Just opened pool my numbers...

[nicole12]

FC 3
CC 0
CYA 30-50 (using test strip)
PH not quite 6.8 but also not quite 7.2 so maybe 7.0?
ALK 80

I use bleach to shock, baking soda, borax & tri-chlor pucks.

So I should attack the PH first then shock?

I have the bleach calculator but after 5 years with the pool I'm still at a loss for how much borax to add to bring up my PH.

[adesalvo]

Your chlorine looks fine with no CC. With your CYA at 30 to 50 (btw...which is it?) you ay want to get off of the tri-chlor and stick with bleach. No shocking is needed unless your CC starts rising or you are concerned about an unusual exposure (a baby with an accident or the like)

I would suggest raising your pH with Borax but you may want to consider some baking soda to raise your TA and pH together (if you are shooting for a TA of 100)

Here is an online poolcalculator that works nicely.

http://www.poolcalculator.com/

[CarlD]

Your chlorine looks fine with no CC. With your CYA at 30 to 50 (btw...which is it?) you may want to get off of the tri-chlor and stick with bleach. No shocking is needed unless your CC starts rising or you are concerned about an unusual exposure (a baby with an accident or the like)

I would suggest raising your pH with Borax

This is correct, but I would go stronger--stop using the Tri-Chlor pucks. They raise CYA which now is good, and lower pH, which is now too low. Bleach/Liquid Chlorine doesn't change pH, CYA, or Calcium levels, which is why we prefer it to all dry chlorines.

you may want to consider some baking soda to raise your TA and pH together

This is incorrect. Please read the various sticky'ed threads we've generated over the last several years.

Baking soda will raise your T/A, but not your pH.

You should use WASHING soda to raise both your pH and T/A. Arm & Hammer makes this in the YELLOW (not orange) box and it should be next to the Borax in the laundry section of the supermarket.

Washing soda is chemically the same as Soda Ash or the "pH Up!" type products sold in pool stores, only it's cheap as dirt.

BUT, personally, I would suggest using Borax as your FIRST choice. T/A of 80 is an OK level (at the bottom of the recommended levels) but when you raise pH from 6.8 to, say, 7.4, your T/A will rise as well, maybe to 90 or 100--you have to test it. If it's there after you raise pH, DON'T MESS WITH IT!

[nicole12]

Thanks for the response. I'll raise my PH today.

[adesalvo]

This is correct, but I would go stronger--stop using the Tri-Chlor pucks. They raise CYA which now is good, and lower pH, which is now too low. Bleach/Liquid Chlorine doesn't change pH, CYA, or Calcium levels, which is why we prefer it to all dry chlorines.



This is incorrect. Please read the various sticky'ed threads we've generated over the last several years.

Baking soda will raise your T/A, but not your pH.

You should use WASHING soda to raise both your pH and T/A. Arm & Hammer makes this in the YELLOW (not orange) box and it should be next to the Borax in the laundry section of the supermarket.

Washing soda is chemically the same as Soda Ash or the "pH Up!" type products sold in pool stores, only it's cheap as dirt.

BUT, personally, I would suggest using Borax as your FIRST choice. T/A of 80 is an OK level (at the bottom of the recommended levels) but when you raise pH from 6.8 to, say, 7.4, your T/A will rise as well, maybe to 90 or 100--you have to test it. If it's there after you raise pH, DON'T MESS WITH IT!

Thank you for clarifying this...re-reading my post, I can where I was less than clear. I did not mean to imply that baking soda raised pH...but that borax and baking soda could be used in sequence...after re-testing, of course

I personally do not use soda ash often because it is one more chemical...and I am trying to keep things simple...

Thank you for the clarification.

[CarlD]

Thank you for clarifying this...re-reading my post, I can where I was less than clear. I did not mean to imply that baking soda raised pH...but that borax and baking soda could be used in sequence...after re-testing, of course

I personally do not use soda ash often because it is one more chemical...and I am trying to keep things simple...

Thank you for the clarification.

Not a problem.

I buy A&H Washing Soda because it's cheaper than Borax and cheaper than both Borax and Baking soda combined (it's AMAZING how the pool chem companies repackage this stuff and sell it for many times more!).

Besides, you can always use both Washing Soda and Borax as laundry boosters.