Failed at Chemistry and Need Help!

[jennybell]

As you can see from the title, Chemistry is not my strongest subject

I recently purchased a home with an above ground 14,000 gallon oval pool.

I have read the pool solutions site fairly extensively, but being that its not my strongest subject, I am left a little confused.

I purchased the Taylor kit as the site recommended, and below are my read outs:

Free Chlorine = 5.6
Combined = 0
Ph = 7.2/7.3
Alkalinity = 90
Cyanuric Acid = 90

What do I need to do to lower/raise the above numbers?
Should I have combined chlorine, and if so what is a good number?

If I did my math right...
- I should be adding about 21.56 oz of sodium carbonate to raise my ph
- I should be adding 2 lbs baking soda to raise alkalinity to a safer amount of 100

But from what I've read, it seems that my CA is too high.

I really appreciate your help.

Its amazing that not only do the doctors give you the wrong information, the education system is changing history and providing the wrong information, and even down to the chemistry of our swimming pools is all propaganda for the large companies.

Thank you for having this site!

Frustrated,
Jenny

[BigDave]

You don't really need to understand chemistry (Chem Geek and Pool Doc and Evan and others do that for us). You just need to react in small and measured actions to the measurements you take.

O CC is the goal - Congratulations!

CYA of 90 is OK you just need to be sure to keep the FC between 5 and 10ppm - Don't let it drop below 5. Refer to Ben's Best Guess Chart. It's on the high side but that may make pool care a little easier (you may have to add chlorine less often). Probably don't want it to go higher.

Raise pH with 20 Mule Team Borax from the laundry aisle (TA will go up with pH). If you find down the road that you have to adjust pH too often then raise the TA a bit with some Baking Soda.

How are you chlorinating? You'll need to avoid stabilized chlorine (dichlor and trichlor) to keep the CYA from rising more.

It's not so hard as it might appear.
Welcome and good luck!

[jennybell]

Thanks Big Dave for your reply. I'm glad to hear I am on the right track.

Unfortunately, I had my pool open for a few weeks before adding anything, so I went with the pool company's chemical program. Then I read the BBB method, and I went out and bought everything I could possibly need from the grocery store to have on hand. I will not be going back to the pool company.

I have a salt water generator to continue the chlorine making. I run it from 10-5:30 every day at 85% chlorination. This was just a guess on my part. I'm sure I will have to keep adjusting as the sun gets hotter. We are having unusually cool weather here in Southern Maryland.

Since I already bought the Mule Team Borax, I will be adding that today!

Thank you again for your help.

Starting to learn,
Jenny