have a pool chemical tester, yellow chemical and red chemical to test the Ph and Clorine levels.

My Clorine stays well with in the nominal range, my Ph on the other hand goes off the chart telling me to add more acid all the time.

We had the pool replastered 3 months ago, for the first month the plasterer took care of the chemicals, he said that everything was ok.

Since I took back over the pool care things seem to have gone arwy.

Is it normal to have to add acid every other day?

Is this a sign of plaster problems?

Or is there some other cause here that I am missing?

We have only swam in the pool about 5 times in the past month with weeks between swimming.

We do have to add water (Well water) every five days or seven days.

Cheers

David

DvdGStart:

Take a sample of your Pool Water to Leslie's Pool Company or any other Pool Company in your area & have them test your water for you.

Then do what they tell you to do to remedy the chemical balance in your pool. Keep taking samples back as many times as necessary until you get you water stabilized.

Your well water may have something to do with this condition. Ask them at the Pool place what effect the well water can have. You may have something getting into the well water from surrounding conditions that could cause this.

I also think that a new pool lining of plaster would tend to make your pool somewhat alkaline & therefore be in need of acid to counteract it.
But for how long that is a guess! Maybe until the plaster cures completely.

I am having the same problem right now & am taking another sample back to Leslie's to have it tested. I already added several pounds of shock & 12-ounces of Soda ash(acid) to my water to stabilize it & it still is not right.

Good Luck.

[This message was edited by donaldekliros on 06-25-02 at 07:26 AM.]

First, a friend of mine has pool and well water. His company told him it was best to truck water in.

Next, here is a site I found that may be of some help.

Ask Joe Pool

Thanks you two for your helpful advice.

cheers

David

I would suggest looking into a pool service company. Many times the monthly fee equals to or is lesser than the amount you are spending buying the chemicals yourself. Smile.

Susan is right, but this is something you need to learn in order to keep it under control on a daily basses. If it gets out of control then you might end up with green water like my friend did for half of the summer. It was his fault. He just did keep a close eye on it.

Algee can bloom in one day.

A little background first. I own a pool service company, am a Certified Pool Operator, and will be happy to help you with these problems on or off Answerpool.
Please do not post email addresses in open forums. Registered members can view your email address in your profile, if you wish to provide it.

Now for your problem. Sounds to me like you are having a problem with alkalinity. Before you balance pH you MUST adjust the alkalinity of the water. Alkalinity measures the waters ability to resist change in pH. The alkalinity needs to be between 100 and 150 for a plaster pool. If the alkalinity is low, you adjust up using sodium bicarbonate. If alkalinity is high, you adjust down using dry acid, or muriatic acid. Until the alkalinity is balanced you are wasting money and chemicals attempting to balance pH.

Sodium bisulfate (dry acid) or muriatic acid is used to lower both alkalinity and pH. The difference is how the acid is added to the water. To lower alkalinity with muriatic acid, the acid is put in the pool full strength, in one section of the deep end. Using dry acid to lower alkalinity, dilute the dry acid in cool water and again add to just one spot in the deep end. Check the alkalinity 24 hours later, and if it is still too high, repeat the procedure in a different location. To lower pH the acid is diluted and spread evenly around the edge of the pool.

Most pool companies love to see people walk in with water samples. They test for everything, and will make you a shopping list. Before you take a sample in, take an inventory of your chemicals that you have on hand. There is no reason to buy more soda ash (pH up) if you already have 4 pounds.

You can buy test strips that test alkalinity, pH and chlorine. Start using these strips so you can monitor you alkalinity also.

NC <><

[This message was edited by NCcichlid on 06-27-02 at 05:11 AM.]

[This message was edited by MiranndaGrey on 07-20-02 at 12:49 PM.]