Will this work?

[PoolDoc]

Yes, but add small doses -- not more than a quart of bleach at time.

Report your test results with this form: PF Pool History

You can see the results, here: PF Pool History SS

I'm not sure of some of your levels, but I'll be able to advise you, once you start using that form.

[HOF-City]

I just posted my most recent results to the "PF Pool History" linked above. However, I did not provide a thread number because I'm not sure where to find it. This is the only thread that I am a part of though. Thanks.

[PoolDoc]

It's OK -- but it's the number in the URL in your browser link.

The forms are something new -- did you find them easy to use or hard? Does it make sense to you how they can help us, and you? (I'm trying to get feedback, so I can make any corrections needed -- we think these will enable us to do a much better job.)

[HOF-City]

Yea, I like them. I'm a rookie at this pool stuff so it helps to know what specific information you guys need to know. From reading through the boards quite a bit, it seems like it takes 3-4 posts in some cases for you to collect all the necessary information. By then, a few days or more have passed and the numbers have changed or a new issue may arise. In my case, those are my numbers at the time of having pretty cloudy water. Since it was clear before, I'm assuming it has something to do with the stain removal process and I am waiting it out. However, my CH was pretty high and I'm wondering if that has something to do with cloudy water. Also, the KemTek I added says it is a metal and calcium eliminator. Will this help to lower my calcium level? Thanks.

[Watermom]

More specifically, the thread number is the number after the question mark in the URL.

[HOF-City]

Thanks! My latest results show a calcium level between 625-650. I have read that high calcium can cause cloudy water. I'm just confused as to weather or not this is my current issue, because before I went through the stain removal process the water was pretty clear and I could see the bottom of my entire pool. It became cloudy after backwashing and adding my first small dose of liquid chlorine. I am hoping that I don't need to drain any water, but if I do how much would i need to drain if my fill water has a CH of 100? Thank you.
-EDIT- Nevermind on the water refill amount. I found the Pool calculator, and apparently would need to drain 45% of my pool. That doesn't sound too fun.

[PoolDoc]

Hi HOF;

Many HEDP products, like the Kem-Tek claim to remove calcium; none actually do, if we're talking about removing it from your pool.

1. Test the pH, TA, and Calcium levels in your fill water. Report that in this thread, rather than on the form.
2. High calcium does not cause cloudiness, until you DO something, like letting your pH get high, dumping in a bunch of baking soda, or calcium hypochlorite shock, or something else of the kind.
3. However, if you use the calcium hypochlorite IN THE SKIMMER, as we discussed earlier, you should NOT have cloudiness, and can actually remove calcium. If you are through with removing stains, you can remove calcium by skimmer dosing with the calcium PLUS . ..
4. Using borax to raise your pH to near 8.0 -- use ONLY 1/4 box at a time, added slowly through the skimmer, doses separated by 2 hours or more.
5. Avoid cleaning your filter more often then necessary; wait for a 5 - 7 psi pressure rise.
6. Run your pump 24/7
7. Once you get to pH 8.0, stop with the borax, and start with Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, but ONLY add it when your filter is ALREADY somewhat dirty (at least a 2# increase over clean pressure!). Continue to use cal hypo to chlorinate . . . BUT in between cal hypo doses, add 2 cup doses of Washing Soda, slowly, to the skimmer. Watch your pool returns: if you see a white cloud coming from the return, stop, and try again later.
8. This process will ALSO tend to remove any metals in the water, so if you are going to treat for metals again, do so FIRST, but this time make SURE you have the Kem Tek HEDP in the water. Read the label carefully -- do NOT overdose with HEDP when your calcium is so high. Do not, do not, do NOT!!

What you are going to do is use the combination of slowly raised pH, then added sodium carbonate (washing soda) added UPSTREAM of the filter, to precipitate calcium carbonate ONTO the filter, where you can backwash it away. This calcium dust will tend to pick up any OTHER metals that are in the water. You MAY get some clouding, or sediment on the bottom -- that's OK: if it settles, vacuum it up; if it filters, backwash it out.

Please DO use the PF History Chart to track BOTH your test results AND your chemical additions. Let me know when you start, so I can keep an eye on it.

[HOF-City]

Sounds good. Just added Borax and recorded numbers in Pool History. Any suggestions on a website to order replacement reagents for K-2006?

[PoolDoc]

A lot of people get replacement from Amato Industries. Their website is rather confusing, so you need to be sure of what you want, before you start. If you just need a single item, you can order from Amazon (and you may actually be buying from Amato) but you have to pay shipping separately for each item, buying that way. My test kit info page has a link to a 1 pint bottle of R-0013 CYA reagent, one of the most commonly replaced items. You can buy any of them in large sizes, pop the tip off your dropper bottle, refill, and then pop the tip back in. Use clean hands, if you do this!

And do NOT try to get the large size of DPD powder; the Taylor DPD bottle has a desiccant coating that protects the DPD powder, but has limited life.

[HOF-City]

I ran out of Borax, and my local Wal-Mart is out as well. What other options do I have?