Newbie chemical imbalance!

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Jwturpin
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 29 Jun, 2020 11:23
My Pool: 8ft Best way fast set, 2ft feet deep

Newbie chemical imbalance!

Postby Jwturpin » Mon 29 Jun, 2020 11:40

Hi all,

I'm new to this chemical lark. I've only got an 8ft fast set, but have invested in filter and chemical pack in order to keep it up over the summer and not endure 4hour filling times!

So quick Q, I've been a bit naughty using bleach to chlorinate the pool in the first instance, simply because I didn't have a filter and chemicals when I first bought it.

Anyway, I have the right stuff arriving in the post in the next few days.
I have Fi-Chlor chlorine granules, pH+, pH- and algaecide, along with test strips.

No-one's been in it with the readings as they are, and noone will until they're balanced!
Prior to me adding more bleach yesterday, the pH was about 7.4 and chlorine <1ppm

My current readings are as follows, and I'm not sure what to do with the chemicals when they come....

I haven't yet got any Alkanility builder because I wasn't sure if I'd need it alongside the pH+ & - with my soft water which is 25mg/l

Total Chlorine 9-10ppm
Free Chlorine 10/22
pH 6.8/9
Total Alkanility somewhere between 0-40ppm
Cyanuric Acid <30ppm
Total Hardness <100pm

Any advice will be most gratefully received!!
Jon


Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Newbie chemical imbalance!

Postby Denniswiseman » Mon 29 Jun, 2020 12:43

You started right with the bleach and then went wrong
Use these common products to balance your pool
Liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite or plain bleach)
Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to lower pH and TA
Bicarbonate of soda to raise TA
Aeration will raise pH only
Soda ash will raise pH and TA
Test strips are commonly called guess strips
You really need to get yourself a decent FAS/DPD test kit (Taylor K2006c or TF Testkits TF100 in the states) to get accurate results as maintaining an appropiate shock level means testing quite often during the day
Your Chlorine numbers look wrong and useless FC + CC = TC, with a range 10 - 22, also pH 6.8 - 9 is useless. One is acidic and the other alkaline
Although not recommended get the pool store to check the numbers
FC:
TC:
pH:
TA:
CH:
CYA:
Jwturpin
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 29 Jun, 2020 11:23
My Pool: 8ft Best way fast set, 2ft feet deep

Re: Newbie chemical imbalance!

Postby Jwturpin » Mon 29 Jun, 2020 15:09

Denniswiseman wrote:You started right with the bleach and then went wrong
Use these common products to balance your pool
Liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite or plain bleach)
Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to lower pH and TA
Bicarbonate of soda to raise TA
Aeration will raise pH only
Soda ash will raise pH and TA
Test strips are commonly called guess strips
You really need to get yourself a decent FAS/DPD test kit (Taylor K2006c or TF Testkits TF100 in the states) to get accurate results as maintaining an appropiate shock level means testing quite often during the day
Your Chlorine numbers look wrong and useless FC + CC = TC, with a range 10 - 22, also pH 6.8 - 9 is useless. One is acidic and the other alkaline
Although not recommended get the pool store to check the numbers
FC:
TC:
pH:
TA:
CH:
CYA:


Thank you Dennis for your reply. I must admit the "guess" strips are difficult to read, I interpreted them as best I could.
Hopefully my image link works and you can see what I refer to?
This is a link to an image of the test strips againatbthet chart if it helps show what I mean...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UcljgjbTreQOE825MdlhqPDsgysKn58f/view?usp=drivesdk
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Newbie chemical imbalance!

Postby Denniswiseman » Tue 30 Jun, 2020 02:03

The guess strips are useless . Do as I recommend and get a pool store to test before you get your own decent test kit

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