Brand new pool owner = new to BBB method

[CarlD]

You can bump up the CYA, but remember it takes several days to give you a reading. Then you'll need to follow the "Best Guess Table" for the maintaining the pool.

Lowering T/A from 110 to 70 shouldn't take long. Remember: When the pH goes down to 7 after you add acid, the T/A will go down with it. Aeration brings the pH back up without raising T/A. So....the first time you lower T/A you'll be able to figure out how long it takes.

Hope that helps.

Carl

[stslimited84]

Hey guys just an update.

The pool has been running very well thanks to everyone's help. Its gonna start raining like crazy here due to Hurricane Irene. I havent gotten the calcium level raised yet, and I'd really like too. The only cal-hypo at the local pool store is in powder form from Leslie's and is called "power powder plus." I searched for tabs but the only ones i can find are for large 50 or more pounds of the stuff. How much do I need to raise it from 200 ppm up to where it should be (300ish)? Any suggestions on what I should buy and how much?

[chem geek]

You have options. With Cal-Hypo, for every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) that is added, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by 7 ppm. So at normal chlorine usage rates, it will take too long to raise your CH. At 2 ppm FC per day, it's an increase of a little over 40 ppm per month. Nevertheless, it does say that you can use Cal-Hypo as a chlorine source without concern for over-saturation.

To increase CH faster, you would use Calcium Chloride. This is found in products such as Peladow, Dowflake and Tetra or you could pay more and get Calcium Hardness Increaser at a pool store (it's the same thing). You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate dosages.

[stslimited84]

You have options. With Cal-Hypo, for every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) that is added, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by 7 ppm. So at normal chlorine usage rates, it will take too long to raise your CH. At 2 ppm FC per day, it's an increase of a little over 40 ppm per month. Nevertheless, it does say that you can use Cal-Hypo as a chlorine source without concern for over-saturation.

To increase CH faster, you would use Calcium Chloride. This is found in products such as Peladow, Dowflake and Tetra or you could pay more and get Calcium Hardness Increaser at a pool store (it's the same thing). You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate dosages.

So essentially calcium chloride is what is used to melt snow and ice in the winter, correct? I found a product at home depot called "Vaporizer" which says its 100% calcium chloride pellets. It's sold in a 50 lb bag for $17.97. I'd link the product but im still a restricted member so I cant yet.

Does that fit the bill, and how much should I add to the pool? Its sitting around 200 ppm.

Thank ya much!

[stslimited84]

I used the pool calculator link and its telling me I need to add 237 lbs to bring the calcium level up from 200 to 300 ppm. Is that right? Sure seems like a lot of calcium chloride to add.

[BigDave]

I think you've got some extra digits somewhere. 237 lbs sounds w-a-y high.

[PoolDoc]

One of the reasons I'm not in love with the pool calculator is that it tends to encourage people toward a 'fix it in one dose' approach to chemistry. This was a BAD idea, when pool stores pioneered that approach, and it's a BAD idea now.

There IS an exception: low chlorine should be fixed in one dose, and usually, more is better. (More as in 3x too much, not 50x too much!)

For everything else, it's much, much better --- in PRACTICE --- to dose, test, and re-dose if needed. For your 25-30,000 gallon pool, you are around 1/5 of a million pounds of water. So, if you add 1 lb of CYA, your CYA level will increase by 4 - 5 ppm. Calcium chloride dihydrate ends up being about 60% 'active' with respect to CH test results, so 1 # of Calc chloride will add 2 - 3 ppm calcium hardness.

So, if you wanted to increase your CH by 60 ppm, you'd need to add 20+ lbs of calcium chloride. But DO NOT DO THIS! As mentioned above, it's a generally bad idea. But, in a pool with a chemistry approaching calcium carbonate saturation, ANY large addition of pH+, alkalinity+ or calcium+ will tend to precipitate a cloud of calcium carbonate.

What's the solution? If you need to take a pool to saturation -- and you probably don't -- SMALL repeated doses are a much, MUCH better way to do it. So, instead of adding 20+ lbs, add 5 -10 lbs and then retest.

[stslimited84]

I think you've got some extra digits somewhere. 237 lbs sounds w-a-y high.

Yeah you're right, I had an extra zero on the calculator. I knew that figure was not correct, good catch.

One of the reasons I'm not in love with the pool calculator is that it tends to encourage people toward a 'fix it in one dose' approach to chemistry. This was a BAD idea, when pool stores pioneered that approach, and it's a BAD idea now.

There IS an exception: low chlorine should be fixed in one dose, and usually, more is better. (More as in 3x too much, not 50x too much!)

For everything else, it's much, much better --- in PRACTICE --- to dose, test, and re-dose if needed. For your 25-30,000 gallon pool, you are around 1/5 of a million pounds of water. So, if you add 1 lb of CYA, your CYA level will increase by 4 - 5 ppm. Calcium chloride dihydrate ends up being about 60% 'active' with respect to CH test results, so 1 # of Calc chloride will add 2 - 3 ppm calcium hardness.

So, if you wanted to increase your CH by 60 ppm, you'd need to add 20+ lbs of calcium chloride. But DO NOT DO THIS! As mentioned above, it's a generally bad idea. But, in a pool with a chemistry approaching calcium carbonate saturation, ANY large addition of pH+, alkalinity+ or calcium+ will tend to precipitate a cloud of calcium carbonate.

What's the solution? If you need to take a pool to saturation -- and you probably don't -- SMALL repeated doses are a much, MUCH better way to do it. So, instead of adding 20+ lbs, add 5 -10 lbs and then retest.

Thanks for the replies. So Doc, let me ask you. How do I know what the saturation level is for the pool and at what level to stop? I want to make sure I get the calcium level where it so its all set when it comes time to close the pool in a month or so, b/c if ive read correctly, having a calcium level to low in a plaster pool can cause damage to the pool due to the water drawing calcium from the plaster.

I 100% agree with your slow dose and retest method. Have been using it since I started BBB.

[stslimited84]

Just to verify, would the best way to add the calcium be via the sock method?

also, sadly it will be time to close the pool in a few weeks...I will be having a pool company take care of the closing in regards to the equipment (blowing out the lines, cleaning the filter, etc), but Ill be handling the chemical aspect.

What do I need to do to close the pool chemically?

Thank you kindly

[stslimited84]

i was able to locate some peladow as suggested. How should I add it to the pool? sock method or add via the skimmer into the filter?