Refurb - Sachse Tx w/ Bi-Carb Startup
- Thread starter peirek
- Start date
You'll probably be interested in this:
New borate drop test at piscines-apollo vs. test strip - Page 7
New borate drop test at piscines-apollo vs. test strip - Page 7
Well that is another way..... Ha!
Quite a write-up and test results. It also has several test subjects that are agreeing to the results.
I never was very confident in test strips anyhow. I love mixing the chemicals to color changes - much easier, more accurate, and more repeatable.
I'll look into this for next season's testing.
Test results tonight
FC 7.5 - just another example of how accurate the tools (in this case, SWG runtime calculator) on this website are. It told me 6 hours @ 70% would replace the 3.5ppm I am losing. Exactly right after tonight's readings.
PH 7.8
CSI -0.18
FC 7.5 - just another example of how accurate the tools (in this case, SWG runtime calculator) on this website are. It told me 6 hours @ 70% would replace the 3.5ppm I am losing. Exactly right after tonight's readings.
PH 7.8
CSI -0.18
So I went into Pool Math to understand what 44ppm of Borate would do to CSI. Ugh!
Current numbers
FC 5.5 (yes letting it drop a little from the 7.5)
pH 7.8
TA 70
CH 260
CYA 65
SALT 3400
Temp 85
CSI -0.17
Now hopefully after borate add, (Brian you promised) my ph will level off and MA additions will drop a bunch and I can settle with TA of around 70 and pH of 7.8. Even then I may need to up the CH to around 350-450 (as recommended here: Pool School - Water Balance for SWGs) to keep the CSI closer to 0 or just slightly negative. I also noticed with borates, dropping pH requires much more MA volume so that will impact TA and drive CSI more negative. Boy this is fun stuff - can't wait to get this leveled out.
Brian,
Not sure the best plan for adding the borates
Wait until pH is @ 8.0:
Option 1
Option 2
I also noticed as water temp drops (and it will soon) the CSI goes more negative. So maybe the CH target should be 400? However, water adds will also drive up CH. These water adds will likely slow very soon.
Current numbers
FC 5.5 (yes letting it drop a little from the 7.5)
pH 7.8
TA 70
CH 260
CYA 65
SALT 3400
Temp 85
CSI -0.17
Now hopefully after borate add, (Brian you promised) my ph will level off and MA additions will drop a bunch and I can settle with TA of around 70 and pH of 7.8. Even then I may need to up the CH to around 350-450 (as recommended here: Pool School - Water Balance for SWGs) to keep the CSI closer to 0 or just slightly negative. I also noticed with borates, dropping pH requires much more MA volume so that will impact TA and drive CSI more negative. Boy this is fun stuff - can't wait to get this leveled out.
Brian,
Not sure the best plan for adding the borates
Wait until pH is @ 8.0:
Option 1
- Add 1st half of borates (22ppm) dropping pH by .125 to 7.9 with resulting CSI of -0.13
- Wait an hour? or day?
- Bump up CH to 300 with resulting CSI of -0.07
- Wait an hour? or day?
- Add 2nd half of borates (total of 44ppm) drops pH to 7.75 with resulting CSI of -0.24
- Bump up CH to 350 with resulting CSI of -0.18
Option 2
- Add all borates (44ppm) dropping pH by .25 to 7.75 with resulting CSI -of -0.30
- Wait an hour? or day?
- Bump up CH to 350 with resulting CSI of -0.18
I also noticed as water temp drops (and it will soon) the CSI goes more negative. So maybe the CH target should be 400? However, water adds will also drive up CH. These water adds will likely slow very soon.
Dump it all in. There's nothing wrong with -.3
As the water cools down keep the pH and TA higher to compensate.
A TA of 70 isn't that low. I would suggest shooting for 50 next year once things warm up.
As the water cools down keep the pH and TA higher to compensate.
A TA of 70 isn't that low. I would suggest shooting for 50 next year once things warm up.
OK - thanks. After the MA add yesterday the TA is somewhere between 60 & 70 now. Light pink at 6 drops, dark red @ 7 drops.
Once the borates go in and the pH (and TA) stabilize, it will take a lot of MA to drop the pH. So it is what it is. Hence waiting for a pH starting point of 8.0 before dumping in the borates. Probably this weekend as pH today is at 7.6.
Once the borates go in and the pH (and TA) stabilize, it will take a lot of MA to drop the pH. So it is what it is. Hence waiting for a pH starting point of 8.0 before dumping in the borates. Probably this weekend as pH today is at 7.6.
25# of Boric acid added this afternoon which should put me at 44ppm. Will check pH level in an hour or so.
Brian need your opinion.
I just checked pH (and others). PH is 7.4. Seems it dropped .6 instead of .25 per PoolMath. I've turned on my waterfalls (3) to help drive PH back up. My CSI is -0.7. Should I add some CH to get that up some? Maybe to 350? I know it will come up with fill water but we are heading to rainy season and I hope fills are reduced greatly. With the water temp also dropping it is helping push CSI more negative. With pH at 7.8 my CSI will be -0.39 at current water temp.
I just checked pH (and others). PH is 7.4. Seems it dropped .6 instead of .25 per PoolMath. I've turned on my waterfalls (3) to help drive PH back up. My CSI is -0.7. Should I add some CH to get that up some? Maybe to 350? I know it will come up with fill water but we are heading to rainy season and I hope fills are reduced greatly. With the water temp also dropping it is helping push CSI more negative. With pH at 7.8 my CSI will be -0.39 at current water temp.
It should rise quickly enough. Plaster damage from low CSI is a very long and slow process so there is nothing that is going to be critical to adjust.
Thought I would report in since it has been a few weeks.
TA is hanging between 70-80 (fill water is being used as little to no rain has occurred)
Adjusting pH from 8.0 to 7.6 every 3 -4 days
SWG has been dialed down from 60% to 40% the last week as chlorine demand is dropping due to lower water temp (71) and lower sun angle.
Swimming season is over.... boo!
Pool water is crystal clear... yeah!
I absolutely cannot explain the frustration I was having with my pool before finding this site.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Brian on getting me to this point.
I need to snap a few pictures and upload to close out this thread. Stay tuned.
TA is hanging between 70-80 (fill water is being used as little to no rain has occurred)
Adjusting pH from 8.0 to 7.6 every 3 -4 days
SWG has been dialed down from 60% to 40% the last week as chlorine demand is dropping due to lower water temp (71) and lower sun angle.
Swimming season is over.... boo!
Pool water is crystal clear... yeah!
I absolutely cannot explain the frustration I was having with my pool before finding this site.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Brian on getting me to this point.
I need to snap a few pictures and upload to close out this thread. Stay tuned.
Thought I would report in since it has been a few weeks.
TA is hanging between 70-80 (fill water is being used as little to no rain has occurred)
Adjusting pH from 8.0 to 7.6 every 3 -4 days
SWG has been dialed down from 60% to 40% the last week as chlorine demand is dropping due to lower water temp (71) and lower sun angle.
Swimming season is over.... boo!
Pool water is crystal clear... yeah!
I absolutely cannot explain the frustration I was having with my pool before finding this site.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Brian on getting me to this point.
I need to snap a few pictures and upload to close out this thread. Stay tuned.
This makes my heart smile!
Kim
Happy to helpFinal pictures as promised
Lessons Learned:
TFP is awesome! 
Thanks Brian for your guidance and chemistry lessons!
And I cannot forget the friendliest admin in the world...:cat:
Lessons Learned:
TFP is awesome!
Thanks Brian for your guidance and chemistry lessons!
And I cannot forget the friendliest admin in the world...
:cat:
Now THAT is a TFP! It is so pretty! Love the sparkle of the water :sun:
Paul, when did you find TFP? Were you even thinking of doing a referb before you found us? Has it been easy for you once you got through the start up?
Kim
Paul, when did you find TFP? Were you even thinking of doing a referb before you found us? Has it been easy for you once you got through the start up?
Kim
I found TFP about the time I agreed with dear wife to refurb rather than fill it in with dirt. No lie, I was ready and frustrated beyond belief.
Piece of cake maintaining now that SWG is operating. Just a bit of MA every 3-4 days and I have been slowly lowering SWG on time due to water temp drop and sun angle/time reduction.
Brush the walls once a week and run Polaris once a week. I feel a robot in my future....along with 2-speed or VSP motor.
Piece of cake maintaining now that SWG is operating. Just a bit of MA every 3-4 days and I have been slowly lowering SWG on time due to water temp drop and sun angle/time reduction.
Brush the walls once a week and run Polaris once a week. I feel a robot in my future....along with 2-speed or VSP motor.
Ahhhhhh so it happened to you like it did me............all searches lead to TFP and the rest is history! I was not going to get a new pool when the old one's liner let go with me in it 
After a year he said he wanted a new one. I told him if he could find a way for me to care for the pool on my own then we would 
I should have known better as he is the search king............of course he found TFP! The rest is history as they say LOL
Now you can fill in your siggy for your pool. Go to settings (upper right of this page), edit signature (middle left). Put in pool kind, size (gals), equipment kind and size as well as test kit
I am glad you found us! That is a VERY pretty pool and you will love it now!
Kim
After a year he said he wanted a new one. I told him if he could find a way for me to care for the pool on my own then we would I should have known better as he is the search king............of course he found TFP! The rest is history as they say LOLNow you can fill in your siggy for your pool. Go to settings (upper right of this page), edit signature (middle left). Put in pool kind, size (gals), equipment kind and size as well as test kit
I am glad you found us! That is a VERY pretty pool and you will love it now!
Kim