Can't keep my ph and alkalinity down

[RESISTENCIA13]

Hello everyone!

I am a new pool owner and new to the forum. I am having a hard time keeping the PH and Alkalinity down despite my best efforts and dumping PH minus almost on a daily basis along with a chemical named Pepper, which is suppose to help salt pool keeping the PH low.

Any help with be appreciated. Please note that my pool was built last year and uses a Salt Generator. Additionally, I have been heating the pool for the past few weeks keeping the temperature between 80-90 degrees. I use a test trips and an aquachek Trutest Digital Reader. Additionally, I take the water to my pool supply store for test every three days to ensure I am getting accurate readings.

 

[Donldson]

Welcome to TFP!

I can't find the MSDS for Pepper, but it mentions that it buffers pH so I am going to bet it contains baking soda and that it is responsible for increasing your TA. However, since you are using test strips and pool store testing then you are not getting accurate results. I have a link in my signature to some test kits that will give you far more accurate results than either test strips or the pool store. You may want to consider purchasing one to make sure you are working with truly accurate numbers.

 

[JasonLion]

Here is the product page for Pepper, but I also can not find a MSDS.

It is a multi-function product. There isn't any one chemical that can do all of those things. We never recommend using multi-function products, as you almost never need all of the different functions and adding the un-needed chemicals is very likely to cause problems.

 

[JamesW]

It's from the makers of ez-pool. My understanding is that it basically ez-pool minus bicarb and calcium. Best to be avoided. I'm not sure if it contains copper.

The main ingredients are potassium persulfate (a known irritant) and a clarifier.

I think that this is the ingredient list for EZ Pool.

1) Potassium persulfate.
2) Sodium bisulfate.
3) Ammonium chloride.
4) Calcium chloride.
5) Sodium Bicarbonate.
6) Aluminum chloride (possibly Aluminum chlorohydrate).
7) Copper sulfate

 

[pooldv]

Here is what we recommend
Recommended Pool Chemicals

And an article about Lowering Total Alkalinity