Zero Alkalinty, Zero everthing!

[mlyle11]

Temp 80
CYA @30
Tot Chlorine 0
Free Chlorine 0
ph below scale? 6 or less?
Tot Alkalinity 0
Tot Hardness 400
18X38 25000 gallons
Heater, safety cover, vinyl liner
Cholinated with Tri-Chlor Pucks in the feeder
I have a TFP test kit and I use aqua check strips to confirm.


My pool has been out for a few weeks. I had a pin hole in the heat exchanger in my Hayward H200 heater (go figure with such low Alk). I shut of the pump for about 2 weeks, had to add around 2500 gallons to the pool. I pulled the heat exhanger and brazed the pin hole. All is well, everything is holding I am leak free (for now).

The pool is crystal clear, but I am back to zero!

I have never seen the pool so low!

The calulator says I need 39 pounds of Backing Soda, I'm sure I do, but I've never had to add so much. Any guidance on where to start? I had been battling low TA and Ph this year, I was slowly adding Borax, but wasn't that dilligent with it.

This is a great chance to get my TA and PH in line, the low numbers just freak me out.

Should I add any Shock as I start this adventure!

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

Bring the TA level up with baking soda first. Do that soon, low PH is destroying you heater, and is the most likely cause for the leak you just fixed.

You should never allow either the TA or PH to get anywhere near that low, as PH that low is sure to cause damage.

Given that the water is clear, raising the FC level to the high end of the normal range to start with should take care of it. Then maintain it at normal levels from there. Just keep an eye out for FC falling rapidly, which would mean it is time to shock.

 

[mlyle11]

I am on it! Any recommendations on the application. If I need 40 pounds of B Soda, can I go as large as 5 pounds every 4-6 hours still I start to tip the scales? As much as 10 pounds if evenly distributed and I keep my Kreepy mixing things up? I should see my PH raise as well. I will be watching them both closely.

I was surprised how quickly it turned. The PH and TA were in the low/OK range before the heater got the hole in it. I had to keep the pump off for a few weeks while I could find the time to to tear heater apart. Lesson learned, keep an eye on everything even when not using the pool.

Thans you for reading and posting!

 

[JasonLion]

Calculate the amount of baking soda to raise the TA a little more than half the way, say to 50, add that, wait an hour with the pump running (and the cleaner if you want), test again and continue adjusting from there. You can test and then add more as often as every hour. Once the TA is around 70 or 80, test the PH and adjust the PH as needed.

It is best to do any really large chemical adjustment in stages like that because the calculations are never exact. The only exception is adding chlorine to shock level is always done all at once.