My ph is low and it laughs at Borax

[CarlD]

Your very first post! I think you need to take some time to review the teachings on here by reading through the stickes, by reading everything you can on the sister PoolSolutions website, and while you are at it, also reading the Pool School section over at Troublefreepool.com. (Carl, if that last line is not OK please edit it out!).
Not being critical or anything like that but you really do not have a grasp on the basics that are taught here. Once you understand them you will not be stumped.
Also, I too buy my baking soda in the big bags from Costco and the directions on the side of the bagf/box will overdose you and raise the TA too much. (Then again, Church and Dwight AKA Arm and Hammer do want you to buy as much baking soda as possible, don't they?

SACRILEGE!!!!! YOU ARE HEREBY BANNED UNTIL THE UNIVERSE COLLAPSES!!!! ABANDON ALL HOPE!

(Just kidding......not a problem )

[Unabomber007]

I drained a good amount of water today and am refilling. I'd guess maybe 1/3 of the water...maybe 1/2. It's currently refilling and I'd test levels hopefully later tonight or tomorrow.

I think what I did wrong was to not check ALK like I should. I'll make sure to start keeping an eye on this. My reason for being dumb on these issues is my wife took over ownership of the pool last year due to my being overseas. So much of my pool smarts disappeared. I've been here and to those sites you've mentioned more times than probably anyone. Though I'm a Pool Forum n00b, this forum stuff is old hat for me....I have over 23,000 posts on the other forum I belong to.

Anyways, we'll see what the new testing brings.

[CarlD]

Good Luck! Post it and we'll see what we can do.

[Unabomber007]

FC 1.5
PH 6.8
ALK 120
CAL 60
CYA 80

The pump had only been running for 1 hour before the rain started, so I'm wondering what will happen tomorrow after a good long pump run. I also didn't fill it up to where it should be due to our chance of rain over the next two days. It's maybe 2" over the skimmer...right where the pump runs fine and the skimmer doesn't make gurgling noises.

CAL was 60 for sure. I measured with my 10000% WHITE LED flashlight and I could full see the color change. I guess the sun's yellow tint didn't allow me to see that before.

CYA was done with the flashlight and inside and I think the lighting isn't right to read it effectively as you are supposed to do it in sunlight. So I hope that goes down after longer pump running, a touch more water, and a sunny outdoor reading. I'll not be a happy camper after dumping 10,000ish gallons of water to not see a change.

Anyways, I added nothing and turned the pump off for the night. Tomorrow, weather depending, I will run the pump for 3 hours at least. I will probably dump in 1 big jug of Walmart Bleach and my last 2 boxes of Borax. Then retest to see if my ALK change helped my pH ability. So unless anyone has further input that's what I'll do tomorrow if the rain cooperates.

[CarlD]

You cannot test CYA that way--you'll get a false reading. ALL the tests are best done in daylight or sunlight and CYA has to be done in direct sun.

Meanwhile, you should go ahead and add your last two boxes of Borax. Remember: Most pool test kits cannot measure pH below 6.8. It could be 4.2 and would show as 6.8. Until you get it to 6.9, you won't know that you've reached that 6.8.

[aylad]

If you're going to have to dump water, I would do it before using all the Borax, since your fill water is probably higher ph than your pool water---that way you lower your CYA and raise the pH at the same time with much less stuff added....

Janet

[waterbear]

Though I'm a Pool Forum n00b, this forum stuff is old hat for me....I have over 23,000 posts on the other forum I belong to.

IF they are not swimming pool forums (and IMHO there are only 2 worthwhile ones) then those posts are not really going to help you with your pool, are they

[waterbear]

SACRILEGE!!!!! YOU ARE HEREBY BANNED UNTIL THE UNIVERSE COLLAPSES!!!! ABANDON ALL HOPE!

(Just kidding......not a problem )

Well, it's not the first time a hot headed Mod has threatened to ban me is it?
Must be a New Jersey thing!

[CarlD]

Well, it's not the first time a hot headed Mod has threatened to ban me is it?
Must be a New Jersey thing!

Are yoo talkin' to me? I SAID are yoo talkin' to ME????

[Unabomber007]

Tested just now after 3 hours of pump running. Not sure how much it rained, but the water level is now perfectly in the middle of the skimmer.

FC 1.5
PH 7.2
ALK 120
CYA 80

So I just dropped one jug of Walmart bleach in and one more box of Borax. It's distressing that the CYA didn't go lower, but I am so not going to drain the pool again unless I start having problems.

Overall the water is MUCH improved today. Very little cloudiness as I can finally see all the way to the bottom. It needs a good vacuuming to waste but otherwise I think it's open and awaiting the better weather.