Hello Friends,
I have done some reading on TFP in the past, but this year I really dug into it and decided to take the FULL plunge.
My Goals (not necessarily in order)
1. Add salt for feel / skin
2. Add borates (for many reasons)
3. Lower my TA?
4. Increase and maintain my pH
5. Switch to liquid bleach only
Pool temp is currently 91 degrees and will rise much higher in the next few days with 100 degree heat (but we like it really warm due to wind and nighttime swimming).
I just got the TF-100 last week along with the magnetic spinner, pH meter, and LaMotte Borate test strips.
These are my most RECENT readings, after adding several chemicals, discussed below...
FC: 8
CC: 0.5
TC: 8.5
pH: 7.2
TA: 130
CH: 200-275 - I need more practice with this test, but from what I understand, it is irrelevant since I have a vinyl pool and that's just the way our tap water is.
CYA: 46-50 - my husband and I both tested independently 2x today for practice. Our results have been pretty consistent, which makes me feel like I'm doing something right.
Borates: 15
pH:
I have always had low pH. After much research, I realized it is from the trichlor pucks. The more I find out what the pool store hasn't told me, or in turn, advised me to do, such as increasing CYA, the more I realize what a fool I was. We have removed the floater from the pool and will probably need to dose with liquid bleach tomorrow with 100 degree heat and swimmers. Since the floater was only removed yesterday, I'm guessing that the chlorine, which is still in my pool from the pucks, is still effecting / lowering my pH?
Borax / MA:
Since I want to raise my pH and add borates to my pool, I decided to add some 20 mule team borax today. Before doing that my pH read ~7.0 and my TA was around 110 (pH and TA tests will discuss this more below). I added 1 1/3 boxes (~80oz by weight) to the pool today. I waited several hours then tested again. pH increased to ~7.5 and this time TA read 130. I then added 3 cups of MA to try to decrease my TA. I'm not sure if it actually worked due to bad testing on my part earlier in the day.
A couple of Side notes:
1. I was originally taught, by none other than the pool store guy, to record the TA as soon as the water turned "red". I learned today, that it is when the color stops changing colors, that I record the number (I had always wondered what "defined" red from person to person, as it always looked pink to me. Continuing to put in drops until the color no longer changes, makes much more sense to me!) Therefore, it is possible that the earlier TA measurement from today may have been higher than I thought...
2. I have a heck of a time differentiating the colors on the pH tests. Is there any drop test that completely changes one color to another the color for pH (like the TA, CH, or FC/CC).
3. Using borax, does anyone know the approximate TA rise, in proportion to pH? And vice versa, using MA, the approximate TA decrease in proportion to pH? I HAD high hopes of raising my pH and borates with Borax and lowering my TA with MA. I'm guessing this is not likely to happen and my best bet would be to balance my TA and pH then just us boric acid to add borates to the pool???
4. Does anyone have any test recommendations for testing borates? I currently have LaMotte test strips, but again, I am having a hard time differentiating and matching the colors. Are there any good drop tests available?
5. After adding borax, MA or any other chemical, how long should I wait before retesting if my pump is running on high?
Finally, what should I adjust my TA to? I have read anywhere from 50-120.
Is it possible to add borax, raising my pH and adding borates, and adding MA to lowering TA and pH, resulting in lower TA, normal pH, and borates in the pool? Or, is it just easier to lower my TA with MA, aerate to raise pH, then when TA and pH are in range, just add boric acid?
- lowering pH ...The only way I know to lower my pH without effecting other chemicals is to aerate. The only aerating process I have readily available is to point the return up creating "ruffles" in the water. Can this be done with the solar cover on, or does the pool need to be open in order to effectively aerate?
Chlorine:
Due to a CYA of ~50, I need to keep my FC between 6-8. How does everyone test their chlorine daily when the color match box test only goes up to 5ppm? I assume using liquid bleach, I need to test with the R-0870 and R-0871 and add bleach daily based on the calculator?
Salt:
Finally, I decided to add 80lbs of salt to the pool today. I read recommended level was 2000ppm, so in order to not overshoot, I started low until I have a test that can measure my salt levels. Again, any suggestions on good tests?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through everything.
Any and all advice is appreciated.
Thank you!
Lacey
I have done some reading on TFP in the past, but this year I really dug into it and decided to take the FULL plunge.
My Goals (not necessarily in order)
1. Add salt for feel / skin
2. Add borates (for many reasons)
3. Lower my TA?
4. Increase and maintain my pH
5. Switch to liquid bleach only
Pool temp is currently 91 degrees and will rise much higher in the next few days with 100 degree heat (but we like it really warm due to wind and nighttime swimming).
I just got the TF-100 last week along with the magnetic spinner, pH meter, and LaMotte Borate test strips.
These are my most RECENT readings, after adding several chemicals, discussed below...
FC: 8
CC: 0.5
TC: 8.5
pH: 7.2
TA: 130
CH: 200-275 - I need more practice with this test, but from what I understand, it is irrelevant since I have a vinyl pool and that's just the way our tap water is.
CYA: 46-50 - my husband and I both tested independently 2x today for practice. Our results have been pretty consistent, which makes me feel like I'm doing something right.
Borates: 15
pH:
I have always had low pH. After much research, I realized it is from the trichlor pucks. The more I find out what the pool store hasn't told me, or in turn, advised me to do, such as increasing CYA, the more I realize what a fool I was. We have removed the floater from the pool and will probably need to dose with liquid bleach tomorrow with 100 degree heat and swimmers. Since the floater was only removed yesterday, I'm guessing that the chlorine, which is still in my pool from the pucks, is still effecting / lowering my pH?
Borax / MA:
Since I want to raise my pH and add borates to my pool, I decided to add some 20 mule team borax today. Before doing that my pH read ~7.0 and my TA was around 110 (pH and TA tests will discuss this more below). I added 1 1/3 boxes (~80oz by weight) to the pool today. I waited several hours then tested again. pH increased to ~7.5 and this time TA read 130. I then added 3 cups of MA to try to decrease my TA. I'm not sure if it actually worked due to bad testing on my part earlier in the day.
A couple of Side notes:
1. I was originally taught, by none other than the pool store guy, to record the TA as soon as the water turned "red". I learned today, that it is when the color stops changing colors, that I record the number (I had always wondered what "defined" red from person to person, as it always looked pink to me. Continuing to put in drops until the color no longer changes, makes much more sense to me!) Therefore, it is possible that the earlier TA measurement from today may have been higher than I thought...
2. I have a heck of a time differentiating the colors on the pH tests. Is there any drop test that completely changes one color to another the color for pH (like the TA, CH, or FC/CC).
3. Using borax, does anyone know the approximate TA rise, in proportion to pH? And vice versa, using MA, the approximate TA decrease in proportion to pH? I HAD high hopes of raising my pH and borates with Borax and lowering my TA with MA. I'm guessing this is not likely to happen and my best bet would be to balance my TA and pH then just us boric acid to add borates to the pool???
4. Does anyone have any test recommendations for testing borates? I currently have LaMotte test strips, but again, I am having a hard time differentiating and matching the colors. Are there any good drop tests available?
5. After adding borax, MA or any other chemical, how long should I wait before retesting if my pump is running on high?
Finally, what should I adjust my TA to? I have read anywhere from 50-120.
Is it possible to add borax, raising my pH and adding borates, and adding MA to lowering TA and pH, resulting in lower TA, normal pH, and borates in the pool? Or, is it just easier to lower my TA with MA, aerate to raise pH, then when TA and pH are in range, just add boric acid?
- lowering pH ...The only way I know to lower my pH without effecting other chemicals is to aerate. The only aerating process I have readily available is to point the return up creating "ruffles" in the water. Can this be done with the solar cover on, or does the pool need to be open in order to effectively aerate?
Chlorine:
Due to a CYA of ~50, I need to keep my FC between 6-8. How does everyone test their chlorine daily when the color match box test only goes up to 5ppm? I assume using liquid bleach, I need to test with the R-0870 and R-0871 and add bleach daily based on the calculator?
Salt:
Finally, I decided to add 80lbs of salt to the pool today. I read recommended level was 2000ppm, so in order to not overshoot, I started low until I have a test that can measure my salt levels. Again, any suggestions on good tests?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through everything.
Any and all advice is appreciated.
Thank you!
Lacey
