What are your go to chemicals to balance? And what is your cost?

[summertimesadness]

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

Using the above article; this is where I am at... and maybe I should be redirected to make better choices.

Chlorine​

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

I currently have two dozen or so of the trichlor tablets let over by the previous owners.

Can I use the rest of them up and if I need to SLAM, use liquid chlorine?

Speaking of liquid chlorine;

How is this? Pool Essentials Pool Chlorinating Liquid (4-Pack) 26489355392 - The Home Depot

Lowering pH​

I don't have a Salt water pool till next year... so the article says dry acid would be OK.

Pool Time 5 lbs. pH Down Balancer 23605PTM - The Home Depot

Pool Time pH Down lowers high pH to maintain the proper pH level of 7.2 pH to 7.6 pH. Ideal for all pool types, including saltwater pools, pH Down helps to prevent scale formation on the pool surface,

www.homedepot.com

or

HTH 5 lbs. Pool Care Balancer PH Down 67057 - The Home Depot

Raising pH​

Article recommends

20 Mule Team All Natural Borax Laundry Detergent Booster & Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner, 65 Ounce - Walmart.com

Arrives by Thu, Sep 1 Buy 20 Mule Team All Natural Borax Laundry Detergent Booster & Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner, 65 Ounce at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Pool Time pH Up 6 lbs. Balancer 23606PTM - The Home Depot

Pool Time pH Up raises low pH to maintain the proper pH level of 7.2 pH to 7.6. pH Up helps to protect equipment from corrosion, while improving swimmer comfort by returning pH to it's proper level. Apply

www.homedepot.com

Obviously the cheaper of the two is the 20 Mule Team. Anybody just use the PH up balancer instead? Thoughts?

TA – Total Alkalinity​

This one is easy... baking soda.

CYA – Cyanuric Acid​

The cornerstone of the TFPC... but what chemical to use to achieve this? Article has a lot of suggestions, but what is the best?

Pool Time Chlorine Stabilizer 5 lbs. Balancer 23505PTM - The Home Depot

Pool Time Chlorine Stabilizer helps to maximize chlorine performance by protecting the chlorine from sunlight burn-off so it lasts longer. Chlorine Stabilizer is ideal for new pools, saltwater pools and

www.homedepot.com

That definitely is not cheap.


For anybody who read all that, sorry.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The only thing you need is Liquid Chlorine, and possibly Stabilizer and the Muriatic Acid (after you use up the Dry Acid). Those are the basics.

When it comes to Borax and Baking Soda, you don't need to buy them in advance.... only if a need arises. Don't waste the money.

You don't ever need to add Calcium unless you have a heater that requires it.

As for the TRichlor.... save that for when you go on vacation, or need to increase your stabilizer (they're half stabilizer).

 

[DrewLG]

I currently have two dozen or so of the trichlor tablets let over by the previous owners.
Can I use the rest of them up and if I need to SLAM, use liquid chlorine?

No, save them in case you need to be away for a week before your SWG is installed.

How is this? Pool Essentials Pool Chlorinating Liquid (4-Pack) 26489355392 - The Home Depot

Those are fine. Make sure the ones you buy were recently produced: Chlorine Date Code Decoder - Further Reading

I don't have a Salt water pool till next year... so the article says dry acid would be OK.

Use muriatic acid.

Obviously the cheaper of the two is the 20 Mule Team. Anybody just use the PH up balancer instead? Thoughts?

If you chlorinate with liquid chlorine, you might not ever need to raise pH.

CYA – Cyanuric Acid​

The cornerstone of the TFPC

No, the cornerstone is a good testing kit with FAS-DPD chlorine test and CYA test. Get one of those before you buy any CYA, especially because the previous owners were using trichlor. You may find that you need to drain the pool to lower CYA, not raise it.

[CYA] definitely is not cheap.

Dry CYA isn't THAT expensive. And it stays in your pool forever, more or less, so you don't have to buy it frequently.

 

[summertimesadness]

I ordered the TF PRO salt kit yesterday. (The salt portion when we switch over)

What is some good muriatic acid from home depot or Lowes to look for?

 

[reggiehammond]

At Home Depot, it's typically outside labeled "Balance 2."
The stuff sold inside is a lower concentration, which is more expensive. No need for that.

 

[summertimesadness]

Found it. Got a case of liquid chlorine (4 bottles) and a case of the acid (2 bottles).

Also picked up a pair of goggles and a chemical measuring pitcher.

While I await for the test kit to come in the mail, what should I do to combat the algae that seeks to be creeping up? I've been scrubbing the walls and ladder, and vacuuming every few days.

 

[DrewLG]

While I await for the test kit to come in the mail, what should I do to combat the algae that seeks to be creeping up?

Use the "Effect of adding" section of the PoolMath app to calculate the amount of bleach necessary to raise the FC concentration in your pool by 5ppm (make sure pool volume and bleach strength are set properly in the app). Add that much liquid chlorine every day until the test kit arrives.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

In the past I used bleach for normal chlorine dosing and trichlor in a chlorinator when on vacation. Borax and baking soda for PH and alkalinity up; I used PH down as an acid to bring them down. Stabilizer for getting the CYA in line.

Now with a SWG hopefully I won't need bleach except on startup or if cell dies. Muriatic acid for adjusting PH and alkalinity down. I can't find borax so I'm using washing soda as ph and alkalinity increaser. And have baking soda on hand for alkalinity if needed. Still using stabilizer for CYA.

I agree about using Pool Math app, I've been using it to figure things out.

 

[pjt]

I can't find borax so I'm using washing soda as ph and alkalinity increaser. And have baking soda on hand for alkalinity if needed.

You'll likely never need borax, washing soda, or baking soda. You only need MA and occasional CYA.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

You'll likely never need borax, washing soda, or baking soda. You only need MA and occasional CYA.

I started off with tap water at a PH of 7.4, I added about 8 lbs of CYA and that brought my PH way below 7. Pool Math says CYA will drop PH by 1.1 so theoretically the PH may have been 6.3. Salt in itself adds 0 to PH and I need to increase it. Without borax or washing soda how does a person raise PH? In the past to increase PH I used borax and baking soda for alkalinity. I have noticed that by using washing soda my alkalinity increased as well as Pool Math predicted, maybe more than anticipated. I'm a first timer with a SWG, no experience with it yet and anticipating screwing up the chemistry with MA so I may need to raise the PH. I do understand that the PH will go up with a SWG, not sure how quickly it'll go up.

 

[Britali]

Without borax or washing soda how does a person raise PH?

You can raise pH alone using aeration…causing bubbles in the surface. You can run a hose or fountain, swim & splash a lot hehe etc…anything that causes the water to splash & break the surface putting air bubbles in the water.

 

[summertimesadness]

Use the "Effect of adding" section of the PoolMath app to calculate the amount of bleach necessary to raise the FC concentration in your pool by 5ppm (make sure pool volume and bleach strength are set properly in the app). Add that much liquid chlorine every day until the test kit arrives.

Got it.

Pool Essentials 1 Gal. Pool Chlorinating Liquid 26128ESS - The Home Depot

Pool Essentials Chlorinating Liquid kills algae and bacteria. This product is salt-system compatible and is calcium free. Available in 1 Gal. jug.

www.homedepot.com

This is the chlorine I bought. If I am reading it right, it says 10% concentration?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Here's how I raise pH

IMG_0481 copy.JPG

• YippeeSkippy
• Jul 3, 2019

 

[DrewLG]

10% concentration?

Yes, that's 10%.

And you know how to add it, right? There are two ways: Pour slowly in front of a return while the pump is running (and optionally brush the area afterward), or dilute by adding to a bucket of water (add chemical to water, never the other way) and then carefully pour around the perimeter of the pool.

The point of both methods is to rapidly distribute the chlorine throughout the water, avoiding a high concentration of potentially damaging chlorine in one spot.

 

[pjt]

I added about 8 lbs of CYA and that brought my PH way below 7.

Remember you don't have to add the entire amount all at once.

Salt in itself adds 0 to PH and I need to increase it.

Adding salt doesn't affect pH. Maybe that's what you meant.

Without borax or washing soda how does a person raise PH?

Aeration.

Your PoolMath logs show a TA of 50, which is good, but I wouldn't go any lower. What's the TA and CH of your fill water?

 

[Gary Davis]

Everything in terms of cost is regional unless you buy on the Internet.
As someone already said, all you likely need for sure is the liquid chlorine & liquid acid for periodic application.
You're not ready for borates until/unless everything else is up to par and you start to get bored with your pool chemistry.

But you'll need the liquid chlorine forever.
You can get liquid chlorine at about five to ten cents per pound of available chlorine nowadays (try Walmart).
Most people don't recommend the pucks as you've seen - unless you're not home for a while.

Lowering alkalinity and/or pH will require the liquid muriatic acid (dry acid is usually cost prohibitive).
The muriatic acid is going to be regional in cost as I don't think they ship it from the Internet - do they?
Out here the 20 baume HCl is about seven to nine dollars a gallon depending on what store you go to.
The local pool store will supply the 20 baume stuff which will usually be a better deal than the half strength Home Depot HCl.

As someone said, the rest will be on an as-needed basis.

If your cyanuric acid level is low, you can get flakes for about two dollars to four dollars a pound online nowadays (try Walmart).

The Snow Joe Ice Melt 94% Calcium Chloride is about fifty cents to a dollar a pound online.
Raising alkalinity will be cheap in that it's either soda ash or baking soda (one is far more powerful than the other).

Lowering the pH will only require aeration as someone already said.
Did I miss anything?

Oh yeah, don't let the pool store talk you into their magic potions for yellow, green and black algae.

 

[summertimesadness]

Yes, that's 10%.

And you know how to add it, right? There are two ways: Pour slowly in front of a return while the pump is running (and optionally brush the area afterward), or dilute by adding to a bucket of water (add chemical to water, never the other way) and then carefully pour around the perimeter of the pool.

The point of both methods is to rapidly distribute the chlorine throughout the water, avoiding a high concentration of potentially damaging chlorine in one spot.

Thanks.

Question though, I am leaving tomorrow until Sunday. I'll be able to add the chorine tomorrow during the day and Sunday sometime in the afternoon. The test kit should come tomorrow, but maybe after I have left.

Should I still add the CHL today and tomorrow as normal, and maybe throw in an extra tab or two before I leave?

 

[Deb04]

Summertime, Next time you’re buying LC, look to see if there’s an Ocean State Job Lot in your area. $4.99 per gallon for the 12.5% stuff. At least at my Ocean State, the stuff in the 4 gallon cartons tends to be fresher than the stuff on the shelf. (2 weeks old vs 4 weeks old).

Just don’t buy the AquaMate CYA they sell at Ocean State. That stuff appears to be about 1/2 as strong as other brands and only a little bit cheaper.

 

[summertimesadness]

Summertime, Next time you’re buying LC, look to see if there’s an Ocean State Job Lot in your area. $4.99 per gallon for the 12.5% stuff. At least at my Ocean State, the stuff in the 4 gallon cartons tends to be fresher than the stuff on the shelf. (2 weeks old vs 4 weeks old).

Just don’t buy the AquaMate CYA they sell at Ocean State. That stuff appears to be about 1/2 as strong as other brands and only a little bit cheaper.

There I'd an ocean state lot neat me. So if not the aquamate CYA, what else? Just pick one that has a high concentration?

 

[joshuaj1975]

On avg. in summer I use about 1gal a day lc and a 1/2 gallon a week of ma.