Opening pool about time - alkalinity help

[leopardjunkie]

[attachment=0:dhu57hnv]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372183598.541536.jpg[/attachment:dhu57hnv]
TH is zero

Opened the pool yesterday. Filled with water and added 8% bleach to bring it to shock level for 0 cya. Also added cya to hopefully bring to around 30-40. The totals above are what my test results are today after overnight fill. I know because I am shocking my ph is probably off.

Should I wait to adjust TA? Or start right away since that process takes forever. How much should I adjust the TA at a time. If I remember I have to do it gradually due to the ph etc. but can't find the lowering TA link that has all the steps.

I have aprox 2,086 gallons in my above ground pool. It's the target kind that is basically the liner held up by supports if that helps

Also does shocking the pool give a false high or false low read on the ph?

 

[jblizzle]

You can not really "adjust" the TA as I think you mean. You have to follow the Lowering Total Alkalinity process which means you lower the pH to 7.2 which lowers the TA some and then aerate to raise the pH back up so you can lower them both again. You really do not have to actively try to lower the TA ... just keep the pH in check and the TA will lower on its own.

What are you testing with?

The Taylor drop pH tests will read artificially high when the FC > 10ppm.

 

[leopardjunkie]

Ok yes in the past I have allways used muratic acid that lowers the ph and slightly the TA and then use aeration to bring the ph back up.

I am using the drop system to test ph, not Taylor though.. One that I got from the pool store you add one drops to neutralize the chlorine and another to indicate the ph so then it should be accurate?

 

[jblizzle]

No that pH test will also not be accurate at higher FC levels ... in fact it may not be as accurate as the Taylor test.

The problem with the chlorine neutralizer is that it in fact affects the pH to some degree. The Taylor tests have something in the reagent to try to account for the FC levels up to about 10ppm. It is hard to say how high the kit you are using is accurate.

You could try an experiment and do the pH test with different numbers of drops of the neutralizer and likely the pH will change.

 

[leopardjunkie]

So other than helping to stabilize ph are there any other benefits to lowering TA?

 

[jblizzle]

The pH buffering is the major player.

Secondary would be high TA can lead to higher CSI which can lead to calcium scaling ... but CH and pH are also factors in that. Did you not test CH or is it really zero?

Keep the pH in range and you really should not need to worry about TA.

 

[leopardjunkie]

I have a Taylor test for total hardness. When you add the drops it is supposed to turn red if hardness is present. It flashes red but then goes to blue. I tried it on my household tap that is attached to the softener and to the water coming out of the hose and both of them turned red and stayed red... The hose water is about 50% higher than the water in the house. Unless my shock level is messing that up too. But last year I was not able to get a red reading on my pool water. I will double check when I get to the pool store. But from what I can tell it is low to zero?

 

[jblizzle]

Ok. Sounds like the CH is 0 or very near ... that means the higher TA is even less likely to cause any problems.

 

[leopardjunkie]

Perfect thanks!!!