My ph is low and it laughs at Borax

[CarlD]

Good Luck! Post it and we'll see what we can do.

[Unabomber007]

FC 1.5
PH 6.8
ALK 120
CAL 60
CYA 80

The pump had only been running for 1 hour before the rain started, so I'm wondering what will happen tomorrow after a good long pump run. I also didn't fill it up to where it should be due to our chance of rain over the next two days. It's maybe 2" over the skimmer...right where the pump runs fine and the skimmer doesn't make gurgling noises.

CAL was 60 for sure. I measured with my 10000% WHITE LED flashlight and I could full see the color change. I guess the sun's yellow tint didn't allow me to see that before.

CYA was done with the flashlight and inside and I think the lighting isn't right to read it effectively as you are supposed to do it in sunlight. So I hope that goes down after longer pump running, a touch more water, and a sunny outdoor reading. I'll not be a happy camper after dumping 10,000ish gallons of water to not see a change.

Anyways, I added nothing and turned the pump off for the night. Tomorrow, weather depending, I will run the pump for 3 hours at least. I will probably dump in 1 big jug of Walmart Bleach and my last 2 boxes of Borax. Then retest to see if my ALK change helped my pH ability. So unless anyone has further input that's what I'll do tomorrow if the rain cooperates.

[CarlD]

You cannot test CYA that way--you'll get a false reading. ALL the tests are best done in daylight or sunlight and CYA has to be done in direct sun.

Meanwhile, you should go ahead and add your last two boxes of Borax. Remember: Most pool test kits cannot measure pH below 6.8. It could be 4.2 and would show as 6.8. Until you get it to 6.9, you won't know that you've reached that 6.8.

[aylad]

If you're going to have to dump water, I would do it before using all the Borax, since your fill water is probably higher ph than your pool water---that way you lower your CYA and raise the pH at the same time with much less stuff added....

Janet