High TA I think...well water

[sjthrash]

I have been fighting this older pool since we moved here two months ago. It was full of sludge and green! We brushed and cleaned up what we could see and then called pool service company for help. They tossed in what I now know to be Cal Hypo and it helped the algae but water was cloudy. Then I called the previous owner and he told me to fill the automatic chlorinater with the 3" tablets. BIG MISTAKE! My search was on and I found this website. Thank you all so much! Bought ColorQ test kit (was using strips) and found that everything was out of balance! So I followed TFP recommendations and all is pretty good now. I'm skipping some steps as I'm sure you've heard it all before. Yes, CYA was off the charts. Drain, refill, drain, refill, etc etc.

Present day...all tests taken at 7am (pool temp 85) ColorQ and TF100 test results:

FC 3.62 (TF100 about the same)
TC 3.62 (TF100 about the same)
PH 7.3 (TF100 about the same)
TA HELP ColorQ #1 229 #2 193 #3 179 (same water, clean test tube) TF100 130!!!
CH 405 (TF100 550)
CYA 78 (TF100 60)

I know what to do for the FC/TC obviously
PH lowered with 2 lbs PH minus to lower TA last night---aerating now to raise
CH is high but if I drain/refill my TA will go up (I tested our well water...TA is high)

What to do?? Yes, I use Pool Math religiously!!

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! Well, according to your TF-100 results, your TA is a bit elevated (130), but not too terribly high. We've seen others MUCH higher. So just continue with the acid/aeration method to work it down. Remember, there's no magic TA number, just find a spot that helps to keep your pH steady. That's all you need to do. At some point, when you load all your numbers into Poolmath, take a peek at the "CSI" row to ensure your level is good for your plaster. TA, pH, and CH work together to develop that CSI result.

Biggest concern today with our heat is maintaining that proper FC level for your CYA. Good luck, and have a nice weekend.

 

[sjthrash]

Thank you, Texas Splash! My PH keeps rising even without aeration. After my post I decided to wait and see what it would do on it's own. This morning, after pump on for 45 mins I tested and it was 7.8!!! How did that happen? TA was the same...130. CH on ColorQ was 481. I don't have a clue how to lower that. We will be vacuuming the pool today so I will be adding our hard well water. So the beat goes on...I just know my TA will go up as well as CH. Thinking we should just fill the dang thing with dirt and be done with it LOL

 

[duraleigh]

Assuming you don't fill it with dirt, TA is rather easy to lower (as low as you want).

Here is the article....Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

Lowering CH entails draining off some of your pool water but your CH is not that bad. I would leave it for this summer, anyway.