TA Mistake

[Hdwainwright]

I've made a tragic error and I need some help fixing it! My pool was neglected for almost a week (teacher, first week of school....) and had started getting a little icky, so I decided to SLAM. Trying to do it right, I checked TA and PH first and the TA was a little low (30), so I followed pool math recommendation and added almost a full 15# bag of baking soda. Checked TA the next morning, and it still showed low so I added another. At some point, I *think* I only filled the tube to the 10mm mark instead of 25mm for the TA test and stupidly kept dumping in baking soda without questioning my results. I added a gallon of muriatic acid and haven't seen a change (but, it was from last season, and I don't know how age affects it).

So now I have:
FC: 0
PH: 8 (or more, who knows, its really pink)
TA: 140
CH: 110
CYA: <30 - filled to the top, the dot is still kinda visible, but there's something there b/c the water isn't clear.

Where do I even start? I know I've got to get the ph down before I SLAM. Should I worry about CYA now, or wait until after SLAM?

If it matters, water temp is 88 @ 8:30 am, heat index of 115 today, so its only gonna get warmer.

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Keep working your pH down to 7.2. MA is not effected by age. Add 10 ppm worth of CYA. Then follow the SLAM Process

 

[Hdwainwright]

Pool Math has several options - Baume, MA, Dry Acid - I'm headed to the pool store now - is any one of these a better choice than the others for this situation?

 

[mknauss]

MA (Baume is a measure of strength) - best bought at Home Depot, Lowes, farm stores.

I have never bought anything at a pool store.

 

[Hdwainwright]

lol - we have a little Spa & Tub Manufacturers store just down the road but to get to Home Depot or Lowes takes a 2 hour round trip into Mobile. They’re prices aren’t high enough to justify the extra gas.

Lady at the store said only to do 12 oz every two hours for the MA. Is this right, or can I just put the suggested amount in all at once?

 

[mknauss]

Use Poolmath to target pH 7.5 from 8 right now. Add MA and circulate 30 minutes and retest. Once your pH is in the mid 7's, then target 7.2.

 

[ajw22]

1 gallon of 31.45% MA will lower your pH from 8 to 7.2 and lower TA by 16.

I would pour about half a gallon in with your pump running, wait 30 minutes and retest. Repeat until you get a pH in the 7's then make a finer adjsutment to get to 7.2.