Starting to look better...but.

[setsailsoon]

What should I buy at the store to get the pH up that is cheaper than the pool store. The bottle that I have from the pool store is only about 1lb left, according to PoolMath I am going to need 5x that.

There are actually several inexpensive ways to do this. I would use whichever is best price and available easily. It's rare that we need to raise pH, I have only used soda ash once. Please see the excerpt below from Pool School. If you go with Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster be sure to read carefully the underlined paragraph. All of the products listed below are better cost than pH up at the store.

Chris



Raising pH

PH can be raised in three ways: borax, soda ash, and aeration. Borax is usually the best choice. Borax raises the PH and also raises the TA level just a little. If your TA level is low soda ash will raise both the PH and TA levels. If your TA level is high, aeration is best as it will not raise the TA level at all. However, aeration is rather slow compared to the other two.


Borax is available as 20 Mule Team® Borax Natural Laundry Booster. It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. Borax is best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.


Soda ash is available as ARM & HAMMER® Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster. Do not confuse this with ARM & HAMMER® laundry detergent! It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. It is also sold by pool stores under various names, including PH Increaser, PH Up, Balance Pak 200, etc. Soda ash is best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.


Aeration can be provided by a SWG, spa jets, waterfall, fountain, return pointed up so it breaks the surface, air compressor, kids splashing, rain, etc. It can take some time for aeration to raise the PH. The higher your TA level, the faster aeration will work.

 

[Niteowl]

All three are found in the laundry aisle: You can use Super Washing Soda (your TA was also low), or Baking Soda or Borax.

Is one better than the other? The borax looks to be a little cheaper at Walmart.

 

[splashpad]

Is one better than the other? The borax looks to be a little cheaper at Walmart.

In your specific pool, you do need some TA, so the washing soda would be better

 

[setsailsoon]

Nite,

Washing soda is what I'd do in your case but more important is get either and continue adjusting pH to the recommended range. TA is easy to resolve later and not really that critical. What was the pH reading after your last addition of pH up?

Chris

 

[Niteowl]

There are actually several inexpensive ways to do this. I would use whichever is best price and available easily. It's rare that we need to raise pH, I have only used soda ash once. Please see the excerpt below from Pool School. If you go with Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster be sure to read carefully the underlined paragraph. All of the products listed below are better cost than pH up at the store.

Chris



Raising pH

PH can be raised in three ways: borax, soda ash, and aeration. Borax is usually the best choice. Borax raises the PH and also raises the TA level just a little. If your TA level is low soda ash will raise both the PH and TA levels. If your TA level is high, aeration is best as it will not raise the TA level at all. However, aeration is rather slow compared to the other two.


Borax is available as 20 Mule Team® Borax Natural Laundry Booster. It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. Borax is best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.


Soda ash is available as ARM & HAMMER® Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster. Do not confuse this with ARM & HAMMER® laundry detergent! It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. It is also sold by pool stores under various names, including PH Increaser, PH Up, Balance Pak 200, etc. Soda ash is best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.


Aeration can be provided by a SWG, spa jets, waterfall, fountain, return pointed up so it breaks the surface, air compressor, kids splashing, rain, etc. It can take some time for aeration to raise the PH. The higher your TA level, the faster aeration will work.

Is this the right one? Product review - Walmart.com

 

[splashpad]

Is this the right one? Product review - Walmart.com

Yup, exactly what we use!

 

[Niteowl]

I have to leave for work in an hour, I can run and get the soda ash now and put half of it in, but can't test again until I get home. Will it start to dissipate by then? Would it be better to just add it later when I get home, so I can start testing 30 minutes after?

 

[setsailsoon]

I have to leave for work in an hour, I can run and get the soda ash now and put half of it in, but can't test again until I get home. Will it start to dissipate by then? Would it be better to just add it later when I get home, so I can start testing 30 minutes after?

If you added the pH Up. I'd just test pH quickly then add half the dose if you are still low. Then resume after you get home.

 

[kellyfair]

Hi, Nite! Glad the kit came in! I see you are getting PH resolved... good!

I do want you guys to do CYA one more time before you SLAM. When you do the test, try to do it with the same bright light behind you each time. I do mine outside, in sun, standing with sun behind me.

Fill your vial to the first line, hold it where you can look straight down into tube and quickly glance in. Still see dot? Fill to next line, repeat quick glance. Still see dot? Repeat. The first line where you don’t see dot AT A GLANCE is your a CYA. If you stare into tube, your eyes will play tricks on you!

Knowing your CYA is important so you can hit the right target while SLAMming.

 

[Niteowl]

Hi, Nite! Glad the kit came in! I see you are getting PH resolved... good!

I do want you guys to do CYA one more time before you SLAM. When you do the test, try to do it with the same bright light behind you each time. I do mine outside, in sun, standing with sun behind me.

Fill your vial to the first line, hold it where you can look straight down into tube and quickly glance in. Still see dot? Fill to next line, repeat quick glance. Still see dot? Repeat. The first line where you don’t see dot AT A GLANCE is your a CYA. If you stare into tube, your eyes will play tricks on you!

Knowing your CYA is important so you can hit the right target while SLAMming.

I was definitely staring in the tube, I will try this in the morning.

 

[Niteowl]

Ok, home from work. Put half the soda ash in (40 ounces) before work, we are now atleast on the scale, its reading 6.8 at the bottom of the scale.

 

[splashpad]

Ok, home from work. Put half the soda ash in (40 ounces) before work, we are now atleast on the scale, its reading 6.8 at the bottom of the scale.

I would recheck with Poolmath to increase from 6.8 to 7.2, then let it "naturally" come up. Good work!

 

[Niteowl]

I would recheck with Poolmath to increase from 6.8 to 7.2, then let it "naturally" come up. Good work!

PoolMath says that adding another 20 ounces will bring it up .4, so will be close to 7.2

 

[IceShadow]

Do it and test again

 

[Niteowl]

Side question that I thought of while doing the full battery of tests earlier, while I wait the 30 minutes to test pH again. Does that powder for the chlorine test really stain everything? I was afraid to use the speedstir to do that, I did not want to stain the little pill thing that stirs the water.

 

[kellyfair]

Nope it won’t stain it. Speedstir away!

 

[splashpad]

Side question that I thought of while doing the full battery of tests earlier, while I wait the 30 minutes to test pH again. Does that powder for the chlorine test really stain everything? I was afraid to use the speedstir to do that, I did not want to stain the little pill thing that stirs the water.

It hasn't stained mine and I have 3 of them (2 from other previous owners)

 

[Niteowl]

Ok, we are up to 7.3 on pH, what do I tackle next?

 

[splashpad]

Ok, we are up to 7.3 on pH, what do I tackle next?

Excellent!
Your last CYA/80, so you need to raise your FC, here is the reference chart FC/CYA Levels

 

[Niteowl]

If I drain off some of this rain water, how will that effect things? If at all. The water is so high right now that I don't think the skimmer is working correctly, it's probably about 4 inches higher than it should be.