Proper order for adding Chemicals?

[Dan-a]

What would the be proper order for adding chemicals to your pool. Can some be added together and other cannot? Is there a list or chart what and when it is safe to add?

Thanks, trying to learn here.

Dan

[bobfromca]

Good question. I'm with you... just trying to learn. Hope someone answers. I want to lower PH and raise Alkaline - can I do both at same time? Should I add acid first for PH... wait... then add Borax for alkaline? or vise versa? Will I get a see-saw reaction? Lower PH with acid then higher PH with Borax? Is it OK to add liquid chlorine at same time?

Thanks, Bob

[Watermom]

It would probably be best if you post a full set of current water testing results taken with a drops-based kit, not test strips. Also, please put your pool's information in our pool chart as that makes it easier for people here to help. Once we see what your water needs, we can advise what to add and how.

Pool Chart Entry Form

Welcome to the Pool Forum!

[bobfromca]

Thanks, Watermom! I don't want to hijack Dan-a's original post... but FYI, here is my info (plus I filled out the Pool Chart)

New plaster done 3 weeks ago. Contractor said to keep PH at 7.0 for 30 days then 7.4 and Alkaline at 70-80.
Using Taylor 2600 kit. Inground pool. roughly 16k gallons. Very little plaster dust now. Brushing daily & bristle vacuum every few days. Testing chemicals daily.
PH 7.4
Alkaline 60
FC 2.0

Is it best to bring AL up to 70-80 first with Borax, then add muriatic acid to lower PH (which will also lower AL)? Can I do both at same time or give time in between?

Thanks! -- again, don't want to hijack Dan-a's post.
Bob

[Dan-a]

Bob:

No big deal to me.

I did fill out the Pool Chart. I actually don't have a pool. I'm considering getting into the pool service industry so i'm trying to learn to determine if it is something i enjoy and would like to do. So i'm using this site as education material and research for possible future career.

Thanks
Dan

[aylad]

Bob--
you want to use baking soda, not Borax, to raise your alkalinity. Borax raises pH. I personally would use the muriatic to lower the pH (which will drop the TA some) to where you want it, and then use baking soda to raise the TA back up to where you want it. However, I don't have a newly done plaster job. My advice would be to check with your contractor to see which he wants done first, so that you don't void the warranty on the plaster job.

Dan--
I would not ever mix chemicals before adding them to the pool, no matter what you're adding. However, once they are mixed in the water, they are fine. You don't ever want different forms of chlorine to come in contact with one another, without mixing with water first--they can result in explosive consequences. So--if you have trichlor pucks in a skimmer, you don't want to add anything else through the skimmer except for Borax. If you remove the pucks, you can dilute borax, baking soda, or granular CYA in water and put it in through the skimmer. When adding cal-hypo granules or acid, I would add them slowly into the return stream where the water returns to the pool from the filter. Same with bleach--the jets help distribute the chems.

Does this help answer your questions?

[Dan-a]

Janet:

I never meant mixing different chemicals together before adding to the water. I meant can you add them to the water about the same time or do you need to wait 5 - 10 minutes before adding something else to the water? Sorry for the confusion.

Dan

[aylad]

I would always wait at least 10-15 minutes before adding another chem to the water, just to be on the safe side.

[Watermom]

Although it is fine to add bleach, Borax and baking soda one right after the other. I do it all the time.

[waterbear]

and you want to wait about 48 hours between additions of baking soda and any form of calcium such as cal hypo (a chlorine source often sold as 'shock') or calcium increaser (calcium chloride). Ditto if you add the calcium source first.