Getting started with the BBB Method

[Lowdown]

Ok I've been reading up on your BBB method. I get that baking soda replaces alkalinity increasers like alkalinity up, and borax replaces ph increasers like soda ash and bleach replaces calcium hypochlorite or tri-chlor tabs. I am not familiar with this but I was reading that liquid pool chlorine and bleach are in a way the same thing (sodium hypochlorite) only liquid pool chlorine is a higher concentrate at 10-15% and bleach being 5%. My question is, are chlorine TABS the same thing, and does the bleach replace chlorine tabs or is it used in addition to chlorine tabs? I am assuming bleach replaces the tabs but want to be certain.

[PoolDoc]

Hi LD;

I spun this post off, into its own separate thread, since it was an unrelated topic. Let me respond generally, and then more specifically, to your questions.

The BBB Method is first of all about an approach, and not specific chemicals. The core idea is that you should use as few chemicals as possible, in the most effective -- ie, economical AND easy -- way possible. In many cases, that may mean using bleach, borax and baking soda (which is where the name came from), but the idea is to be simple and effective, rather than to use bleach instead of trichlor.

Some other core elements include:
+ Dealer testing is very frequently unreliable, and dealer dosing is designed to sell chemicals, rather than to solve your pool problems. So, it's very important to do most or all of your own testing.
+ In almost all cases, chlorine is the best method of sanitizing your pool, and of oxidizing swimmer wastes (urine, sweat, body oils) in the pool water.
+ Branded pool chemicals are a horrible mess, even more so today than when I started PoolSolutions in 1996. You have to use them carefully, and you have to learn chemical names like "sodium dichloroisocyanurate" and "copper sulfate" so you can get what you need, and avoid using goop!
+ There are 3 critical pool chemical levels for all pool owners: free chlorine (FC), pH, and stabilizer.
+ The correct chlorine level for your pool is determined by your stabilizer (CYA) level. Roughly speaking, you want to have a FC level equal to 15% of your CYA level. This is explained further on the "Best Guess" page link in my signature.
+ All chlorine sources -- bleach, dichlor, trichlor, cal hypo, etc.) have 'side effects'. These effects can be good or bad depending on the state of your pool. Bleach has the fewest side effects (it adds salt) and thus can be used in more situations without worry than the others.
+ The chemicals you NEED are not very profitable for pool dealers to sell, so they will try to sell you other stuff that you need only rarely.
+ The BBB Method, if followed by all US pool owners, would bankrupt 75% of the pool stores and 50% of the chemical companies, because of the reduction in chemicals used, and the elimination of the most profitable chemicals. So, don't tell your dealer -- from whom you still need pool parts and the occasional chemical -- that you're using the BBB method!

Ok, back to your more specific questions:

1. Baking soda does not REPLACE alkalinity up; it IS alkalinity up! The chemicals are identical, except that baking soda is food grade (very pure) instead of industrial grade sodium bicarbonate.
2. Bleach and liquid pool chlorine are both sodium hypochlorite. Plain unscented 6% bleach is more stable than most 10% pool chlorine, because it is a lower concentration and often, purer. But, you can use which ever is available to you most cheaply.
3. Chlorine tabs are almost always trichloro-iso-cyanurate. They add stabilizer and lower the pH, when used.

[Lowdown]

That helps, thanks PoolDoc

[CarlD]

And Washing Soda is the same as pH Up! and Balance Pak 200. All commercial pH increasers are Soda Ash, aka, Sodium Carbonate. So is Arm&Hammer Washing Soda (It will be next to 20 Mule Team Borax in the laundry section).

So...why use Borax instead of Washing Soda to increase pH? Because Washing Soda increases both pH and Total Alkalinity and Borax only increases pH. This is confusing because with both, Total Alkalinity will rise, but that is because Tot Alk rises when pH rises---but Washing Soda raises it more, and, if you return to your original pH, your Tot Alk will be higher.

Also, if you LOOK at the Alkalinity Raisers in pool stores, it's key ingredient does not say "Sodium Bicarbonate" but instead will say "sodium hydrogen carbonate". Don't be fooled. It's just an alternate name for Sodium Bicarbonate.

Carl

[PJM361]

I know this is real old, but the borax says sodium tetraborate so the only time we should use sodium carbonate is if both PH & TA are low ? Or should we always use borax & baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) And what about sodium percarbonate which is in Oxy clean?