Green hue in clear water...

[Sparkle]

Thank you for your reply! *I certainly didn't intend to upset you in any way with my first posting. *I was going to reply on the thread, but it is closed and like I mentioned, I'm new to all of this forum stuff. *I know I'm not "registered+" so I assume I can't start a new thread???

I survived the craziness of the end of the semester, so I'm very focused on getting this pool in order. *I'll give you pool store readings from a couple hours ago and personal readings from my test kit that I just finished...
TYPE * * * *STORE * * * *ME
FC * * * * * *0.2 * * * * * *0.5 (as close as I can get)
CC * * * * * *0.1 * * * * * *0.5 (again, as close as I can get)
pH * * * * * *7.2 * * * * * *7.2
Hardness * * * *170 * * * * * *180
TA * * * * * *34 * * * * * *80 (to go completely red--70 took it to purple)
CYA * * * * * *55 * * * * * *55
Salt * * * * * *3100 * * * *2400-2600 (sticks with line that changes color when finished)

Their alkalinity reading says, "w/ stabilizer correction." *I have no idea what that means or who's numbers I should go by. *They want me to add 15 lbs of baking soda that they sold my husband when he took in the water to be tested. *If my number is correct, I want to keep it there. *Btw, these are the same numbers the store and I got, respectively, on Wednesday.

The only things I've done since our last correspondence is bleach like recommended, then I did the math on the CYA. *The store didn't want me to put in the 8 lbs that I thought I needed, so they sold me 4--end of last week. *I put two slowly in the skimmer and 2 in a sock (tied in the skimmer so it wouldn't block flow). *The sock was dissolved and dispersed in 2 days. *This wednesday when the store tested, the alkalinity had plummeted from 94 to 34 by their test (not by mine). *The CYA did exactly as I had figured and gone up from 20 to 45 ppm. *They sold me the other 4 lbs of CYA and I used the same process. *By last night all CYA in the sock has dissolved and dispersed. *My husband took in another sample today (readings above). *I expected the CYA to climb to the 70 ppm range? *Does it take longer for the CYA in the sand filter to dissolve?

Oh, I also cleaned the cell in vinegar (as per the pool store). *It didn't appear to have any build up, but some dirt came out when I rinsed with high water pressure from my tub faucet. *I did this because the cell is not producing adequate chlorine (It's an Aqua Rite T-Cell 15---for up to 40,000 gal. pools). *It has only been in operation one full season and about a month the year before that. *Cleaning made no noticeable change in the chlorine output---even when I decided to run it at 100% for 8 hours yesterday. *I hesitate to do the baking soda until I get more information, because last year, my alkalinity stayed high. *This was bothersome to me, but the store didn't seem to mind. *I fought to try to keep my pH at 7.8 or slightly below...often going higher, which again didn't seem to concern the pool store. *I feel that much of the advice I get is specific to liner pools or pools without salt systems. *I've even been given information completely contrary to Aqua Rite's recommendations. *

Someone is supposed to come this evening to check the cell...but that was supposed to happen Wednesday evening as well.

Sorry this is soooo long! *Basically...
1. *What is the difference between my TA and their "adjusted alkalinity?"
2. *Which reading will give me the numbers that indicate what is best for my salt cell in a fiberglass pool?
3. *Should I add any of this baking soda?
4. *Is there a way to do that without raising the pH very much since it will start rising when we have a fully functional salt cell anyway?
5. *Is the sock method a decent indicator of the CYA dissolving in the sand filter?

Oh, the best I can estimate, our pool is about 22,000 gal. *Our water temp is about 83 right now.

Thanks for your patience with a forum idiot like me!!!
Sincerely,

Sparkle : )
Sent from my iPad

[PoolDoc]

? 1. => TA is all alkalinity; Adj Alk is TA - alkalinity from cyanuric acid. (You also have alkalinity from borates, phosphates, and carbonates. CA is carbonate alkalinity.

? 2. => In one sense, the reading that matters is the one on your chlorinator cell. But, try doing the Aquachek again, but soaking the strip longer.

? 3. => If it's a concrete pool, yes. Otherwise, no.

? 4. => No, adding carbonate alkalinity will increase your pH; you'll have to add acid.

? 5. => I don't know that it's an INDICATOR of anything; it's a decent -- if slow -- method of dissolving CYA.

Regarding your pH -- learn to use muriatic acid. It's cheap, effective, and better for your pool. (But it has nasty fumes!) Here's the muriatic acid guide page.

[Sparkle]

It's a fiberglass pool. I used muratic acid most of last summer and pretty much got the hang of it. They keep trying to sell me some powder to lower pH so I don't have to worry about the fumes and chemical burn, etc.

Which alkalinity reading should I use...my TA from the test kit or their "alkalinity w/stabilizer correction?" The numbers are vastly different and I don't want to damage the fiberglass clear coat or the salt cell.

Ugh! :-)

[PoolDoc]

Low alkalinity isn't going to damage either one -- don't worry about them, yet.

[waterbear]

Some things jumping out at me here:
1. green tint to clear water
2. floating endpoint on CH test (stayng purple and never turning blue)

both of these can be indicative of metal in the water BUT are NOT conclusive.

Is your filberglass pool white or blue colored?
Did you get a new CYA view tube? It is an important test with a SWCG and with the aquarite you want the CYA at 80 pp
Vinegar is not what you should be cleaning the salt cell will. Aquarite cells should be cleaned with a 4:1 dilution of water to muriatic acid (1 cup of acid addied to 1 quart of water in a plastic bucket).

With a salt system you eventually want to get the TA down to about 70 ppm. It will slow the eventual pH rise. Higher TA will speed it up so do not put in the baking soda! You want to use an uncorrected TA reading and get the TA down to 70 ppm and a CYA at 80 ppm/ Keep the salt cell adjusted ot maintan a 4 ppm FC once you get all the bugs worked out.

[Sparkle]

Got a metal test and requested numbers before test was prformed. The store said their test doesn't produce numbers, but that if it turns blue it's not good and pink is okay. Both copper and iron were pink and the guy said there are no metals in the water.

[PoolDoc]

Remove your salt cells and look at them; flush them with plain water if necessary. Check and see if there is ACTUALLY any scale on them. Don't clean them, if there's not. If there is, ignore your dealer, get the mfg manual and follow THEIR instructions.

Pool store testing for metals is not reliable; we pretty much ignore it.

[Sparkle]

Forgot...as per your email, I'm going to get borax. Can my husband add salt while I add borax?
Also, do I wait a certain length of time between half boxes and test pH before adding more...I assume this is the case, but how long do I wait for an accurate reading?

Guess my target is 7.4.

Thanks again!! :-)

[PoolDoc]

My apologies -- but I accidentally delete your 2nd post -- I was trying to merge it. Very sorry.

+ You can add borax and salt at the same time.
+ Wait at least 2 hours after adding borax, before testing pH.
+ 7.4 is OK for now.

Did you notice Waterbear's question, about metals in your pool water?
1. Have you added any metals -- algaecides, skimmer pills, ?
2. Do you have a heater? What kind?
3. Do you have an 'ionizer', Nature2, Frog, or anything similar?
4. Where did the water in your pool come from - well, city, tank truck?

[Sparkle]

Pool store had my husband put in algicide as soon as we took off the cover. I have no idea what kind. He just did what he was told and threw out the bottle and he doesn't remember. Probably the same kind they had us put in last year...no issues last year??

Pool is darker blue finish...not white.

I asked the pool store about testing for metals and they said they did and it's fine. However, the print-out showed cooper and iron as "not run"???

Yes on skimmer pill...same kind as last year with no issues. You do mean the thing that helps prevent water loss from evaporation, right?

No heater, no ionizer, water comes from city, some of original water also came from spring...long story, but pool companies idea to speed up install. We didn't have any trouble then, nor last year, which was our first full season. Any water added since then and the majority of ariginal water is city water.

I did get the new tube and my CYA reading was the same as pool store at 55 ppm. This was yesterday and I suppose it's possible that it's gone up a bit more...had expected it to increase to 70 with the amount I added (added second 4 lbs on Wednesday).

Had trouble finding 2 boxes of Borax, but finally found a second box. We will be working on the pool for the rest of the day now that we are back home!

Thanks again for all of your help! Should I wait the same 2 hours to test the salt again or should I be more patient with this stuff?

======================================

The ideal ppm for FC in the aqua rite book is 1.0-3.0. Is there a reason you suggest keeping it at 4.0?

I'm trying to learn and absorb everything each of you is teaching me and it helps when I understand the reasons behind your logic. I've been passing info on the my husband, but he doesn't really want to know how it works. He just wants it fixed...lol