Quote Originally Posted by md_rider
I have another question after looking through some other threads. I understand when/how to use the bleach, acid, borax and baking soda. However, what about the Calcium Hardness? I saw (somewhere) that you should use calcium chloride to raise and anhydrous trisodium phosphate (?) to lower. Are these only available at a pool store?

Thanks again.
Never heard of using anhydrous TSP to lower caacium harness. Can anyone verify? Also, I would be leary about adding phosphates to the pool since it is a favorite algae nutient at PPB levels! (I have kept Salt water aquariums for 30 years now!) I do know that phosphates will affect the crystaline structure of the calcium carbonate that precipitates out of solution with high phosphate levels causing Aragonite to precititate rather than Calcite. (Research I was involved in at the University of Miami School of Marine and Atmospheric Science many years ago) and that phosphates interfere with the amount that will precipitate under a given condition (you all know it as "Scaling") that has proved disasterous to our coral reefs before phosphates were banned from detergents but I don't see how it can lower the levels that are in the water.

Anyone point me in a direction so I can research this?