that test? Would adding the acid this morning have changed that reading? Sorry I sound confused, I am though. Thanks for any help.
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