TA and PH levels

[dkbrat]

tests today
FC 9
CC0
PH 7.4
TA 100
CH 300
CYA 135

After slamming one week ago, the FC finally dropped below 10 to test the PH. I am still in the learning phase, and curious about the PH and TA effects on the water. I have a water fall on the spa and another waterfall on the pool. I see that aeration will raise the PH. The current reading for TA is 100 and to reduce to 80 to 90 I need to drop PH and aerate. Is my TA too high or should leave alone and retest in a few days? I will raise the FC back to 11 but wanted correct any PH or TA problems first. BTW, I am working to reduce CYA. Did partial drain before slam and reduced from 360. Will do again as water restrictions ease. Also does Polyquat 60 impact PH or TA. I am using while CYA is high

 

[RobbieH]

If your pH stays steady enough for you, don't worry about the TA. If it keeps going up more than you like, drop pH to 7.2 and keep doing so until you get TA to 70-80.

 

[Richard320]

As it says in Pool School on how to lower TA: There are two reasons to lower your total alkalinity (TA) right away, because you want to slow down the rate that the PH rises, or if high TA is contributing to a high calcium saturation index (CSI) which puts you at risk of calcium scaling. You shouldn't lower TA just to reach a target number. Make sure you actually have one of the above issues before lowering your TA.

Polyquat shouldn't affect things.

Assuming the water is clear, stop fussing and go swimming.

 

[dkbrat]

Okay. Yes water is very clear

This past weekend when we were swimming I had complaints of itchy skin and burning eyes. My FC was 15 then, so I don't know what the PH was. I have not added anything since that time and was just able to test the PH today at 7.4. I assume with my water falls running each day this will come up. Would the slam process have lowered my ph and aeration now bringing it back up? Just trying to understand what is causing itchy skin and burning. Have not had that issue before starting the change to bleach.

 

[Smykowski]

Just trying to understand what is causing itchy skin and burning. Have not had that issue before starting the change to bleach.

It's likely the volume of bathers. Did anyone come to your house, slather on the sunscreen, and immediately jump into the pool? Between that, and any sweat, spit, or pee (yeah, it happens) you probably had an acutely high level of CCs doing the damage.

The only way to prevent/minimize the effects is to ask your guests to wait 20 min after putting on sunscreen before swimming, don't pee in the pool, keep the pumps running while everyone is swimming, and keep the FC a little higher than normal during the party.