White gritty scale

[Wapak]

Hello and thanks for responding!

Unfortunately, the best I could do is a HTH 6 way test kit, that is what I have also been using for the last couple years. I hope it is ok with those results, if absolutely necessary, i will hunt down a more in depth kit to post more results, Im hoping these numbers will do??

Right now:

Chlorine level 4
PH 6.8
Total Hardness: 550
Total Alkalinity 180
CYA: I used the entire bottle cya reagent that I had left, (35 drops) and still could not get the black dot to disappear.

My water is really hard as we have a well, this is what I do fill the pool from, so yes in my toilet tanks there is rust staining on the walls of the tanks.

But, I have had a little rust stain here and there, never alot, on the pool sometimes, this doesnt look anything like a rust stain i have had before.

I wanted to add too that this morning, after I had added more chlorine shock last night, it seemed to loosen alot of the darker patches of this stuff as I was brushing it.

I did email a picture, but you may want a better one, just let me know.

I think I answered as much as I could, but if not, please let me know if I can provide more info to you.

I have not added any bleach yet tonight, so if you do respond, let me know if you think I should keep shocking it. The pool water is still quite cloudy and hazy in the deep end.

Thank you again!

Rich

[PoolDoc]

Using more CYA reagent doesn't affect the reading: you mix a 50:50 solution of reagent + pool water, wait 2 minutes or so, and then see if the solution is 'cloudy' enough to make the drop disappear.

If it's NOT cloudy enough . . . you have zero stabilizer.

It's very, very unusual to have well water that is (a) hard [contains calcium] and (b) contains iron. Once you get the K2006, you'll need to test BOTH your pool water and your fill water. Try this link for the K2006, shipped BY Amazon. Try it in the AM Tuesday and Wednesday. They may well have some then, and you'll get it faster from Amazon than from any of the other sellers on Amazon.

[PoolDoc]

Lemme add something else: you can't hurry the process of lowering alkalinity, except by aeration. You'll end up damaging your pool if you push the pH too low.

[BigDave]

... reagent + tap water, ...

I'm pretty sure PoolDoc meant pool water.

[PoolDoc]

Oops.

[Wapak]

I was able to vacuum alot of dead algae out of my pool, a slimy mixture of that grit!

I pushed my return jets up so the water is breaking the surface.

My ph is holding at 6.8 but chlorine has dropped to 5.
Total alkalinity is reading again at 180, but since I am just starting the aeration I am hoping that will come down.

I have noticed there is an amount that is coming off and loosening with brushing and vacuuming.

I am going to reshock tonight and will let you know updates.

Thanks again!

[PoolDoc]

Total alkalinity is reading again at 180, but since I am just starting the aeration I am hoping that will come down.

That's the opposite of how what you'll see. As you aerate, your pH will rise with little or no apparent change in TA. The apparent change in TA will occur when you add your next dose of acid. Then, the pH will rise again.

You can simply maintain a pH of 6.8 to 7.0, while monitoring your TA. Once the TA reaches your target, hold the pH there, till the scale is gone.

But be careful. As your TA drops, it will take decreasing doses of acid to drop your pH.

[Wapak]

Oh ok, thanks for explaining that.

Do you have a suggestion on my target ta number I need to get down to? Or will I know that when this starts coming off in large amounts?