High TA Peeps: Is it possible to pre-filter makeup water to reduce TA?

[Swampwoman]

Greetings, all.

My friend is filling his new above ground pool with well water that we now know has a TA of 340.

While I know what he'll have to do ultimately to reduce it, what I don't know is whether a pre-filter on the hose will help reduce the makeup water TA much.

My own make up water is softened water by design, so I thought I'd ask those of you with high TA fill water if you've ever found pre-filtering useful.

I have used this pre-filter as a safety to catch iron from my well if the softener regenerates during a top up. Would something like this be a good idea for him? Amazon.com : Pre Fresh Garden Hose End Water Filter all purpose, pool, spa, hot tub, pets, car wash : Garden Hose Parts : Patio, Lawn Garden


Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[chem geek]

Most pre-filters are cationic (positive ion) exchange resins so are good for exchanging calcium and magnesium and iron for sodium. To remove TA, you want an anionic (negative ion) exchange resin that can exchange bicarbonate ion with chloride ion (these are known as dealkalizers). Unfortunately, unlike water softeners, these appear to mostly be found in commercial units and not in something like a hose filter or residential unit. For example, Culligan Matrix Solutions HE is a smaller commercial model.

 

[msgtdan]

I wouldn't worry too much about the high TA, it will cause PH to rise quicker but the TA will come down as you keep PH in check. You can lower it faster if you aerate the water to force PH to rise, or just let it happen slowly on it's own. I have similar well water TA levels, after the first season I drained down for the winter, then in the spring I plugged all inlets/outlets and let rainwater refill the pool. My TA usually runs 100-150 throughout the summer. Late summer I usually have to top off from the well so that brings TA back up and I have to use more acid to keep PH right. It's just something I know about and don't worry over. I usually only check TA & CH about once a month anymore.

 

[Swampwoman]

Thanks so much, guys! That helps a lot

 

[JVTrain]

You can buy A LOT of muriatic acid for the likely cost of that filter and I'm not sure how many gallons a single filter would dealkalize.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You could do what they do in an alkaline plaster startup and use a 50 gallon drum to pretreat the water with MA and add an air blower aerate it. But that would take an awful long time trying to fill a pool 50 gal at a time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk