I just uncovered my 24' round vinyl pool yesterday. Tested the water and the ph was so low it didn't register. Also the CY was 100 ppm. I was told to put arm & hammer in it to raise the ph. I put in 26 lbs and it did nothing. I drained 1/2 of the water to try and lower the CY. Filled it and ran the filter. Today the PH still did not register. Added more A&H. finally got it to register slightly lower than normal. Measured the TA...............300. The pool water looks great I should mention, over the winter I had a floater in it under the cover with 5 tablets in it. Ive been told that was wrong. I can hear you folks out there, "what an idiot". Also, chlorine measures 0. Now that all the laughing has died down, how can i straighten this out. Thanks, Dave
water out of control but looks great
- Thread starter the57man
- Start date
How are you testing the water? Get the PH back up where it belongs asap. We will work on the rest when we know how you are testing your water.
Kim
Kim
Welcome! 
Well, as you've discovered, baking soda doesn't raise pH much, but it does raise alkalinity. And you've also discovered that trichlor pucks are very acidic and that they add CYA. What other chemicals do is explained here: Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals. Worth a read.
Let me pile on and ask, how are you testing? If you're relying on the pool store, there isn't much we can do to help. We don't trust their testing and their advice and ours will likely be at odds with each other and you'll just end up angry, broke, and confused.
I hesitate to recommend any chemical treatments without knowing if I can trust the test readings. Tell you what, though. Aeration combined with all that TA will drive the pH up real fast. Meaning, if you can point the return flow up so it breaks the surface, that will do it. Some people build showerhead things out of PVC and attach them to the return. People have used submersible pumps and a lawn sprinkler to stir things up. Whatever. That will get the pH up (probably higher and faster than you want!) without any more chemicals.
Well, as you've discovered, baking soda doesn't raise pH much, but it does raise alkalinity. And you've also discovered that trichlor pucks are very acidic and that they add CYA. What other chemicals do is explained here: Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals. Worth a read.
Let me pile on and ask, how are you testing? If you're relying on the pool store, there isn't much we can do to help. We don't trust their testing and their advice and ours will likely be at odds with each other and you'll just end up angry, broke, and confused.
I hesitate to recommend any chemical treatments without knowing if I can trust the test readings. Tell you what, though. Aeration combined with all that TA will drive the pH up real fast. Meaning, if you can point the return flow up so it breaks the surface, that will do it. Some people build showerhead things out of PVC and attach them to the return. People have used submersible pumps and a lawn sprinkler to stir things up. Whatever. That will get the pH up (probably higher and faster than you want!) without any more chemicals.
I am testing with my own kit. I can aerate pretty easily. I am taking a sample to the pool store just to get a comparison to what readings I am getting. will post results. Thanks, Dave
Hello and Welcome!
Can you tell us what test kit specifically you are using? Don't bother going to the pool store, it is s waste of your time, since you have your own kit. You don't need any of their chemicals either! They will surely try to talk you into buying stuff.
Can you tell us what test kit specifically you are using? Don't bother going to the pool store, it is s waste of your time, since you have your own kit. You don't need any of their chemicals either! They will surely try to talk you into buying stuff.
Aqua Chem 5 way professional test kit. I went to the pool store this morning just to get one opinion and these are the test results. Chlorine 0, which I knew, calcium hardness 60ppm , Cyanuric acid 70ppm , total alkalinity 250, pH 7.4 total desolved solids 400. They did try and sell me something to raise my calcium at 30 buck a pop. When I asked what if I do nothing with calcium he said he wouldn't swim in the water. Didn't buy anything. By the way, my water is crystal clear.
That is not really a super test kit. It is missing two big tests-FC (Free Chlorine) testing over 5 and the CYA (cyanuric acid) test. You can order these as stand alone tests if you want. The FC test is like this: https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-K-1515-FAS-DPD-Chlorine-75oz/dp/B003V4YZEO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493718737&sr=8-2&keywords=free+chlorine+dpd+taylor+test
Here is the CYA test: https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Technologies-R-0013-C-Cyanuric-Acid/dp/B0002IXIZE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493718807&sr=8-2&keywords=cya+taylor+test+kit and the tube for it https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-CYA-Dispenser-Bottle-9191/dp/B004BGM2VE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493718807&sr=8-3&keywords=cya+taylor+test+kit
As you can see this will start adding up. You would be better off getting a whole kit with everything all together. There are two tests sets that will do this: Taylor 2006 ( NOT 2005) and TF100.
The pool store results are often wrong. Their FC does not go above 5 if they are doing the drop test so you will not know the true reading. The CYA test really needs to be done outside with the sun to your back to get a good reading.
Here is a little *light* reading for you to help you learn the whys and hows of TFP:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Please keep asking questions. We want to get your water balanced and trouble free!
Kim
Here is the CYA test: https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Technologies-R-0013-C-Cyanuric-Acid/dp/B0002IXIZE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493718807&sr=8-2&keywords=cya+taylor+test+kit and the tube for it https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-CYA-Dispenser-Bottle-9191/dp/B004BGM2VE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493718807&sr=8-3&keywords=cya+taylor+test+kit
As you can see this will start adding up. You would be better off getting a whole kit with everything all together. There are two tests sets that will do this: Taylor 2006 ( NOT 2005) and TF100.
The pool store results are often wrong. Their FC does not go above 5 if they are doing the drop test so you will not know the true reading. The CYA test really needs to be done outside with the sun to your back to get a good reading.
Here is a little *light* reading for you to help you learn the whys and hows of TFP:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Please keep asking questions. We want to get your water balanced and trouble free!
Kim
Welcome to the forum!
There is your first warning sign.... scare tactics. Vinyl liner pools do not require additional CH, and the CH does not effect the sanitation of the pool. The right thing for them to have done was insist that you raise your FC immediately to avoid algae & bacteria, but that would have not fit their 'business model' of getting you back in to buy their magic potions. Please stay out of that Pool $tore
Nobody will take better care of your pool than you, and if you are willing to invest in a proper test kit, and be open minded with your pool care, you will be amazed with the results.
Nice to have you with us.
I believe this kit does test CYA because it has the Cyanuric acid reagent and the tube with the black dot at the bottom unless this is for something else.
Read up on the site and you'll be keeping your pool perfectly in no time - there are plenty of knowledgeable folks here who are more than happy to help. Really not much to it once you decide to take control.
Also - I have to add to the pool store nonsense - My pool store had me on the pucks/shock nonsense for years ......... then, invariably I'd have to drain to drop CYA and start all over again, spending so much money the whole time - BUT, the most egregious nonsense was that they told me to run my pump 24/7 all summer -no joke - once the season started and I showed up to start the chemical nonsense they'd say "alright, now, make sure you are running the pump 24/7" ........dang
-I did this for YEARS
Also - I have to add to the pool store nonsense - My pool store had me on the pucks/shock nonsense for years ......... then, invariably I'd have to drain to drop CYA and start all over again, spending so much money the whole time - BUT, the most egregious nonsense was that they told me to run my pump 24/7 all summer -no joke - once the season started and I showed up to start the chemical nonsense they'd say "alright, now, make sure you are running the pump 24/7" ........dang
-I did this for YEARS