Hard H2O

[spongebob55]

I have a 16x32 AG Doughboy that I am just getting running after putting in a new liner. I filled it mostly from our well although mother nature has been helping out way to much for the last week here in Wisconsin. I used an HTH test kit. The readings show 0 Chlorine, even after shocking adding 1 lb of Super Sock It, PH is 8.2 after I added about 15 oz. of PH + ( to much), AlKalinity of 450 ppm, and Hardness of 450ppm.
If I go by the HTH web site I'm supposed to add 1lb of PH - to get the ph down, but then 633 lbs of PH- to get the TA under control.
What the *#!! do they think I'm smokin'

[CarlD]

I have a 16x32 AG Doughboy that I am just getting running after putting in a new liner. I filled it mostly from our well although mother nature has been helping out way to much for the last week here in Wisconsin. I used an HTH test kit. The readings show 0 Chlorine, even after shocking adding 1 lb of Super Sock It, PH is 8.2 after I added about 15 oz. of PH + ( to much), AlKalinity of 450 ppm, and Hardness of 450ppm.
If I go by the HTH web site I'm supposed to add 1lb of PH - to get the ph down, but then 633 lbs of PH- to get the TA under control.
What the *#!! do they think I'm smokin'

If Super Sockit is the 62% Cal-hypo, it will push your pH up. It's also pushing up your hardness. STOP USING IT!

We always say use bleach or liquid chlorine. If your CYA is low (like, 0 or below 20) you can use Tri-Chlor tabs because they will lower pH and add CYA.

You can use pH-, or generic Dry Acid to lower your pH. But adding a cup of muriatic acid instead may do far better.

Read up on lowering T/A. You're not going to use 633#!

But you will need to repeat the aeration process many times. Use acid to lower pH to 7.0, then aerate to raise it back to 7.3 or more. Then add acid again to lower, and aerate again. Each time T/A will come down--450 almost guarantees a cloudy pool, especially with high calcium hardness. It's going to take a few gallons of muriatic acid to do it.

[spongebob55]

I just added muriatic, will check Ph again in a bit. By aeration you mean recirculating, right? Are the HTH 3 in 1 tabs the same as tri-chlor? I don't see anything on the label about CYA.

[Watermom]

Aeration is anything that creates bubbling or splashing on the pool surface --- having your return jet pointed upwards, a fountain, or a bunch of kids playing in the pool.

Regarding the HTH 3 in 1 tabs --- I am not familiar with them as I only use bleach in my pool, but I would suspect they are trichlor. Does it say they are stabilized? If so, that means that they do have cya in them. Some of those trichlor tabs have copper in them and if they do, you do NOT want to use them. You don't want copper in your pool.

Since you are filling from a well you may want to be sure that you don't have metals in your water. That can be an issue with pools filled with well water.

[JohnT]

AlKalinity of 450 ppm, and Hardness of 450ppm.


If that's your fill water, I would highly recommend finding another water source. You will have a lot of work ahead of you to get that water under control.

[spongebob55]

I used the same source all last year and never seemed to have a problem, but I'm wondering because we had so much snow and rain in the past 7 monthes if it changed the ground water. Probably should talk to a hydrologist about that one.