Borates calculator

[Phillbo]

Is there a calculator that will tell me how much 20 Mule Team to add to get my 21000 gallon pool to 50ppm?

I've tried to do the math and come up with a crazy huge number that I do not trust... I never trust my math skills

Lets assume we are starting at 0ppm.. I'm getting the test strips today.

[lbridges]

12 oz. of borax raises 1000 gallons 10 ppm.

To reach 50ppm required 60oz of borax per thousand gallons.

Then 21K gallons = 1260 oz of borax. Each box (in my area) has 76 oz, which is roughly 16 and a half boxes.

You also have to add 6 oz of 31% Muratic acid for each 12 oz of borax. That means a bit less than 5 gallons of acid.

[Phillbo]

OK.. I was right.... just seems to be a LOT


thanks for checking my math !

[kirkdbjl]

What does the Borax do and does it affect the PH or Alkalinity

[Watermom]

Borax is used to raise pH with minimal effect on alk as opposed to soda ash which raises both.

[AnnaK]

Is there a calculator that will tell me how much 20 Mule Team to add to get my 21000 gallon pool to 50ppm?

Check out the Pool Calculator.

If you save the link to your local computer you can use the Pool Calculator when you're offline and they have apps for iOS devices. I've used it to calculate my pool's chem balances for several years with excellent success.

[waterbear]

What does the Borax do and does it affect the PH or Alkalinity

Borax used in this manner along with muriatic acid to keep the pH balanced is a secondary pH buffer and algaestat. IMHO, it is a very useful additive and almost a necessisity with a SWCG but beneficial to any pool! It has mimimal impact on TA but really helps stabilize the pH around 7.6 to 7.7 for longer periods of time than without.
It also will deter algae for much longer than without. (I go on vacation every summer--we are talking about July in Florida--and I just shut off the pool for two week and when I come back it might be just a tad cloudy but it is NOT green. I just shock it before I leave and maintain 50 ppm borates. If I did not have the borates in the water my pool would be green in a week or less!)

There are other benefits to borates but the are subjective (water 'feels better", it sparkles more, etc.) These effects are reported over and over again and possibly have to do with how the borates affect surface tension.

[Jbonnette]

When adding a large amount of borax / muriatic acid (or any chemical), is there a rule of thumb for how quickly to add them?

[Watermom]

Are you asking how fast to pour something in or how much to space apart additions of different chemicals?

I can tell you that it is never a good idea to add large doses of anything at one time. Better to dose gradually and sneak up on a target than risk overshooting it.

[Jbonnette]

Are you asking how fast to pour something in or how much to space apart additions of different chemicals?

I meant how much to space apart additions of different chemicals. But being a newbie, both would be good to know . I need to add around 100lbs of borax and 6 gallons of muriatic acid to get to 50ppm borax.