Hi! We moved into our home 4 days ago. We did swim in our pool a few times but it’s also been storming and raining a bunch since we moved in. We didn’t do anything the first 3 days. On the fourth day when I got home from work we noticed some cloudiness. I tested the water and FC/TC was low, Alk was low, pH was 6.4, Cya was low and TH was normal. We have a 20,000 gallon pool and I dumped 8 lbs of baking soda in and a gallon of chlorine. Retested this morning and everything except pH was okay (6.8). I added another 4lbs of baking soda. We tested again around noon, pH still at 6.8 and chlorine had dropped, so added more chlorine and 4lbs baking soda. Tested again tonight and chlorine is back to good and pH is still at 6.8 and the pool is still very cloudy. My plan is to continue to add baking soda in the 4lb increments until pH is balanced. Is this the right path or should we do anything else. Thanks in advance!
pH low and cloudy
- Thread starter jasauter
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
First, stop adding baking soda. It’s unlikely that your pH is that low. It definitely was not 6.4.
Please post actual numbers for alkalinity and CYA along with how you are testing.
First, stop adding baking soda. It’s unlikely that your pH is that low. It definitely was not 6.4.
Please post actual numbers for alkalinity and CYA along with how you are testing.
Hi John,
We have Insta Test sticks that the previous owners of the house left. The last reading was:
FCI - 3
TCI - 3
Alk - 120
pH - 6.8
TH - 250
CyA - 40
Thanks!
We have Insta Test sticks that the previous owners of the house left. The last reading was:
FCI - 3
TCI - 3
Alk - 120
pH - 6.8
TH - 250
CyA - 40
Thanks!
Just concentrate on keeping the chlorine where it should be according to
FC/CYA Levels
Consider one of the recommended test kits. The results are substantially more trustworthy and the ranges are better.
Test Kits Compared
Thank you. I did use the test strip again this morning since that is all we have. I plan to get a different testing system. I submerged a cup in our deeper end and used that to test with. The testing read:
FCI - 5
TCI - 5
Alk -120-180 (it colored half and half so I am not 100% sure - did more than 1 test and this happened both times)
pH - 7.2
TH - 250
Cya- 40
It is still cloudy in the deep end of the pool. Using the above link you sent, it looks like the FC and CYA are where they should be. What can I do now about the cloudiness? Thanks!
FCI - 5
TCI - 5
Alk -120-180 (it colored half and half so I am not 100% sure - did more than 1 test and this happened both times)
pH - 7.2
TH - 250
Cya- 40
It is still cloudy in the deep end of the pool. Using the above link you sent, it looks like the FC and CYA are where they should be. What can I do now about the cloudiness? Thanks!
Just keep the pump running 24/7 and clean the filter as required. Be sure to stay on top of the chlorine so it never drops below the recommended minimum level.
What kind of filter do you have?
What kind of filter do you have?
A must
Test Kits Compared
Then take a look at the links below.
Pool Care Basics
FC/CYA Levels
PoolMath
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process
Test Kits Compared
Then take a look at the links below.
Pool Care Basics
FC/CYA Levels
PoolMath
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process