Newbie to Forum...Looking for help

[fairfieldmania]

So...I have a gunite/plaster pool...27500 (about) gallons...this is my fourth year...the other three years, I've had an algae problem here and there, but this last season, I didn't put closing chemicals in the pool (had my first child at the time, too many other things on my mind) and severely paid for it this season...pool was opened and it was really, really green...after getting the water reasonably clear (still couldn't see bottom at deep end), pool company came in to vacuum pool...he commented pool was low on alkalinity and CYA so they added both at the same time...result was a stain on all the walls of the pool that I couldn't get out (not with extreme scrubbing and chlorine levels)...recommended by same pool company (I know I am an idiot) to have pool drained and acid watched...that was done and now pool is crystal clear...problem is (among many) I can't get my levels in check...here are the results from the pool store today:

FC - 0.0
TC - 0.1 ppm
CC - 0.1 ppm
pH - 8.0
Hardness - 110 ppm
alkalinity - 71 ppm
CYA - 30 ppm

since refilling pool, I've added about 2 pounds of CYA, 10 lbs alkalinity and 14 lbs hardness, 5 lbs of shock (no bump in chlorine levels), another 5 lbs hardness (started at 80 got it 160)...and that brings us to today's readings....pool store there must have been an issue with hardness reading of 110 from the 160...so they just recommended testing that down the road again...

Can I get some assistance? Not sure how to get the ph down while getting the alkalinity up....some sites say to take care of alkalinity first...

I have about 6 3" chlorine tabs in pool....

thanks ahead of time...

[aylad]

I would very strongly suggest that you get your own test kit and not rely on pool store testing. Pool store testing is designed to sell chemicals. Check out the K-2006 kit in the testkits link in my sig--that's the one we recommend to everybody.

The first thing you're going to need to do is get some chlorine in the pool, and it doesn't look like the trichlor tabs are doing the job. I would add a gallon and a half of plain, generic, ultra bleach. Each gallon of 6% bleach you add will raise your FC by 2. 2ppm, so the extra half gallon will kick it up to3.3 ppm....and with a CYA of 30, you're going to need to keep your chlorine at a minimum of 3 ppm at all times, otherwise the algae will come back (see the best guess chlorine chart linked in my sig for the chart and more explanation on that). This may mean that you have to test and add another gallon during the day tomorrow. I would also test your chlorine tonight after the sun is off the pool, and again in the morning before the sun hits the pool. If you've lost more than 1 ppm of chlorine in that time, then there's something in the water creating the demand, and you need to shock the pool (shock level for CYA of 30 would be chlorine of 15 ppm) to kill off whatever it is.

Since your alk is going to come down with the ph when you add acid (read the "using muriatic acid" link in my sig, before doing so), you can raise the Alk using arm & Hammer baking soda, which will raise the alk with very little effect on pH. Then when you have the alk up, you can use the muriatic acid to bring the pH down. The alk will come back down with it, but if it only comes back to 70 or so, then that's fine.

You do need a calcium level between 200-400 for a plaster pool, to keep the water from leaching the calcium from the plaster. You can add it via calcium flakes, or if you have cal-hypo on hand, use that for chlorination for awhile and it will raise calcium and chlorine at the same time.

Of course, you're going to need to be able to test your own water to straighten this out without the pool store breaking you--did you order your kit yet?

Welcome to the forum!!

[fairfieldmania]

just to be clear...are you saying to add MA first or add alk first??? I believe you are saying to add alk first and then add MA, correct? I have both on hand....in terms of the calcium...how long should I wait after I add the alk and MA?? Better question...if I add the alk now (7 PM EST), when should I add the MA??? and then how long to add the calcium???

after I posted my OP and before you had replied...I hopped on amazon and ordered the taylor K-2006...should be here by end of the week....

aside...any thoughts on how I got the stains before I had pool acid washed??? was it from adding alk and cya at the same time?? (my theory) there were no metals in pool (I believe) because I had it tested while stains were on there and pool company indicated no metals...(copper, etc)...maybe there was..who knows...

[aylad]

I'm suggesting that you raise the alk first, and then lower the pH with the acid. However, let me have Pooldoc check in on this thread before I advise you further, because if you do the baking soda and calcium too close together, or in the wrong doses, it can severely cloud your pool..

[fairfieldmania]

also...new water is only 5 days old....why are you thinking there is something that is creating that demand on chlorine?? something in the city water??? there can't be algae since pool was completed cleaned...I opened the DE filter and washed it with water and MA...

[aylad]

also...new water is only 5 days old....why are you thinking there is something that is creating that demand on chlorine?? something in the city water??? there can't be algae since pool was completed cleaned......

If you added 5 pounds of chlorine, and saw no chlorine bump, then yes, I think there is something (probably a nascent algae bloom) that is creating a demand on the chlorine. I'm not saying there was anything in the city water to begin with, but I am suggesting that it only takes a day or so with a chlorine level of zero for algae to start growing. That's why I want you to test your chlorine levels as I described above, to rule out or confirm a chlorine demand.

[PoolDoc]

Chlorine demand or not . . . don't take a chance. Add 6 gallons of PLAIN 6% bleach ASAP, and then every evening till your kit is here!

Alkalinity and calcium are NOT urgent issues. Given your pH, nothing bad's about to happen on that front. Run your filter 24/7 and ADD THAT BLEACH!

And, please fill out the chart:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

For now, keep the chlorine high, the pH between 7 & 8, run the filter 24/7 and don't worry about anything else till later.

[fairfieldmania]

a little concern on the bleach...this was the first year i used bleach as opposed to shock...and it was the same year I had stains on the walls I couldn't get rid of....and had to do the acid wash...still not clear what caused the stains...whether it was the pool company adding alk and CYA at the same time...or me using the "wrong bleach" (I know I bought the unscented plain 6% one)...or lack of closing chemicals...i do have the shock in hand...will add it now...

[fairfieldmania]

Doh...newb alert...so when I added 5 lbs of shock the other day and it didn't dent the chlorine level...I actually added 5 lbs of Dupont Multifunctional Shock with 15% sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione and 9.53% available chlorine...it is mostly a oxidizer meant to be "added weekly for sparkling clarity.." no wonder it didn't move the chlorine level...so I just added 3 lbs of granular shock...let's see what happens in the morning.....if the level holds...then I/we could focus on ph and alk...

[BigDave]

To be equally direct, you question was answered on July 2.

...Since your alk is going to come down with the ph when you add acid (read the "using muriatic acid" link in my sig, before doing so), you can raise the Alk using arm & Hammer baking soda, which will raise the alk with very little effect on pH. Then when you have the alk up, you can use the muriatic acid to bring the pH down. The alk will come back down with it, but if it only comes back to 70 or so, then that's fine...Welcome to the forum!!