A friend of mine just moved into his new house this past weekend. I know, I know, he is using test strips at the moment. The strips are reading nothing(brand new). The owner had been running pucks and my friend added 2 bags of shock. He added about 2 lbs. of pH up and a lb. of baking soda. 2 hours later, still no readings. How low will pH naturally drop? He says the water is crystal clear. I am in the middle of changing the liner in my pool so I am going to loan him my test kit and see if he gets anything different. It's a 24 foot round above ground. Volume calculator says 13,565 gallons. Thoughts?
pH readings
- Thread starter Styxbb
- Start date
Report back with reliable data. Anything we do before then may cause more harm than good. 
- May 3, 2014
- 62,674
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Test TA. If below 50 ppm, add baking soda in 20 ppm TA increment until you read a TA.
TA can be negative.
TA can be negative.
I wonder if the seller had just refilled the pool with new water before he could move in. That would have nothing in it.
pH is a property, and all water has a pH. It is highly unlikely any pool has a pH outside the range of any pool test.
Most likely scenario is operator error or chlorine so high it’s bleaching out the strips.
Tell them to stop adding chemicals until they have accurate test results. Best option would be for them to bring you a water sample.
Most likely scenario is operator error or chlorine so high it’s bleaching out the strips.
Tell them to stop adding chemicals until they have accurate test results. Best option would be for them to bring you a water sample.
I inherited a puck pool upon moving similar to your friend. The Ph took 6 or so doses to get into range and the TA was in the basement too. The FC was in the 30s and the CYA in the 300s. But it's all moot without reliable data.