TA low, pH high and FC low

[southjerseypool]

I got my water tested at a different pool supply place than normal (I won't mention the national chain), I didn't have time to drive the 40 minutes to the company who installed my pool who I trust.... The test said my TA was 57 ppm and to add 25 lbs of ph stabilizer. They also told me to add 3 lbs of pH lower first which I think sounds about right....I have and IG liner about 27,000 gallons with a SWCG. This is my first season with the pool I had it put in last fall. I read some posts and am second guessing the suggestion of 25 lbs. I did add about half the amount suggested in 4 applications over 5 hours. I also bumped up the SWCG to 90% for the day to bring up my FC. I will lower it back down to 30% tomorrow. Thanks for the help! This looks like a great forum.

[PoolDoc]

Sounds like you've got things under control!

I would caution you, however, to learn to boost chlorine with bleach or dichlor. Using your SWCG to do so, only lowers its life expectancy. Use bleach when your CYA is high; use dichlor when it's low.

But . . . . Sams Club is the *only* reliable local source of undiluted dichlor we've found. Most of the dichlor we've found is diluted, sometimes with a witch's brew of unneeded or even damaging chemicals.

[southjerseypool]

So what about the 25lbs? Does it sound right? Also you would suggest not playing with the swcg? I was under the impression that was the method of managing my TC & FC levels?

[PoolDoc]

If you succeed in dissolving all 25 lbs, your stabilizer will be too high. Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to that, when I read your post the first time.

If you add pure cyanuric acid to a 27,000 gallon pool, you'll end up increasing your CYA level by 111 ppm. You can operate at that level, but it takes some adjustments. So, if you added half, and your pool is actually 27,000 gallons (most people don't have an accurate figure for their pool volume), you'll have increased your CYA by 55 ppm. That may be OK, depending on your starting level.

You'll need to get a K2006 test kit so you can find out, where you really are. Pool dealers do NOT sell these, since they essentially replace dealer testing, with much more accurate home testing! (Dealers depend on inaccurate testing to sell chemicals. Not all dealers know that their testing is inaccurate, but they all benefit from it!)

On an outdoor pool, if
1. your pool is not screened or continuously covered with a solar cover;
2. you do NOT use Yellow OUT or other ammonia based algae 'treatment;
3. you DO maintain appropriate chlorine levels, THEN
CC (combined chlorine) is not an issue.

Chlorine + sunlight break down combined chlorine compounds rapidly. Contrary to ALL the pool literature, 'shocking' does not. The reason is that the simple chlorine-ammonia compounds that the pool literature describes are NOT the chloramines that actually form in pools, unless you use Yellow OUT or other products that add ammonia. And, the more complex chloramines, from chlorine combining with chemicals in urine, sweat, skin oils, and lotion, that do form are not readily oxidized by chlorine alone.

But, if you simply maintain a chlorine level that is always above the minimum for your pool, and make sure your pool is regularly exposed to sunlight, then you do not need to worry about CC's -- they will be taken care of without any additional effort on your part. The "Best Guess" chart will tell you how to determine correct minimum levels for your pool. The link is in my blue signature block.