Very strange test results!

[JoyfulNoise]

Yeah, chemicals into the skimmer is not the recommended approach. Wait 30min, brush and retest.

- - - Updated - - -

If he plans to switch to liquid chlorine, his TA is going to need to come down eventually or else his pH will rise a lot. That’s best left for a later date but don’t add anything more to his TA if you can avoid it.

 

[PoolGate]

I just went and re-tested pH and see no change at all (2+ hours). Either it is much lower than I thought or it takes awhile to mix the sodium carbonate.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Just a question - you are using the R-0004 drops for pH, right?

 

[PoolGate]

Just a question - you are using the R-0004 drops for pH, right?

I have 2 comparators - the larger and the smaller. I use both the R-0004 and R0014. I did it on both to ensure accuracy.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I have 2 comparators - the larger and the smaller. I use both the R-0004 and R0014. I did it on both to ensure accuracy.

Just checking. You mentioned “yellow” and it’s not uncommon for people to accidentally add the OTO chlorine drops and think they’re pH is whacky.

Low pH and high TA are an unlikely combination. Assuming your TA is correct at 100ppm, the water will not stay that low for long; it simply cannot do that. Aeration and time will raise the pH. Plus, adding the chemicals to the skimmer/filter can often slow down distribution.

Give it more time and check again later. Keep the pool pump running.

- - - Updated - - -

Remember too that at high FC and low CYA (I’m sure your CYA is still lower than you expect), the pH test can be inaccurate.

 

[PoolGate]

Just checking. You mentioned “yellow” and it’s not uncommon for people to accidentally add the OTO chlorine drops and think they’re pH is whacky.

Low pH and high TA are an unlikely combination. Assuming your TA is correct at 100ppm, the water will not stay that low for long; it simply cannot do that. Aeration and time will raise the pH. Plus, adding the chemicals to the skimmer/filter can often slow down distribution.

Give it more time and check again later. Keep the pool pump running.

- - - Updated - - -

Remember too that at high FC and low CYA (I’m sure your CYA is still lower than you expect), the pH test can be inaccurate.

Thanks! I will keep checking. How long after adding CYA will a test be accurate? I added it yesterday around 10am so it has had 26 hours to circulate/dissolve. I only ask because I am almost out of CYA test solution I have 1 maybe 2 more tests left in it. I ordered another full set of reagents but they have not arrived yet.

Pump is running 24x7.

TA was 120. Only after all of these 30 plus gallons of bleach did it lower to 100. It has been this low now for at least 3 days plus with no movement at all on the scale. It is clearly yellow on both tests. I have tested mine with the same tests and I test normal.

I cannot say enough to how sparkly the water is! Owner said it is the best he has seen in 12 years. It is every bit as clear as my water, which is in perfect balance!

 

[borjis]

wow what a story!

If the FC was over 10 during the ph test, doesn't it read much higher?

I had to do a slam 2 weeks ago, it went quick since I did it the second I saw
green film developing due to adding first chlorine of the year a bit late.

But the ph test I did out of curiosity at a FC of 12ppm read higher than it actually was.
Read near 8 when it was actually 7.2 after the slam was done.

 

[PoolGate]

Here is the current reading. I also just took a FC reading and got 3.5. CC<.5.

Also keep in mind I am getting a very LOW reading. Water is acidic at the moment.

 

[pookiesunshine]

This is a bizarre story. If it was me, i think i would get a bucket of pool water, add some bicarb and test that for pH just to see if i could see a change in the test. not really helpful though. good luck.

 

[PoolGate]

I just took a full set of tests. Still bothers me that I come up with CCs everytime. I will add more CYA as well.

FC 3
CC .5
pH 7.0
TA 120
CH 400
CYA 25
Temp 67

 

[JamesW]

For the TA to drop 40 ppm, you would have to add 2 gallons of acid to 25,000 gallons.

Oxidizing ammonia is somewhat acidic, but I wouldn’t think that it would be that much.

In any case, I don’t think that the pH is dangerously low. I think that you could wait it out.

However, if you want to raise the pH, I would suggest 10 lbs of bicarb dumped in the pool and then brush the pool.

If tabs are going to be used, the TA will be fine. If liquid chlorine will be used, the TA will end up a little high and you will need to monitor for pH rise and address as needed.

 

[PoolGate]

For the TA to drop 40 ppm, you would have to add 2 gallons of acid to 25,000 gallons.

Oxidizing ammonia is somewhat acidic, but I wouldn’t think that it would be that much.

In any case, I don’t think that the pH is dangerously low. I think that you could wait it out.

However, if you want to raise the pH, I would suggest 10 lbs of bicarb dumped in the pool and then brush the pool.

If tabs are going to be used, the TA will be fine. If liquid chlorine will be used, the TA will end up a little high and you will need to monitor for pH rise and address as needed.

Good plan. Remember he may have had a LOT more ammonia than what I dealt with. He was "shocking" his pool for 3 weeks before I stepped in. His water has never been changed in 15 years and he used exclusively pucks. It is likely that his CYA was up to 150 plus before the bacteria converted it to ammonia. I have to believe that some of the ammonia would have broken down into nitrites or nitrates.

I will dump Borax in tomorrow when I get it if the pH still shows as 7. The good news is the last pH test I did went down to 6.8 and it was reading above that.

He will switch to primarily bleach with tabs as a backup or vacation strategy.

Oh and backtracking from the 5lbs of CYA I added increasing CYA from 0 to 25 his pool is ~ 24k gallons. He thought it was 33k gallons and found paperwork that said 28k gallons. So I am reasonably confident it is somewhere around 25k gallons.

 

[PoolGate]

HA! Randomness of the pool-store tests....

The pool store just tested the water and this is what they found:

FC 2 - actual measure this morning is over 5
pH 7.4 - (they say "high" and recommend a "balance pack") - Actual measure is 7.0
CH - 275 - (they say "high") - actual measure 400
CYA - 70 - actual measure this morning 35
TA - 80 - actual measure 120

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Try Home Depot or Lowes or Ace Hardware. Walmart might have their pool stuff out.

They do.. & HD and Wally World, both have liquid algaecide, ph down on the shelf above their chlorine..

Steer clear without a gas mask & PPE..

 

[PoolGate]

I just dumped in 128 oz of Borax. I dumped in 1 box, waited 15 minutes and dumped in another. I took a sample between boxes and already could see an increase in pH to the colors I am used to seeing (orange). I took the pH sample in my comparator as well and sprinkled just a couple grains of borax in the sample and it turned a wonderful shade of correct pH. Nearing the end!