New pool owner bbb ?

[wragusa]

about 5400k gallons

[PoolDoc]

On a 5,400 gallon pool, a gallon of plain 6% household bleach will add about 12 ppm of free chlorine.

The OTO / phenol red 'dye' kit is MUCH more reliable than the test strips usually sold today. However, there's no 'cheapie' way to measure CYA (cyanuric acid), plus if you run your chlorine levels correctly, as a function of your CYA level, you have to be able to measure higher levels of chlorine than you can easily do with OTO.

[wragusa]

yes but what about the borax and baking soda. what are they used for and how much would be needed for PH changes ?

[PoolDoc]

Hi Wrag;

Borax is used to raise the pH, or to create a borate residual > 50 ppm, which makes your pool somewhat resistant to algae, and tends to make it 'sparkle' more, apparently by modifying the refractive index of water slightly.

Baking soda is used to raise alkalinity -- it's EXACTLY the same chemical as is sold by pool stores as "Alkalinity Increaser"

If you would, please post your pool info -- it helps us keep give better info.

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[wragusa]

12x18 AG pool
4 feet deep.

so i would use the same amount of baking soda as i would of the pool store chemical
?

[PoolDoc]

Yes, but don't do that. We don't know what your TA is, and it may be too high. Use borax.

[wragusa]

The only reason i have not gone to crazy with everything is because there is a leak somewhere.
I been trying to find it but have not found it yet. I lose a a inch or so a day. I know the leak is in the liner. I been llsong water all winter. My pool is half in ground so no wet spots. Any tips? ?