Calcium nightmare and rain water?

[newpoo]

first let me show my readings after shock

fc-11
cc-0
tc-11
ph-7.6
TA-130
stabilizer-35
HARDNESS-1500 plus

I tested three times hoping for a mistake. I then tested my fill water(tap)and it tested at hardness (500) yes I said 500. It rains here in St. petersburg every day so my pool is filled with rain water. Does anyone know what the average hardness reading for rainfall is? Thankyou in advance.

[mas985]

I don't know for sure but given that when water evaporates, it leaves behind calcium and clouds are made up of evaporated water, my guess is there is little to no calcium in rain water. Where would it come from?

[DavidD]

Rain water won't have any calcium in it. Pollutants are a different story.... How often do you have to top off your pool? Remember, the only way calcium is going to leave your pool is by splash out, back washing or dilution so, if your tap water test 500, I could easily believe you have a reading of 1500 however I have never heard of a CH reading that high before. Around here, you see 250 at the most and I have seen pools in the 800 range. Maybe another Floridian like Evan can chime in and give some good recommendations for dealing with hard fill water.

Dave

[PatL34]

I have had to use softened water, as the city water has about 200 - 250 ppm in it. I would rather have rain refill, and lately we have been lucky there.

The pool CH is averaging about 230 ppm as I am curing a new Diamond Brite plaster.

Pat

[newpoo]

Instructions say add drops untill water turns blue, then multiply by 50 to get reading. first I tested the tap water again, water turned blue after 11 drops, Tap water equals 550. Then I tested the pool water again, After 30 drops I stopped adding the solution . The water never turned blue, which puts it at 1500 plus. I have not added water in two months because it fills with rain water after splash out. If rain water has no calcium then that should be better than my 500 tap. Thanks for the reply's guys .

[DavidD]

Instructions say add drops untill water turns blue, then multiply by 50 to get reading....

What type of kit are you using and how fresh are the re-agents? If they have not been stored out of direct sunlight or in a cool place, they may be suspect. Also, most drops based test for CH I've seen you multiply drops by 10 but yours may very well be different. You may even want another test from another source just to be sure.

Dave

[newpoo]

Hey David! I have the Aqua Chem 6-way professional test kit. Instructions for water hardness ask that you multiply the number of drops by 50 to determine the hardness in parts per million

example: 7 drops x 50ppm = 350ppm hardness

I used over 30 drops before I stopped

[medvampire]

NewPoo
There have been some issues with the Aquachem test kit and hardness. I would reconmend gettin a diffrent test kit or taking a sample to a pool store and getting it tested.
Steve

[newpoo]

NewPoo
There have been some issues with the Aquachem test kit and hardness. I would reconmend gettin a diffrent test kit or taking a sample to a pool store and getting it tested.
Steve

Will Do! Thanks for the heads up.

[newpoo]

here are their readings
fc-3.0
cc-0
tc-3.0
ph-7.8
ta-110
CALCIUM HARDNESS-320
cya-60

he suggested a cup of M. Acid was all I needed. Thanks to this site my pool looks wonderful. I will say that once I'm in for more than an hour my skin get's a little itchy.