New pool owner bbb ?

[PoolDoc]

On a 5,400 gallon pool, a gallon of plain 6% household bleach will add about 12 ppm of free chlorine.

The OTO / phenol red 'dye' kit is MUCH more reliable than the test strips usually sold today. However, there's no 'cheapie' way to measure CYA (cyanuric acid), plus if you run your chlorine levels correctly, as a function of your CYA level, you have to be able to measure higher levels of chlorine than you can easily do with OTO.

[wragusa]

yes but what about the borax and baking soda. what are they used for and how much would be needed for PH changes ?

[PoolDoc]

Hi Wrag;

Borax is used to raise the pH, or to create a borate residual > 50 ppm, which makes your pool somewhat resistant to algae, and tends to make it 'sparkle' more, apparently by modifying the refractive index of water slightly.

Baking soda is used to raise alkalinity -- it's EXACTLY the same chemical as is sold by pool stores as "Alkalinity Increaser"

If you would, please post your pool info -- it helps us keep give better info.

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

[wragusa]

12x18 AG pool
4 feet deep.

so i would use the same amount of baking soda as i would of the pool store chemical
?

[PoolDoc]

Yes, but don't do that. We don't know what your TA is, and it may be too high. Use borax.

[wragusa]

The only reason i have not gone to crazy with everything is because there is a leak somewhere.
I been trying to find it but have not found it yet. I lose a a inch or so a day. I know the leak is in the liner. I been llsong water all winter. My pool is half in ground so no wet spots. Any tips? ?

[PoolDoc]

Wow. Finding a small leak in a liner is hard.

On a pool your size (thanks for completing the chart!), a 1" leak per day is only about 120 gallons, or 5 gallons per hour. That's a fast drip.

There are 3 ways to find it that I know of:
1. Find it on the outside, where the water is coming through. Sounds like you've already checked all the exposed outside.
2. Let it leak till it stops; usually the leak will be within an inch of the water line. You could speed up the process by pump out 12", and seeing if it still leaks, then 12" more and see if it leaks. The leak will be in the LAST 12 band you check. Refill 6" and see if it leaks. etc.
3. Get in the pool with a mask and snorkel and look for pinholes or bad seams. If your pool walls are steel, you might feel for rusted steel under the liner, too.