Newbie with high calcium?

[Green25]

Background: Our gunite pool was finally finished around Labor Day and the combination of a hard sell from the PB to use their recommended pool company, plus an insane work life, resulted in me not monitoring the pool chemicals and following TFP like I had originally planned.

So, here we are today, assuming I did all the tests correctly. Are there any red flags here besides the calcium? I plan on repeating it tomorrow to double check, but what would have caused a high CH? We live in an area with fairly “hard water” although the fill water only tested about 125. Ideal appears to be 350-550 per Pool Math. Pool appears clear fwiw. (12,800gal pebble sheen plaster gunite pool, testing with TF-100)
FC: 3.0
CC: 0
pH: 7.5
TA: 60
CH: 625
CYA: 40
CSI: -0.19
Water temp is probably in the 40-50 degree range if it matters.

 

[mknauss]

Your results look good. The CH is quite high if your fill water is 125 ppm CH. I suspect your pool service was using calcium hypochlorite to 'shock' the pool. Or the pool builder added way too much calcium at start up.

Follow the FC/CYA Levels. Your current FC is as low as you want it to go.

 

[Green25]

Thanks @mknauss. I feel like I’ve forgotten everything I learned from TFP over the summer while we were building. The service hasn’t been out for two weeks and I suspect maybe that’s why the FC is low. I already have a call in to the company, but will add chlorine and double check the CH tomorrow.

 

[RMcGirr83]

Our CH has been close to 1000 and no issues. You just need to ensure your CSI is as close to zero, or below, as possible.

 

[Green25]

Is there an ideal testing temperature?

I attempted the CH again this morning with 45 degree water and received different results. The first step after R-10 and R-11 isn’t a true red for me, but more of a light pink. I never saw blue after the addition of 40 drops this morning so I stopped in order to not waste the reagent unnecessarily.

 

[mknauss]

Use another drop or two of R11.
Are you using a speedstir? Really necessary at high CH levels.
Get some distilled water and cut you pool water sample 50/50 with it. Then do the test and double the results.

 

[Green25]

I used an additional drop of R11 and cut the pool water sample 50:50 with distilled water; the solution turned blue at 7 drops using a speed stir.

I’m guessing the CH is 350 rather than 625? Do I need to use this method going forward?

 

[mknauss]

If it works better, then use it. Good job.

 

[Green25]

Thank you so much for your help @mknauss!

 

[Green25]

One last question, my pH seems to be out of the ideal pool math range at 7.5. Should we try to increase it slightly?

 

[JJ_Tex]

One last question, my pH seems to be out of the ideal pool math range at 7.5. Should we try to increase it slightly?

Nope. 7.5 is fine and it will likely rise over time. Typically I will let mine rise to around 8.0, then knock it down to the mid 7's with acid and repeat the process every few weeks. I have never once needed to raise my pH.