How Open a Pool Using the BBB method...

[chem geek]

That is OK, though usually people just add them separately to the pool, usually adding half (or 1/4th) the required amount and alternating -- usually adding the acid first, then the 20 Mule Team Borax, to avoid the risk of scaling or calcium carbonate cloudiness. Whenever adding any of these to the pool, you do so slowly over a return flow in the deep end with the pump running. One procedure is described here.

If you are mixing these in a bucket, add the Borax first, then add the acid to it (remember the old adage, "if you're doing what you oughta, add the acid to the water").

You can buy boric acid itself, but is somewhat more expensive than buying Muriatic Acid and 20 Mule Team Borax in quantities that produce the same equivalent result in water (except that the latter 2-chemical approach results in more salt -- perhaps around 130 ppm when adding 50 ppm Borates measured as ppm Boron). See this post for some pricing from a couple of sources for Boric Acid in bulk.

[Douglas375]

Thanks, Richard, my pool is 20,000 gallons. I calculate that I need 75 pounds of Borax and 4.5 gallons of acid.

I was thinking about using a 5 gallon bucket, filling it with 4 gallons of water (80 degrees F), adding 2 pounds of Borax, adding 16 ounces of muriatic acid and then adding it to the pool. Does that sound like a good method?

Would adding the acid to the bucket before adding the Borax work better?

I have a concrete pool and I would be concerned about adding so much acid at one time, that is why I was thinking about premixing the acid and Borax in a bucket first.

[chem geek]

What you wrote sounds fine. As for the order adding to the bucket of pool water, that doesn't matter so much -- you can add the acid first if you like.

As for the concrete pool, the concern is valid, but if you split the dosage in half or in 1/4s, the pH of the pool won't drop by too much for too long. Most important is to pour slowly over a return flow in the deep end with the pump running and then to lightly brush the side and bottom area where you poured.

[anneparker]

Hey, good information really helpful for me.. thanks

[DEBBIE1532]

I have a l shaped pool 20x40x16. About 35000 gals. Of water. When opening the pool is was green. Ive been putting lots of liguid cholren untill i was told about puting bleach in the pool. The pool is blue but the deep end is still cloudy/ i need to know how much bbb to put in. Please help.

[chem geek]

You don't "put in" BBB. BBB just refers to a method with accurate testing (usually using the Taylor K-2006 or the TFTestkits TF-100), grocery store equivalents for pool store chemicals when they are substantially cheaper, and accurate dosing of only what you need and nothing more.

You really need to get yourself a proper test kit if you don't have one and read the Pool School articles on Defeating Algae and on The Shock Process. You do NOT just throw in some chlorine and hope for the best. You MAINTAIN a high FC level appropriate to the CYA level in order to kill off all the algae.

Once the algae is all dead, clearing a cloudy pool is a matter of circulation/filtration. If you have a sand filter and you aren't seeing daily progress in clearing, then you can Add DE to a Sand Filter.