CSI concerns when lowering TA

[JamieP]

How much do I have to worry about the CSI getting way out of range when I purposefully lower TA using the method explained here at TFP? If I were to lower the PH with acid to 7.0, that would put my CSI at -0.6. Or is it so temporary that it shouldn't matter?

These are my current numbers:
FC = 8
CC = 0
PH = 7.8 (Just brought it down to 7.5 with acid)
CH = 250
TA = 125
Salt = ~3500 (Raised slightly because of my recent SLAM)
CYA = 80 (I need to recheck this now that my SLAM is over. We had rain that overflowed the pool during the SLAM and plenty of splash out from kids.)
Temp: 90

Thanks!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Hey Jamie!

A temporary excursion to low CSI will do no harm to your pool. It's only when the CSI is really low and stays that way for extended periods of time (weeks & months) that damage ensues. Typically at pool water temperatures (80's), the CSI has to get below -1.0 to really do any kind of serious damage and it has to stay that low for an extended period of time. For spas, it's more like -0.7 before effects are seen.

The method of lowering TA in Pool School will only have your pH low for a short period of time (especially if you let all your kiddos play in the pool to aerate it). pH rises very rapidly from 7.0 to 7.5 and then slows down considerably.

Hope that helps.

Matt

 

[JamieP]

Thanks Matt! We are making our first attempt at beginning the process of lowering the TA tonight. I've got the slide going and the bubblers, so hopefully that's enough.

How was your son's birthday party? I hope you were able to avoid that SLAM you were alluding to! ;-)

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You'll do fine lowering TA. Don't feel like you have to run the bubblers 24/7, your water will outgas CO2 regardless. Aeration just speeds things up and, honestly, throwing six kids into the pool will do far more aeration than any bubblers with the added benefit of exhausting the kids before bedtime

My sons 11th birthday party was a resounding success. Ten boys!! We started the afternoon off with a water balloon and super soaker water gun battle on the basketball court; I got to use the garden hose to keep them in line. Then they hit the pool for an hour or so with the water guns and pool noodles. Then we fed them BBQ'd hot dogs and hamburgers followed up with more pool time. They finished the day indoors with a networked, multiplayer Minecraft realm (a friend of ours is a huge gamer and did classic arcade game setups as a side business for a long time) where they battled lots of creepers, endermen and mobs (if you don't know Minecraft lingo, you will someday).

My pool lost approximately 1-1/2 to 2" of water from splash out (major cannonball rally off the rock waterfall) and, by the end of the day had a tinge of cloudiness. No matter though, I bumped the water up by 2ppm prior to the party and added another 2ppm that evening. By the next morning my water was back to super-sparkly-clear and my FC was perfect with no CCs. I did lower the pH to 7.2 beforehand and the "aeration" raised it up to 7.6. So, all-in-all, it was a great day and a testament to how well a TFP pool can handle a major bather waste spike - 11 year old boys are not known for showering much nor did anyone ask to leave the pool to relieve themselves....hmmmmmm....