What to do first? CYA > 200 ppm

[PoolDoc]

If you can drain and refill for ~$120, that's definitely the way I'd go. Because you have some scale, I'd recommend doing a 100% drain, and NOT adding any calcium or alkalinity (baking soda) for awhile. If the pH is too low, use borax to raise it. That way, you have the option of running a low calcium low pH pool long enough to soften and then remove the scale.

I would call the water company though -- they can have some funky ways of calculating bills. And, get the name and position of the person who helped you. That way, if you get a bill next month for $400 because of some bill-calculating funkiness, you can credibly do the whole, "But sir, I was told by your staff . . .", etc. routine.

[PoolLizard]

If you can drain and refill for ~$120, that's definitely the way I'd go. Because you have some scale, I'd recommend doing a 100% drain, and NOT adding any calcium or alkalinity (baking soda) for awhile. If the pH is too low, use borax to raise it. That way, you have the option of running a low calcium low pH pool long enough to soften and then remove the scale.

I would call the water company though -- they can have some funky ways of calculating bills. And, get the name and position of the person who helped you. That way, if you get a bill next month for $400 because of some bill-calculating funkiness, you can credibly do the whole, "But sir, I was told by your staff . . .", etc. routine.

Thanks. Yeah, I'm definately going to verify my estimate with the Water Co before I drain. I know their address, I'm going to go right into their office and have a chat with them.

[PoolLizard]

It looks so good, I hate to have to drain it!

P1000718.JPG

[PoolDoc]

Well, it's still your call. I assume that algae is not the problem in the desert that it is here, where every tiny breeze carries spores.

Contrary to pool industry literature, there's nothing wrong with running a HiC2 pool, if you understand what you're doing.

[PoolLizard]

Well, it's still your call. I assume that algae is not the problem in the desert that it is here, where every tiny breeze carries spores.

Contrary to pool industry literature, there's nothing wrong with running a HiC2 pool, if you understand what you're doing.

Algae has been a slight problem. I think only because I didn't know what I was doing, not knowing about CYA, until just recently. If my water cost estimate is close, I'll go ahead with the drain/refill because I want the chemistry to be right, and to try to get rid of the scale.

[CarlD]

Oh, just so you know, the cheapest way to get Soda Ash is to go to your grocery store and buy Arm and Hammer WASHING Soda, in the yellow box (not baking soda). Washing Soda is IDENTICAL to the pool store pH raisers but costs far less--around $.80/lb here in NJ. pH Raisers like pH Up! are nothing but Sodium Carbonate...Washing Soda.

That may well change your cost basis for the soda ash method.

[PoolLizard]

Oh, just so you know, the cheapest way to get Soda Ash is to go to your grocery store and buy Arm and Hammer WASHING Soda, in the yellow box (not baking soda). Washing Soda is IDENTICAL to the pool store pH raisers but costs far less--around $.80/lb here in NJ. pH Raisers like pH Up! are nothing but Sodium Carbonate...Washing Soda.

That may well change your cost basis for the soda ash method.

Thanks, Carl, I'll remember that.

[PoolLizard]

If/when I do a complete refill, should I follow PoolDoc's instructions here: http://tinyurl.com/lyu7bnr ?

Question though: I have not been able to find any commercial bleach in the local stores with a chlorine % on the bottle. And, most of them don't come in gallon jugs anymore! So, I've been buying 96 oz jugs at a local grocery store. Label name is "VALU TIME Bleach". I tried to find an MSDS for this product online and was unseccessful.

I did determine that one bottle of that bleach raises my FC level by one point.

So, what I'm getting at is, what and how much chemicals do I need to have on hand for the refill? I want to be prepared.