New to chlorine

[RachelsPool]

Hi! Newbie here! I’ve been reading up trying to learn about the BBB method and the chemistry/balancing of pool water.
I have a 18ft round above ground vinyl pool approx 6000 gal. It’s got a sand filter.
I used to use Baquacil but this yr changed to BBB method.
I got a Taylor K2006-C test kit.
Here are my readings currently:
Free Chlorine 3.8 ppm
Combined Chlorine 0.4 ppm
Ph 7.2 ppm
Total alkalinity 170 ppm
Calcium hardness 90 ppm
Cyanuric Acid: not detectable

I think to raise Ph to 7.4 ppm I should add 3 oz baking soda?

To lower Alkalinity I think 2.5 qts muriatic acid?

How and how much should I add of cyanuric acid?
Am I close?
THANKS in advance!!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
No need to mess with either pH or TA. Both are fine. If pH rises to 8, lower it to 7.6.
You need to get up to 40 ppm CYA in the water. Have you added any in the past?
Two pounds of dry stabilizer added using the sock method will add 40 ppm CYA to your pool volume.
Then keep the FC in the target range for that CYA - see FC/CYA Levels
Next time you test FC, use a 10 ml water sample. One heaping scoop of R0870. Each drop of R0871 to clear is 0.5ppm FC.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[RachelsPool]

Awesome! Thanks so much.
No, I haven’t added any CYA yet. I plan to go get some today. I’ll add it with sock method.

I’ve read thru some of the ABCs but will finish rest.

Also, from what I’m reading Clorox bleach or liquid chlorine is the recommendation here. I’ve been using Clorox & gone thru several bottles. Probably in part bc no CYA. I’m hoping after I add it I can buy less Clorox. Or should I just use pucks get a chlorine slow release dispenser & just add Clorox if I need to shock?

 

[mknauss]

Most Clorox bleach has additives. Cloromax is the main one. It is best to not use that product. It contains chlorine resistant polymers that can foam or plug your filter. Use plain bleach or best is liquid chlorine from Walmart, Home Depot, etc.

Pucks will add CYA continuously. You will then need to drain a significant portion of your pool water every month or so to keep the CYA levels in check. We do not recommend using Trichlor (pucks) as a daily chlorination method.

if I need to shock?

TFPC does not need to 'Shock' the pool.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Just curious- did you drain and refill your pool to get rid of all the Bacqu?

Maddie

 

[RachelsPool]

Just curious- did you drain and refill your pool to get rid of all the Bacqu?

Maddie

Yes I drained pool last Fall

 

[RachelsPool]

Hi there! Well, I started with good levels but covered pool for day without adding bleach and hadn’t added CYA yet and FC dropped to 0ppm.
Went pool store to get liquid bleach & CYA.
They had me add GLB SuperSonic Shock
(73% calcium hypochlorite)
& 1/4 lb CYA
Added recommended dosage at 8pm.

1:00 am TEST:
FC 8.8ppm
CC 0.6ppm
Ph 7.6 ppm
Calcium hardness 110 ppm
CYA barely detectable (slightly cloudy black dot in Taylor 2006 kit. Still visible.)

12:00 pm TEST:
Ph 4.4 ppm
Alkalinity 140ppm
FC 6.4 ppm
CC 0.5 ppm

pool math recommends I add 113lbs (1815 oz) Borax

Can anyone help me? I was hoping to swim/ or at least float in pool today.
I have 6000 gal above ground vinyl pool
Hayward sand filter
TIA

 

[mknauss]

How did you test a pH of 4.4?

 

[RachelsPool]

Oops! I made a mistake inputting info.
Apologies!
I’m headed back to pool after getting more borax. I’ll check my notes and recheck. Obviously that was wrong. Duh. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[RachelsPool]

*retest water

 

[RachelsPool]

Ok I found my mistake.
My notes read:
Ph 6.4 ppm
(Was a typo)

 

[mknauss]

How did you measure a pH of 6.4? What is your TA?

 

[Oly]

You had better recheck your borate calculation. I sure hope you have not added 113 lbs to a 6000 gal pool.

 

[RachelsPool]

Mknauss, thanks for ur response.
I retreated & think I’m in good shape for now other than needed some more CYA.
(Little sleep deprived and needed to dbl check!)
My CYA test (Taylor 2006) is still showing black dot with only slight cloudiness so I will slowly add more stabilizer with a sock.
Thanks!

 

[RachelsPool]

Hi Mknauss! Sorry for my delayed response. Got busy.
I use the Taylor K-2006C test kit.

You had better recheck your borate calculation. I sure hope you have not added 113 lbs to a 6000 gal pool.

Lol! I was pretty sleep deprived & my brain wasn’t awake yet.
I realized after posting what a silly mistake I made by typing that. I did NOT add any to my pool. Common sense slowly crept back in and I realized I wrote my notes down wrong & did not proceed. Duh! Lol
Thanks for pointing out though. That obviously would’ve resulted in a total pool water drain & start over.

 

[mknauss]

I use the Taylor K-2006C test kit.

You cannot measure a pH of 6.4 with that kit.

 

[Flying Tivo]

Went pool store to get liquid bleach & CYA.
They had me add GLB SuperSonic Shock
(73% calcium hypochlorite)
& 1/4 lb CYA
Added recommended dosage at 8pm.

You can not mix and match information from pool store and TFP. Pick what you think is best(we recommend TFP). Only liquid bleach and muriatic acid and CYA. You wont need anything else.