High TA and solar cover correlation?

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pakrh8r

pakrh8r

0
May 15, 2013
51
Chicago, Illinois
Pool Size
5500
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I tried searching for the answer before posting this but couldn't find the exact answer. This is my first year using the BBB method (actually started after opening pool). I've noticed my TA keeps creeping up this year. It may have in previous 2 years of owning the pool but I didn't have a good test kit until purchasing the TF-100 kit earlier in the season. I recently drained about 1/3 of my pool to combat high CYA (65+). My CYA is now around 45. When I refilled and tested about 2 weeks ago my TA was at 120. After 2 weeks it is at 140. When looking at posts regarding lowering the TA, I see that you need to lower the pH then aerate to lower the TA. Is it possible my TA is rising because I keep my solar cover on when we are not using the pool, which is more often than not with Chicago's crazy weather this year? Does a pool need to "breathe"? Should I take the cover off for any period of time after not using the pool for a few days? I'm curious what the correlation is between keeping a solar cover on for extended periods of time and TA readings. Thanks.
 
What you stated is not correct. You add acid to lower both the pH and the TA, then aerate to raise ONLY the pH so that you can add more acid.

Sunlight does help break down any CC that are in the water, but the FC will do that too eventually, letting it "breathe" would not hurt anything.

The cover should have nothing to do with the TA. Have you tested the TA of your fill water? How often do you have to top-off the pool?
 
If you have high TA fill water, the cover should actually reduce the rise of TA because it reduces evaporation. That also applies to CH.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that TA changes with pH, so when comparing TA readings you need to consider the pH when each reading was taken.
 
Thanks. I was curious if there was any reason a cover would increase the TA but it looks like there isn't. I have not tested my fill water yet but will do so. I don't think this is the problem since I haven't toppped off the pool at all since I refilled it. We've had so much rain this year that I haven't topped it off once yet. I'm usually making the kids get in there and splash around to lower the water level. Thanks for the clarification regarding acid lowering TA and pH. This weekend when I have some time I will add some acid to lower BOTH of those then will try to aerate to bring the pH back up. I guess I do remember reading that in the posts now that you mention it. From what I remember I'll probably have to add acid more than once between aerating until I can get the TA and pH back within the proper levels. Thanks for the help folks, I appreciate it.
 
I just re-read that TA post and it mentions that I shouldn't lower TA just to hit a target TA level. I've never tested for CSI but using the pool calculator I see that my water is "balanced" under that section. If my TA is at 140 should I lower it or not? My pH level always goes down on its own, never up. I'm considering only aerating instead of adding borax to increase pH but I want to try it once first. What is your opinion on that? Thanks.
 
It is pretty rare for the pH to drop on its own unless you are using puck or dichlor.

The only real reason to lower the TA is if the pH is RISING faster than you like. And aerating is fine to raise the pH, assuming it is not very low and out of range.
 
I stopped using the trichlor pucks in June and the pH still wants to drop. All I use to chlorinate now is 8% bleach. I usually don't let the pH go below 7.2 before I bring it back up. I shoot for a level of 7.5. I used to use the pH Up product but have switched to Borax this past week. If my pH is continually dropping and the post says I shouldn't drop TA to hit a specific level, is it ok to leave it at 140 or higher? If I don't have to worry about it being at that level as long as everything else looks good I'm not going to go thgrough the hassle of using acid and aerating.
 
It is illogical for you pH to continually lower for no good reason. How often are you having to add water? What is the pH of you tap water?

If it really is dropping, then I would leave the TA alone.
 

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I do not know the pH of my tap water and will test that tonight. I have not added water once this year due to all of the rain we've had and the decrease in use. My pool has consistently dropped pH levels in the 3 years that I've had it. I never really thought that much about it until I read all of the articles and posts on this website and they all seem to say my pH should be increasing on its own. I'll create a new post once I know my tap water's pH to see what folks think about this issue. Thanks.
 
I just tested my tap water for pH and TA. The pH is 7.2 and the TA is 110. I could see TA lowering if I added a lot of water to the pool, but I haven't added any since I drained and refilled a couple weeks ago for the CYA issue. When I retested the pool I have a TA level of 130, down from the 140 I had last night. The pH is still 7.2, even after adding 14 oz. of Borax yesterday. The poolcalculator.com app told me to add 28 oz. of Borax but I didn't want to do that much all at once. I may keep it at 7.2 and go ahead and add acid and aerate to get the TA lower this weekend. I also noticed that my CYA level was at 65 tonight. This is after a reading of 45 after the refill a couple weeks ago. I haven't added any CYA so I'm not sure why that is reading higher. Is it possible that lighting can effect that test? I did it indoors under incadescent lighting tonight as opposed to outdoors.
 
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