Borax

[PoolStored]

It's at 7. I'll leave it be then. But I still wondered what would happen if you only added borax and no acid.

Ignoring pool math issues...

Great choice to leave pH alone.

When you add Borax, it will raise pH the most, raise borates (a little), and raise TA (a very little).

The ONLY reason to add borax, and then add acid is to introduce borates to the pool. This is not a necessary practice, nor is it easy. Here is a link to our further reading on the topic:

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

In general, I would avoid borax. If your pH is in the 7s, leave it alone. It will rise on its own. When you reach 8.0, you can reduce your pH using muriatic acid to 7.6-7,8.

What is the TA of your pool?

 

[Kathe]

Ignoring pool math issues...

Great choice to leave pH alone.

When you add Borax, it will raise pH the most, raise borates (a little), and raise TA (a very little).

The ONLY reason to add borax, and then add acid is to introduce borates to the pool. This is not a necessary practice, nor is it easy. Here is a link to our further reading on the topic:

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

In general, I would avoid borax. If your pH is in the 7s, leave it alone. It will rise on its own. When you reach 8.0, you can reduce your pH using muriatic acid to 7.6-7,8.

What is the TA of your pool?

But why would you need to add acid after the borax? Can't you add borax alone to raise pH?

 

[Kathe]

If the purpose is to raise pH, then it wouldn't make sense to first add borax to raise pH and then undo the effect by adding acid.

You are probably confusing this with the other use case for borax, to add Borates to the pool. In this case you have to add large quantities of borax to get the desired effect on the Borate level, but then the pH rise (collateral damage in this use case) needs to be compensated by acid.

In this case it is better to raise the Borates level by adding boric acid, which is more pH neutral than borax.

why would I want to add borates to the pool?

 

[JamesW]

What is the TA of your pool?

 

[JamesW]

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[cledee]

But why would you need to add acid after the borax? Can't you add borax alone to raise pH?

I think because you had the incorrect volume for your pool it was telling you to add Acid to correct for the Borax you would add which would increase your PH over 300PPM. Adding acid is not necessary unless you are raising your PH over 8 or the PH has risen on it's own to 8.

If you are just adding Borax to get your PH between 7 to 7.6 then you wouldn't have to add acid.

 

[Kathe]

What is the TA of your pool?

100

 

[Kathe]

I think because you had the incorrect volume for your pool it was telling you to add Acid to correct for the Borax you would add which would increase your PH over 300PPM. Adding acid is not necessary unless you are raising your PH over 8 or the PH has risen on it's own to 8.

If you are just adding Borax to get your PH between 7 to 7.6 then you wouldn't have to add acid.

OK. I had read that others were adding both and just wondered why. Thanks!

 

[JamesW]

With a TA of 100, the pH should not be low.

How did it get too low?

What is the CYA level?

 

[Kathe]

With a TA of 100, the pH should not be low.

How did it get too low?

What is the CYA level?

CYA 40. It was a new fill. We had a new liner put in.

 

[JamesW]

Wait it out and see what the pH does.

 

[mgtfp]

why would I want to add borates to the pool?

It's described in the link the JamesW posted. Borates set up an additional buffer system that is very effective at higher pH levels. For example, it limits the pH rise within the cell of a Salt Water Chlorine Generator, helping to reduce scaling on the cell plates. This is in my opinion the main benefit.