How often do you adjust pH levels?

[Brian T]

I believe that I have my pool balanced according to the recommendations on this forum. However, I find that I have to add MA to level my pH about every 2 days.

Is this normal?

What is the average amount of days between adjusting pH for a balanced pool?

 

[wrems]

What are your levels?

At first I had to do some manipulation but once I got my TA settled my pH rarely moves. I'm at pH 7.6 and TA 100. I only test it once a week now since it doesn't move. I'm happy with it!

 

[Brian T]

Wow! Please tell me how you do that. Here are my levels:

Cl: 5ppm
pH: 7.6
TA: 80ppm
CH: 260ppm
CYA: 40ppm

I love taking care of my pool but it kind of sucks that we have to monitor it every day. Once a week would be perfect.

What about chlorine? Please don't tell me you only have to adjust that once a week. You're gonna kill me!

 

[wrems]

I check and adjust my chlorine and cc's every morning. Then every Monday I do a full workup. My pH really found it's own sweet spot after I lowered my TA from 170 down to 80 and added borates via borax. After I added borates the ta rose to 100 within a couple weeks and pH had some deviations but my pool seems to like 7.6.

 

[Brian T]

Does anyone know what causes pH to decrease, assuming that the rest of the levels are balanced?

My TA is 80ppm. Do you think if I raised it to 100 or 120, my pH would not fluctuate as much?

 

[kimkats]

Ph rise-Big water movement such as waterfalls, overspills, returns rolling the water, LOTS of splashing in the pool, etc.

You will learn what your pool wants. My pool likes a TA of 75 to keep my PH in line at 7.6 or so.

Kim

oops I just reread you post and saw you said decrease........The only thing I know that decreases PH is muratic acid.

 

[Skitch]

I noticed that my pH like to be on the high side of the range, 7.7 or 7.8. Attempts to keep it lower are futile.

 

[Texas Splash]

My PH used to fluctuate as well until I just let my TA remain a little lower (60-70). That seemed to help stabilize my PH. I rarely use my fountain, so I don't have a lot of aeration to drive my PH back up.

 

[ping]

Your pool is new so you are seeing an increase in the pH due to the plaster curing. The rise from the curing plaster will slow down after a year and you will have to stay on top of the pH and not let it get above 7.8 for too long.

If you raise the TA it will only cause the pH to rise faster.

You want to reduce any type of aeration as much as you can. Is the spa raised? If so, make sure the water only trickles down and doesn't splash into the pool.

 

[devon]

Hi Brian -
I think ping nailed it. I too have to add ~16 oz MA every two days due to pH rise from 7.5 to 7.7-7.8ish (TA: 110). My plaster is a little over a month old and I was told to watch the pH because it will tend to rise. I have no spa/waterfall/fountain/splashing to cause the Ph to rise either. I think it is primarily due to the new plaster. Also don't know if my TA should be lower. My TF-100 says level should be 100-120 so I figure I am good.
Devon

 

[allanski]

I have mine balanced as well:

FC varies from 5.0-8.0
CC 0
PH 7.8
TA 90
CH 290
CYA 80

And my PH drifts up close to 8. I add a cup of acid every 3 days or so. I am assuming my SWG is the culprit.

EDIT: My plaster is 7 years old and fully cured.

 

[Pogueld]

My PH remains more stable with a TA of 70. When my TA is higher, I have to adjust PH more often. Every pool has it's personality.

 

[smracing]

MY plaster is 9 months old and I have to add about 12 oz a day. I have a spillover spa and a water slide which really stirs up the water. TA is currently at 90.

 

[pinguy]

I feel your pain. I have new plaster plus a fountain that runs almost all day. I need to at 1/4-1/2 gallon of MA every day.

I hope the PH rise will slow down after the plaster cures more.

 

[Brian T]

Ph rise-Big water movement such as waterfalls, overspills, returns rolling the water, LOTS of splashing in the pool, etc.

You will learn what your pool wants. My pool likes a TA of 75 to keep my PH in line at 7.6 or so.

Kim

oops I just reread you post and saw you said decrease........The only thing I know that decreases PH is muratic acid.

Kim,

You are right. I meant to say "increase" because that's my problem. I would stabilize my pH to 7.6 and in 2 days, the pH would rise to the highest shade of the comparator tube, which is 8.0ppm. I would have to add 2 drops to get the the shade back to 7.6 (Taylor 2006-K test kit).

You bring up a good point about what causes pH to increase. I have 3 kinda small waterfalls and my pool builder scheduled it to run 5mins/day, everyday. I'm going to cut it down and see if my pH will be more stable. Does anyone think that I should turn it completely off until I want to actually use it?

Kim, how often do you adjust your pH?

 

[Brian T]

Everyone here is really nice. I appreciate your time. I've been thinking about what Kim and Ping have said. I will cut down on the waterfall and see if that will prevent my pH from fluctuating. Maybe that's why Pinguy has to put so much MA/day?

If that doesn't work, I guess it might be the new plaster.

 

[kimkats]

My PH is fine IF it does not rain much. With my everyday rain I have to push it down about every 3 days. None rainy times I do not have to work on it much at all.

I would NOT stop running your waterfalls 5 mins a day. The water needs to move through the lines or it can grow algae and get nasty fast. MUCH easier to push PH down than have to fight an algae bloom!

Kim

 

[ping]

I agree with kimkats, do not stop running the waterfalls as 5 minutes a day isn't adding much to the pH rise but it will prevent the falls from growing algae on them.

 

[Brian T]

OK, thanks guys!

 

[borjis]

Like others have said PH can vary pool to pool

Following the recommended TFP TA levels, my PH is always a rock solid 7.5 never needing any adjustment through out the year.