spring start up, general questions, BBB method

[chem geek]

As CrisL pointed out, there are TWO different purposes for using Borax. If you add Borax in order to raise pH, then you just add Borax only. If instead you are adding Borax to get to 30-50 ppm Borates for use as an additional pH buffer and an algaecide, then you add a heck-of-a-lot more Borax as well as acid in small portions one after the other (not together). As for how to measure Borates, there are test strips and this is described in more detail somewhere in this thread.

As for your pH, you could just wait to see how it settles out between the lowering pH effect as the chlorine level drops vs. the increasing pH effect from the outgassing of carbon dioxide. If you see that it drifts upwards on its own, then you can just let it do so as it approaches 7.5 or so. If it doesn't move, then you can add a little Borax to bump it up, but that's really up to you, mostly since 7.5 is a little better on the eyes (but just a little -- the salinity probably has a greater effect in terms of "stinging").

Exposure to sunlight (if you have any this time of year) is the best way to reduce CCs in your pool. The higher chlorine levels will help, but sometimes take a while.

Richard