CH question / problem?

[dmarsh70]

Hi guys,

Most of you know i just filled my new pool for the first time yesterday. I am keeping a close eye on everything and actually going to brush it down after this post then go to work - come back at lunch and do it all over again.

Ok - last night my reading we're
FC : 3.84
TCL: 4.04
PH: 7.6
AL: 98
CH: 180

I added some muriatic to lower the PH to 7.0 (as per the pool builders advice) added about 64 ounzes of baking soda - 4 boxes, to offset the lowering of the PH from the muriatic.

I also used Pool Calculator.com and added what I thought would bring my CH up from 180 - 260 area. I only used about 1/2 of what the Pool Calc. showed as I know "less is more" and I can always add more.

Now this morning here is my readings:
FC: 3.46
TCL: 3.52
PH: 7.2
AL: 100
CH: 185

So it appears the baking soda helped keep the AL around 100 - but the CH never went up but 5 little points.

I am going to add a little muriatic now before I brush to bring it back to 7.0 - shouldnt take much but I'll check poolcalc. I'll also add about the same amount of calcium flakes as I did last night to see if th kicks it up later.

I do have a concrete pool with marcite with little pebbles...

Any idea why the CH is not moving much? I did check it twice - with different tubes - and got the exact same number...

[AnnaK]

What are you using as your calcium source: calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate? Are you giving the right pool volume to poolcalc?

[CarlD]

Your numbers look great except for your CH which is a little low for a concrete/plaster pool.

You can raise CH with calcium carbonate or Cal-Hypo (also a chlorine source).

But you cannot raise CH with Baking soda.

[dmarsh70]

HI Guys - I have Calcium Chloride flakes - bought a 25 pound box... It's up a little better now but going to add more now and see if I can bring it up a bit more.

Oh by the way - just added 1 gallon of liquid stabilizer. Got my CYA from "LO" to 23.. so it's all getting there

[dmarsh70]

I am testing it after adding the flakes - about 2 hours or so after I add.

Now I am adding acid to lower the PH - so far 2 times per day as it keeps popping up because of the new plaster.. So I figure at this point I am going to hold off.

I added some more about 20 minutes ago - I'll test it later and if it's close - I am gonna wait for a week and let the water "settle in"

I did give the right gallons at pool calc. Although I must say the pool builder guessed 15K gallons. I went right off my water meter before and after and got 11948.. So thats what I entered at pool calc.

[aylad]

You're doing a great job--you're almost there! Keep the patience, go slowly, and before long you're gonna have the perfect pool--what shall we bring to the party?

I'm glad that you did your homework around here before your pool was started up, and didn't start it up the "pool-stored" way and have to fix the problems. I was that fortunate, too--started reading and learning here about 4 months before my pool was actually built, so I got to avoid a lot of the problems that many of our new posters have when they get here. Your pool seems to be coming along nicely!!

Janet