TA/pH 0/Low?

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L

lyneday

0
Jun 2, 2014
21
LI, NY
Pool Size
23000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
Let me start off by saying I have no clue what I'm doing. To be honest we some how coasted by last year without any (known) issues. We never tested since we couldn't figure out what to do with the basic Leslie's test kit. We use a chlorine feeder and would make sure there were always tabs in the feeder and that was pretty much the extent chemical wise. We didn't use the pool too often, only had kids in it a handful of times. No tress in the yard so no leaves until fall and we opened late so no pollen. I would manually vac weekly and skim as needed. Filter ran about 5 hours a day.

This year we opened before Memorial Day, water is clear with the exception of something floating on top - hoping it's pollen.



I'm using test strips (I wish I knew how bad they were before I brought them). Once we have the funds I will order one of the recommended test kits but this is what I have for now.

FC 3 OK
TC 3 OK
TA 0 Low
pH yellow - waaay below 6.2 Low
CH 250 OK

I'm going to try to get to a pool store this weekend to see what they test.

How the heck do I figure out ppm? I tried the Pool Math and it's telling me to add 251lbs to increase the pH. Is that right? I actually have pH increase which I would like to use up before getting borax and baking soda.

Currently running the filter for 6 hours a day.
 
PH Increaser is soda ash.

We don't recommend relying on test strips. Still, the PH test is often the most reliable of the various tests that are available on test strips.

Don't raise the PH all in one step. PoolMath is not reliable for calculating very large PH changes, especially if the PH starts way outside the normal range. However, something else must also be going wrong for you to get a 251 lbs result. When I try PoolMath I get numbers around 2 lbs.

I recommend adding 2 lbs of PH Increaser/soda ash at a time, give it an hour to mix in, then test again to see where you are and repeat as needed. It will probably take a few cycles that way, but you are far less likely to overshoot.
 
Welcome to TFP, lyneday.

Just a reminder when using Pool Math - be sure to input your pool volume each time you use it. If you don't, it will calculate dosages based on the default water volume setting of 13,500 gallons which is considerably lower than your listed pool water volume.
 
pH increaser is the same as Washing Soda. It just comes in a fancier container and carries a steeper price. By all means, use it up. We're big on thriftiness here.

I'd work up to the pH goal. Let poolmath calculate the dose, and add half. Give it time to mix - at least half an hour and it helps if you brush a little - and recheck it. At some point, you'll see a shift in pH and TA. Then you're loving life.
 
I did a pound of pH increase on two different occasions. Once I just tossed the powerder ito the pool, then a two days later I mixed it with water first then dumped it by the jets.

I brought a sample to the pool store and I'm told that it is showing the same as what I have above but that it's showing a copper reading of 1 as well. They suggested I try to get rid of the copper before raising the pH since I may be getting false reading due to copper. I added very little water from the hose (an inch or two) when we first opened.

Pool store readings

FC 3
TC 3
Alk 0
ph 6.8


The store recommended I use Metal Free - is there anything else I can do? It's like $30 a bottle.
He suggested we take out what ever chlorine tabs are in the chlorinator and wait two days before adding the Metal Free then another 2 days before putting chlorine tabs back in.
 
lyneday said:
I did a pound of pH increase on two different occasions. Once I just tossed the powerder ito the pool, then a two days later I mixed it with water first then dumped it by the jets.

I brought a sample to the pool store and I'm told that it is showing the same as what I have above but that it's showing a copper reading of 1 as well. They suggested I try to get rid of the copper before raising the pH since I may be getting false reading due to copper. I added very little water from the hose (an inch or two) when we first opened.

Pool store readings

FC 3
TC 3
Alk 0
ph 6.8


The store recommended I use Metal Free - is there anything else I can do? It's like $30 a bottle.
He suggested we take out what ever chlorine tabs are in the chlorinator and wait two days before adding the Metal Free then another 2 days before putting chlorine tabs back in.
Click to expand...
If you're not testing the water yourself, we really can't help you. I don't trust pool store tests and I don't trust pool store advice. If there's any copper in your pool it comes from copper-based algaecides (which the pool store sold you) or copper-infused chlorinating pucks (which the pool store sold you) or it was etched out of the copper heat exchanger in your pool heater because pucks and "shock" that the pool store sold you are very acidic. Now, after selling you the stuff that caused the problem, they want to sell you something else to fix it. That's what taking pool store advice has gotten you.

You'll need to decide if you want to take control and test your own water and fix it once, or do you want to keep listening to the pool store. You can't mix and match. Latex paint is great. Oil-based paint is also great. See what happens when you try to mix them. You get a mess you can't clean up. Same thing with pool chemistry. Don't mix advice.
 
I don't have a heater but I do use pucks and shock. I had no idea about the copper. As soon as I have the funds I plan on purchasing a one of the recommended test kits. New house and new baby on the way things are a bit tight at the moment.
 
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