Are we making TA overly complex?

[duraleigh]

Well, I didn't get the volume of input that I had hoped for but one thing is clear....we apparently have to agree to disagree.

Some folks will do like me and completely ignore TA unless a problem arises (and in most cases, it never does). It is equally apparent that there are some of us who think that's an incorrect approach.

My understanding of what TA actually is has increased marginally, but, in my mind, it's importance in the big scheme of pool maintenance has not changed.

 

[JohnT]

The rule for TA is very simple. If your pool experiences a rise in pH, you can try lowering the TA to see if that helps.

That's my philosophy. I was able to deal with TA over 200 with no problem. By the time it got to 180, I was unconcerned with it. I did avoid things that would increase it, like adding my 480ppm fill water when possible, but I mostly just lived with it. My take on it is that we are over-emphasizing the numbers and not clarifying that it is possible to operate outside that range IF you are aware of the effect it will have on your chemistry. I've seen far too many new members post test results with FC below 0.5ppm and a TA in the 150 to 180ppm range worrying about their TA and ignoring the lack of chlorine. While it's clearly better to have it in that sweet range around 100ppm, we need to be careful that people don't become focused on something that isn't nearly as critical as sanitizer level and pH control.

 

[JasonLion]

The second paragraph in the Lowering TA article at Pool School reads:

But 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.

 

[gtm]

The rule for TA is very simple. If your pool experiences a rise in pH, you can try lowering the TA to see if that helps. It almost always does for non-SWG pools ...

Mainly replying because duraleigh asked for more input. Chem geek's quote above is dead on for my non-SWG pool. My TA was about 100 ppm when I took over and the pH was constantly rising. I was adding a good bit of acid to keep it to my desired 7.4-7.6 range, but I was still following the PS's advice on what the TA should be and trying to keep it up in the 80-100 ppm range. After reading here, I let the TA slowly drop from the acid additions until it got to around 70 ppm, and then the pH sort of "locked in" about where I wanted it. I've added very little else since, pH-wise.

Maybe it's an open issue, and perhaps it's more complicated, but this "trick" of lowering the TA to get the pH to hold was one of the first things I learned here, and it worked great for me.