Clear, but no chlorine???

[mary jo]

OK- tested pH with diluted sample (5:1) and got 7.6 but how do you calculate correct pH from there?
Took TA reading again and went from green to blue to yellow w/ 14 drops=140.

[PoolDoc]

Don't even worry about the TA, till everything else is OK.

[FormerBromineUser]

I was just concerned because of the potential for aeration raising her pH with those jets hitting the surface. Seems like it's okay.

[PoolDoc]

Manage the pH; don't worry about the TA.

[Watermom]

When you use dilution to test pH, you test it as normal. In other words, you don't have to multiply the result by anything. Just read the test.

[FormerBromineUser]

Just to explain why I asked you to test TA and pH:

I hadn’t seen a pH test result on your thread for a while. After seeing your pool the other day, I got to thinking that MAYBE your pH had risen. There was a potential for the “raging waves” (as your kids call the jet action on the pool surface) to have aerated the water. Lots of splashing does it too

Aeration raises your pH. Chlorine loses effectiveness at high or low pH levels. IF your pH had risen due to aeration (and chlorine additions), then getting pH back in range would be VERY important. Does that make sense?

[mary jo]

Yes, that makes total sense to me. What's strange is that this entire year the pool's pH was constantly low- even with the "raging waves" going constantly 24/7 and lots of splashing kids in constantly. What doesn't make sense (and I'm not sure I need to know- but I guess I want to know now) is testing pH using diluted water and not having to compensate for dilution.

[FormerBromineUser]

Did you use distilled water? Next time you test pH, try it with 1:1 dilution instead of 5:1. The less dilution, the more accurate. If that doesn't work, go to 2:1.

I'm not sure many people (except chemists) understand how to compensate for dilution in a pH test.