PH too low

[tim5055]

I have 24 lbs of baking soda. I’ll add 12 right now. I took out the tablets and I have 5 gallons of bleach.

If that's normal 6% bleach add 2 bottles. If they are actual gallons of chlorinating liquid 10 or 12.5% only add one.

You will probably need that 12 poinds, but try to only add half right now. We like to move up in stages so we don't overshoot our target.

 

[jt4200jt]

I have 24 lbs of baking soda. I’ll add 12 right now. I took out the tablets and I have 5 gallons of bleach.

The water is clear

 

[tim5055]

Good on the clear water. The liquid chlorine should be poured slowly in front of a return with teh pump running. Wait about 15 minutes and add the baking soda. It will probably dissolve as fast as it's added, but brush it around if not.

 

[jt4200jt]

If that's normal 6% bleach add 2 bottles. If they are actual gallons of chlorinating liquid 10 or 12.5% only add one.

You will probably need that 12 poinds, but try to only add half right now. We like to move up in stages so we don't overshoot our target.

Ok...I already added the 12. I’m gonna add the 2 gallons right now. When should I sample again?ok

Good on the clear water. The liquid chlorine should be poured slowly in front of a return with teh pump running. Wait about 15 minutes and add the baking soda. It will probably dissolve as fast as it's added, but brush it around if not.

Ok I did that. Should I sample tomorrow after I get off work?

 

[tim5055]

Give it 30 minutes withthe pump running and test away. Right now we are looking at FC, pH & TA

 

[jt4200jt]

Thanks so much! I had to be at work pretty early, but I’m gonna sample for those 3 as soon as I get home this evening.

 

[jt4200jt]

Hey y’all I sampled the 3 samples. Here are the results:
FC 4.4
PH took 18 drops to get to a 7.4
TA 50
What should I do y’all think I should do?

 

[tim5055]

Hey y’all I sampled the 3 samples. Here are the results:
FC 4.4
PH took 18 drops to get to a 7.4
TA 50
What should I do y’all think I should do?

OK, we have saved the problem you showed up with, low pH & TA.

Now, to your bigger problem - that sky high CYA. If we assume the CYA is 100, then you need to keep the FC at 15 all the time and you are will below that now. So, you need ot add more chlorine now.

You need to get that CYA under control, and the only way to do that is replace water. I have already linked to a few articles and one of them was how to chlorinate you pool. You need to read thru that. If you are going ot continue to use liquid chlorine then you need ot get that CYA down to the 40 - 50 range. If you convert to salt and add a Salt Water Chlorine Generator then the CYA should be around 70.

More chlorine now, no more baking soda for now and you need to do some reading in pool school and decide how you want to maintain the pool moving forward.

 

[jt4200jt]

FC at 15? Isn’t that high? When you say replace water, you mean drain the pool, and replace the water?

 

[IceShadow]

FC at 15? Isn’t that high? When you say replace water, you mean drain the pool, and replace the water?

It is high, but with your CYA so high it would need to be that high for it to work to fight algae and keep the pool sanitized. That’s why we’re recommending you change out some water.

First we need to know how much to exchange, so we need a better idea of the CYA level. Do the test again but this time add equal parts tap water and pool water and mix those together first. Then test that water with the CYA test. Multiply the result by 2 and let us know what you get.

Also, if you can fill out your signature with the type of pool, size, equipment, etc. it will help us with future recommendations.

 

[tim5055]

FC at 15? Isn’t that high? When you say replace water, you mean drain the pool, and replace the water?

No, actually 15 is a little low because we don't know where your CYA really is.

We are past the emergency get it fixed because the TA crashed stage and now into the learning to take care of it stage. You need to read what I posted before and start to un-learn your old bad habits and learn the new ones.

Read thru these:

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jt4200jt]

Thanks! Yes I will continue to read through the info you posted. Yes I need to learn how to take care of it the right way. I did the CYA test with half tap/half pool water and I got a 55. So if I multiply that by 2 it’s 110. Do I need to do a partial drain of my pool? I have a liner, so I know I can’t drain too much.

 

[IceShadow]

You can't really measure 55 - if it's between 50 and 60, you call it 60. So call your CYA around 120.

I would recommend a no-drain water exchange. You could drain the pool down to about a foot in the shallow end left on the liner, but the exchange is safer. Basically you have a submersible pump pumping out water from one end of the pool (deep or shallow depending on the temp of the fill water vs the pool) and a hose filling the other side. Leave the pump off, measure how much water the pump sends out each minute and you can figure out how much water is being replaced per hour. If your CYA is around 120 then you really want to replace about 66% of it to bring it down to CYA 40 or so. Then your FC levels will be much easier to manage.

Here's info on the water exchange:

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jt4200jt]

You can't really measure 55 - if it's between 50 and 60, you call it 60. So call your CYA around 120.

I would recommend a no-drain water exchange. You could drain the pool down to about a foot in the shallow end left on the liner, but the exchange is safer. Basically you have a submersible pump pumping out water from one end of the pool (deep or shallow depending on the temp of the fill water vs the pool) and a hose filling the other side. Leave the pump off, measure how much water the pump sends out each minute and you can figure out how much water is being replaced per hour. If your CYA is around 120 then you really want to replace about 66% of it to bring it down to CYA 40 or so. Then your FC levels will be much easier to manage.

Here's info on the water exchange:

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks so much! I'm about to start that.

 

[IceShadow]

The key is to disturb the water as little as possible once you start. You don't want it to mix up - you want it to stratify and make layers, with the old water where the pump is and the new water filling in from the hose.

 

[jt4200jt]

Hey y'all. So I did the water exchange, and I think it went pretty good. I just got my first round of samples after the exchange. Here are the results:
FC 1ppm
PH 8 drops to bring it up to a 7.4.
TA 90
CH 110
CYA 60ppm
Should I add 6 lbs of bacon soda, and 2 gallons of bleach?

 

[Donldson]

Something isn't right here. Your pH shouldn't be that low with a TA of 90. What does the actual color of the sample look like?

Add the bleach, but hold off on more baking soda for now.

 

[IceShadow]

pH of 8, use muriatic acid to lower it down a bit. How is the water looking?

Edit: oops, thought they said pH was 8 - if it’s that low, aerate it for a while