HELP! Made BIG mistake!!

[DaBomb650]

Okay, crap!

Sounds like I made ANOTHER mistake! This morning, the ph is about the same, 6.8 or so, but my total alkalinity is about 300 ppm! Sounds like baking soda was the WRONG thing to add.
The pool has a waterfall. Will this sub for the airation?

I also have 2 boxes of borax (what I SHOULD have put in, instead of the baking soda). Should I add that?

[aquarium]

I'm no pool expert, but I would resist the temptation to keep adding stuff. I know it makes us feel better to be -doing- something, but in this case you're making things worse. While the original alkalinity was a little high, it may not have caused any problems. Those pool store computer analysis sheets are programmed to make recommendations based on any variance from a standard set of parameter target ranges. They are also programmed to sell stuff you may not need.

If I were you I would find a way to aerate the water as much as possible over the next few days. As the pool outgases the resultant CO2 from the acid, the pH will automatically rise and the alkalinity will fall. So you don't want to artificially raise the pH when you need it low to start this process to begin with.

Given that you've just -raised- the alkalinity, plan on buying some more muriatic acid. Follow the directions posted at this forum to lower alkalinity - aerate, measure the pH and alkalinity, lower the pH if necessary, repeat as needed until the alkalinity is down where you want it.

[SLR_65]

Just follow chem_geek's advice . . . don't add anything, just bubble some air through the water and the TA will fall and the Ph will rise.

I would imagine the water fall will work fine to bubble air into the water. If you have the ability though, make an injection quill out of some pvc (actually about anything would work - even an old garden hose with some tiny holes drilled in it and one end plugged and the other end hose clamped to an air line fitting) and hook up a large air compressor if you have one (those tiny ones you see to run nail guns, etc. wont work - they'll run and run and put very little air in the pool, they just don't have the capacity needed).

Last year we had a 12' Intex above ground and I rigged a fountain up and it worked but was slow. Later one of the kids tried to climb up on the ring of the pool and let a ton of water out. After I refilled it the darn TA was high again. This time I hooked up an air compressor and it fell very quickly.

Just calm down and follow the advice given and everything will work out.

/Steve

[Sully]

Crank up the waterfall and let it run. Check you Chlorine, add some if needed. Do not add anything else today. Then Relax and enjoy the rest of your day!

[DaBomb650]

Okay.
I'm calm. I turned on the waterfall and am letting it run. The ph tested 7.8 this after noon, I am guessing due to the baking soda.
I added 1/2 gallon diluted (diluted before puting into pool) and will wait for several days, checking the total ALK everyday.

Thanks for all your advice. I will keep you posted on the results.

Carl.

[SLR_65]

Okay.
I'm calm. I turned on the waterfall and am letting it run. The ph tested 7.8 this after noon, I am guessing due to the baking soda.
I added 1/2 gallon diluted (diluted before puting into pool) and will wait for several days, checking the total ALK everyday.

Thanks for all your advice. I will keep you posted on the results.

Carl.

You really need to follow the link chem_geek gave ya - Ben's method works, but you actually need a lower Ph to make it work . . . stop adding things, slow down, follow the directions given.

/Steve

[chem geek]

Carl,

Yes, now that your pH is up, you need to get it back down by adding acid. Otherwise you won't get your TA down. Follow Ben's procedure in the link I provided. I'm sorry if I confused you by saying you should just start aerating -- that was when I thought your pH was at 6.9 -- if the pH goes up then you want to add acid to keep it down. You'll be adding LOTS of acid in this process and that is the correct thing to do as the pH will want to rise with the aeration. The entire process goes faster if you dilligently keep the pH down until you reach your target TA level.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Richard

[DaBomb650]

Okay, update.

Checked the ALK this morning, it is down!! About 220, with a drop test. Waterfall still running. pH this morning was about 6.9, after adding 1 quart, (pre-diluted in pool water) of the acid. I will check it again when I get home. May need to add more acid as the pH rises, right?

My free chlorine has skyrocketed! It is at about 3.0ppm right now! I have turned the chlorinator to the lowest setting to try to keep this in check.
Will post more results as I get them. Trying to test twice a day.

Carl.

[ivyleager]

My free chlorine has skyrocketed! It is at about 3.0ppm right now! I have turned the chlorinator to the lowest setting to try to keep this in check.
Will post more results as I get them. Trying to test twice a day.

Do you have a Hayward inline chlorinator, by chance? If so, they are notorious for 'dial error'. There are several posts on this site about them. I have one, no longer use it as at the lowest setting or even off and chlorinator half full w/ tabs, I would get chlorine readings of 5ppm!! It is hard to believe that all Hayward chlorinators have this problem.......if you have one, here's hoping it works correctly.

Just to clarify, DO NOT ADD BLEACH THROUGH THE SKIMMER if you have an inline chlorinator which had not been thoroughly cleaned/aired out. Some say to NEVER add bleach thru skimmer if there is an inline chlorinator. Should you chose to add any bleach at all, just slowly pour around perimeter of pool OR in front of return jets. Make sure to run filter during and after adding any chems.

CaryB

[ivyleager]

Yes, by all means turn on the waterfall, and keep it on. It will indeed aerate the water.

Here a very quick guide to chemicals:
*Muriatic acid OR dry acid=lowers pH
*Bleach=raises Cl
*Borax (hydrated sodium borate)=raises pH…so does soda ash(sodium carbonate) BUT soda ash WILL ALSO RAISE alkalinity
*Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)=raises Alk

To RAISE your pH, add 20 mule team borax (from the grocery detergent section) at the rate of 1/2 cup per 1,000 gallons or 1/2 box per 10,000 gallons. Do NOT try to adjust your pH all at once. Allow at least 2 hours of PUMP-ON time, after adding borax, before retesting the pH. HOWEVER, since your pH is already low, just crank out the aeration (waterfall AND poolparty!!) and alk should decrease and pH increase.

You stated also that you use tri-chlor tabs? Besides adding chlorine, these do 2 things: drive down pH, and add CYA. The first you don't need, the second you do as your start level is 10ppm. Do you know if any was added at startup? If so, wait a week or so and retest. It takes that long for the stuff to fully dissolve. You may want to consider switching to bleach once you get this pH/alk issue resolved, and if CYA is still low, then add it yourself to recommended levels, and turn off the chlorinator. Read through the Chlorinating section for details.

I do believe with a new gunite/plaster pool you are going to have some fairly wild chemical fluctuations due to the curing of the plaster. Make sure to monitor the calcium hardness level; if not high enough some will begin leeching out of the wall. Please check with your pool builder and get his/her recommendations on water chemistry, and what to expect during the curing process.

So, invite people over and begin aerating! Good luck.

CaryB
Caniac