Adjusting TA/pH with Borate

[Fbskiracer]

I added borates to the pool last year and while the TA was a little low, when I opened it this year it was super low. I was pretty happy and everyhting was stable. When I opened this week, after 3 days of filtering with shock, the water is crystal clear.

I just wanted to double check before I do any adjustment

~20k gallon
Borate level 54
pH 7.8
TA25
CYA 24
Cl 15 (shocked)

Pool Math says to add 22lbs of baking soda, but I wanted to double check before I make any adjustments because I know borates make the adjustments tough.

Also I do have an autocover. I also have 4 deckjets which are rarely used and have been in the process of building a bubbler with a soaker hose (more for a pool toy for the kids). I forget from last year being it was our first full season with the pool, but I feel like the autocover tends to drop the pH by retaining CO2 which is why I was building the bubbler to raise the pH.

 

[mknauss]

Explain how you tested the TA of 25 ppm and CYA of 24.

 

[Fbskiracer]

Today I was lazy and did it at the pool store. I do have a TFP test kit I just haven't unpacked the summer box from the garage yet.

 

[mknauss]

Then the TA is not a correct value. Pool stores give an Adjusted Alkalinity to scare you into buy overpriced baking soda. And the CYA is a guess as that level is not readable.

 

[Fbskiracer]

Got the kit out. CYA is around 25. I usually try to keep it around 30-40.
TA was 90 (with a CL of 14 it went from blue to yellow)

pH to my reading was closer to 7. Honestly, pH has been my biggest struggle even using an electric meter because of the calibration.
The water when I took it to the store had sat in the car for an hour or two during brunch so it had warmed up from the 60 the pool is at.

 

[setsailsoon]

Always round up on CYA test so you are at 30. At least you didn't waste your money for the pool store brand of baking soda. I have trouble with the pH test as do a few others. It's a kind of color blind that mostly affects men. Try to get your wife or somebody else to read it. Most people have no problem getting very dependable results. Pool store results are notoriously inaccurate. Don't waste your time and you should never assume they are better than your results. They just aren't. What kind of pH tester are you using?