pH keeps drifting down to 7.2

[DigbyAllen]

I can't figure out why my pH keeps drifting down. It tends to stabilize at 7.2 or 7.3. According to the pool calculator my pH goal should be 7.5 to 7.8 but I just can't seem to get it to stay there. I was adding Borax every other day and then I finally gave up and decided to see what would happen if I just stopped the steady diet of Borax. The pH drops to 7.2 and stays there.

Maybe this is a non-issue. My water is crystal clear. I try to keep my FC at 7.0, towards the high end of the recommended 4-8 range based on my CYA 50 level.

What do you experts think? Could it be related to aeration, or lack of? I'm the only one who uses the pool and I don't splash around much. Usually I'm just dunking in to cool off, or floating on a raft. Is it something to do with my chlorine level? Am I worried about nothing?

Here are my readings (TF-100 kit). Thanks.

pH 7.2
FC 6.5
CC 0.0
TC 6.5
TA 80
CH 20
CYA 50

 

[jblizzle]

How are you adding chlorine?

I bet many members wished their pH would just stay at 7.2

 

[DigbyAllen]

How are you adding chlorine?

I bet many members wished their pH would just stay at 7.2

I use bleach. I get the concentrated stuff (8.25%) at either the grocery store or Home Depot, whichever is cheaper.

 

[jblizzle]

Well, that eliminates the dichlor / trichlor possibility.

How often do you have to top off the water? What is the pH of that water? Or maybe your rain has a low pH.

I would not worry about it

 

[R.J.]

Mine's gone from 7.0 at Memorial Day to 7.3 at yesterday's test. Water feels fine so I don't worry about it.

 

[pwrstrk]

Last year mine was rock stable at 7.2. This year it's rock stable at 7.3-7.5. I don't mess with it at all. ?

 

[Smykowski]

As long as it's between 7.2 and 7.8 (and the swimmers aren't complaining), crack another adult beverage and turn up the stereo.

 

[DigbyAllen]

How often do you have to top off the water? What is the pH of that water? Or maybe your rain has a low pH.

I rarely have to top off the water, maybe only a couple of times per summer. Evaporation is not a problem because it's never very windy and the humidity in NY tends to be high in the summer, plus I keep the pool covered except when in use.

We probably average an inch or two of rain per week so that keeps my water level up. Occasionally after a big storm I have to drain water so I use that as an opportunity to backflush. I have never tested my rain water. Now you got me curious so maybe I'll do that next time it rains.

Just for grins I tested my fill water. Here are the results:

pH 6.8
FC 1.0
CC 0.0
TC 1.0
TA 30
CH 30
CYA 0

I would not worry about it

I'm starting to think that's the best advice. I was wondering about the effects of continuously adding Borax. What is that doing to my water? If I stop adding Borax, my pH stabilizes but at a lower level than I'd like, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. I'm tired of fighting with it for no reason.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

If it bugs you, you can always try adding some aeration to the pool. Make a fun project out of it and construct a "water cooler" gizmo out of PVC. Hook it up to a return and make a fancy fountain.

Aeration will generally increase your pH by reducing the amount of dissolved CO2 in your pool water.

Other than that, don't worry about it too much...

 

[DigbyAllen]

If it bugs you, you can always try adding some aeration to the pool. Make a fun project out of it and construct a "water cooler" gizmo out of PVC. Hook it up to a return and make a fancy fountain.

Aeration will generally increase your pH by reducing the amount of dissolved CO2 in your pool water.

Ha! With all the rain and cool weather this summer, the last thing I need to do is cool down my pool!

If the experts here say don't worry about it, then I have decided it doesn't bother me. My original concern was about constantly adding Borax to the pool and what is that doing to my water, or not adding Borax at all and just letting the pH stabilize where it is happy. I'll do the latter i.e. do nothing.

 

[pwrstrk]

Ha! With all the rain and cool weather this summer, the last thing I need to do is cool down my pool!

If the experts here say don't worry about it, then I have decided it doesn't bother me. My original concern was about constantly adding Borax to the pool and what is that doing to my water, or not adding Borax at all and just letting the pH stabilize where it is happy. I'll do the latter i.e. do nothing.

Good choice !!?