New owner: Borax caused suds?

[2full2eat]

TA 70
Ph <7.0 (20 drops w/ taylor kit to get Ph around 7.6)
FC 32 (Shocking 26,000 gal)
CC 0.5
CYA 100

Yup, As a new pool owner I have no idea what I'm doing. Through using this website among others I'm learning. I had paid around $300 for a pool opening service. Seemed a waste of money to me, they toss in some shock and thats it. The pool was still a swamp a day later with no visible change at all. I bought a test kit and found that Borax can be used to bring up the Ph as I tested and the Ph was too low. I tossed in around 10lbs and now the water is building up what looks like suds after you rinse off soap in the shower. I am a little confused why this happened, as "the" google turns up only results that relate to algaecides which I've added none and the company that opened my pool tells me they only add shock. Although I saw the kid squeeze a bottle of something in there. I'm going to be adding baking soda today as well ~5lbs hoping to raise the TA, but any help would be appreciated guys. Thanks.

 

[mcj115]

I'm pretty much a newbie also....for starters your CYA seems way high! As of now with so much chlorine in you pool, I I don't think the test kits can get valid readings on TA/Ph. I don't know about you water supply but If I was in your potion now I would vacuum out to waste as much of the deep end of your pool as possible until you can't vacuum anymore. From there I would drain the pool further--half way-ish. Once you have the water down start refilling it with new water to lower your CYA. Heck even if you get the CYA down to 70 that's better than 100! Once the CYA is down and water is fulled to where the pump works again take another full set of reading, then start a SLAM. Pay attention to the CLA to FC charts for proper chlorine levels for shock and normal levels.

Clearing the water will take days/week+ if it is a real swamp. After you lower your CYA, your primary concern is to keep the FC levels up for an extended period to keep all the algae, once your pool has cleared, let the FC lower then start balancing FC and TA.

At this point since you have high CYA do not use the pucks for chlorine as they help raise the CYA.

 

[Richard320]

mcj115 is right -- there's no point in treating a bunch of water you're going to have to dump anyway. That CYA is way too high. And you can't trust the other tests with FC up so high.

Just stop already, or you'll end up looking like this:

https://www.troublefreepool.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29311&d=1400195547

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! Which brand of borax did you use? If you still have the box post a picture of it. Your TA is fine, you don't need to mess with it unless you are having problems regulating your pH. The CYA is too high. At 100 ppm of CYA your slam level is an FC of 39 ppm. Since the CYA test tops out at 100, your actual level may be higher. You can test a diluted sample by mixing 1 part pool water with 1 part tap water, then use that to run the CYA test. Multiply the result by 2. You will use less bleach to clear the pool if you drain about 70% of the water to bring the CYA down to around 30 ppm.

 

[2full2eat]

Just want to add. I've been able to clear up the pool. Everyday is getting better thanks to the SLAM. I added borax because reading some threads it seemed Ph was a big deal during SLAM. I didn't know I would be getting accurate readings. Also, my mistake by adding the tabs already. Yesterday my CYA was 70, but now it seems its up. Heres a picture of the pool now and a link to the borax I purchased. Amazon.com: Borax (80 OZ - 5 lb) (make your own detergent) (can also make slime) (Eco-Friendly Packaging) (Also available in 4 oz, 11 oz, 1 lb, 2 lb, Personal Care

 

[rammy]

ive seen suds like that once. It was when I added a bottle of algaecide that had a high copper count. was years ago and don't know what else it had in it but I do remember the "pool guy" telling me it was very high in copper. took days to scoop them out

 

[zea3]

Since you think you saw the tech add a bottle of something, go ahead and have a pool store run a total copper test. If it is copper algaecide you need to know so it can be managed. If it was regular algaecide you will have a zero copper result and you'll just have to wait until the chlorine breaks down the foaming. It looks like your water level is a little high and could stand to drain a couple of inches anyway.

 

[2full2eat]

Since you think you saw the tech add a bottle of something, go ahead and have a pool store run a total copper test. If it is copper algaecide you need to know so it can be managed. If it was regular algaecide you will have a zero copper result and you'll just have to wait until the chlorine breaks down the foaming. It looks like your water level is a little high and could stand to drain a couple of inches anyway.

I'll definitely try to find out if an algicide was added, thanks for the tip. Side note to my problem though, the suds only appeared after adding this borax I bought off amazon. The ingredients reads simply borax pentahydrate, so I dont think there is any additives, though I definitely know the borax part of the problem as adding more to it has increased the amount of suds in the pool. Since it's advertised as a DIY laundry detergent, maybe there is something I dont know about that was added to it?

Also, just redid CYA test with 1:1 pool and tap and yielded a 40 result. Which means possibly my test earlier was wrong or this was wrong, because that would make my CYA 80.

 

[JamesW]

I suspect that the foam is due to cheap algaecide. Sometimes the cheap algaecide also contains copper.

Borax or copper algaecide shouldn't cause foam.

 

[jblizzle]

The CYA value should not be changing as much as you seem to be indicating. No way it went from 100 down to 70 with no water replacements.

 

[borjis]

What's your CH (calcium) level?

It's not mandatory for vinyl pools, but if it's less than 75ppm, that could possibly
be the issue too.

I am wondering about that Borax, it should not be the cause, but I only use Mule Team
which has never had any issues.

 

[2full2eat]

What's your CH (calcium) level?

It's not mandatory for vinyl pools, but if it's less than 75ppm, that could possibly
be the issue too.

I am wondering about that Borax, it should not be the cause, but I only use Mule Team
which has never had any issues.

Ill have to use that next time I suppose. Just thought it was a good deal what I found on amazon. Also, the CH I tried to get but after placing 75 drops I stopped. Meaning the CH is off the scale. Ill have to retest using 10ml instead of 25ml.

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The CYA value should not be changing as much as you seem to be indicating. No way it went from 100 down to 70 with no water replacements.

You're right. Im going to account for human error here. I already vacuumed to waste and now refilling what I lost. Hopefully that will help some. I also turned off the chlorinator.