We live in Las Vegas, where the water supply is both extremely hard and also alkaline. Calcium deposits are a constant problem here, which is why the automatic fill works off the dedicated water softener. In mid-March, I drained the pool and did some grout work on it, then refilled it -- mainly with soft water from the softener. I know I overdid it -- the TFT test shows my current calcium level is only 125 (I turned off the softener now so the automatic feed is now hard water). The rest of my TFT test results today were: PH 8.0 (between 7.8 and 8.2 anyway), TA 200, CYA 54, Salt 1800, and FCL 12.5 (using a floater and tablets until I get the salt level high enough for the SWG to work). Pool temp was 70 and the pool has 21,000 gallons more or less. Using these test results, PoolMath says the CSI is 0.24 and the pool is balanced. PoolMath should reassure me, but the odd results make me wonder:
(a) Softener or not, I usually get increasing calcium hardness within a year or two. If I'm not going to destroy the pool with this low calcium, do I need to ADD calcium just to bring it up?
(b) How much do the PH and TA levels matter? This pool constantly aims toward 7.8 or higher on the PH. From experience, I know that it takes lots of acid to lower those levels and keep them low, at least a gallon every couple of weeks. However, if the pool isn't going to be destroyed with 125 CA and an 8.0 PH and 200 TA, can I just leave the PH and TA at those levels? In other words, would it affect "swimmability" if I allowed PH and TA to remain at 8.0 and 200?
(c) I know I still need to add salt to get the level high enough for the SWG to work, but do I also need to add more stabilizer? In past years the CYA has been a little higher but never over 120 and usually 90 or less. In past years, with the SWG working, my FCL remains very constant.
(d) Should I be concerned or am I overthinking this?
(a) Softener or not, I usually get increasing calcium hardness within a year or two. If I'm not going to destroy the pool with this low calcium, do I need to ADD calcium just to bring it up?
(b) How much do the PH and TA levels matter? This pool constantly aims toward 7.8 or higher on the PH. From experience, I know that it takes lots of acid to lower those levels and keep them low, at least a gallon every couple of weeks. However, if the pool isn't going to be destroyed with 125 CA and an 8.0 PH and 200 TA, can I just leave the PH and TA at those levels? In other words, would it affect "swimmability" if I allowed PH and TA to remain at 8.0 and 200?
(c) I know I still need to add salt to get the level high enough for the SWG to work, but do I also need to add more stabilizer? In past years the CYA has been a little higher but never over 120 and usually 90 or less. In past years, with the SWG working, my FCL remains very constant.
(d) Should I be concerned or am I overthinking this?
