But confused with TA and CH levels

[Krulligo]

I am still a bit confused with TA and CH levels for my pool and spa. TFP says 50-90ppm for TA, while most other places say 80-120ppm. Such a wide range for CH as well.

Right now I have TA=110ppm and CH=150ppm in my pool (vinyl, above ground), and TA=60ppm and CH=150ppm in my spa. I use k2006C kit for testing and maintaining both. Today I was at the pool store to get chlorine and for kicks, I let them test my water. They told me my CH for my pool and my TA for my spa is too low. I asked them about CH and having a vinyl pool and they told me my low CH will leach calcium out of the metal wall of my pool and metal in the equipment, while my low TA in the spa will destroy the heater. Reason for keeping a lower TA is that my pH would drift up quite fast until I lowered my TA and added 50ppm for borates. Now my spa is quite stable.

Am I ok at these values for my pool and spa?

 

[Endro32]

The "industry standard" of 80-120ppm for TA is for trichlor users since the high TA helps to keep the pH from dropping as fast due to the tablets' acidity. You want to keep it above 50ppm so the pH doesn't fluctuate too rapidly, but running it lower will keep your pH from rising as fast due to outgassing.

CH of 150ppm is low, especially if you bring down your TA. If you're concerned about corrosion, use PoolMath to calculate your Calcium Saturation Index (CSI). If it's -0.3 or lower for a long time you can start to get corrosion, but otherwise you should be fine.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Today I was at the pool store to get chlorine and for kicks, I let them test my water. They told me my CH for my pool and my TA for my spa is too low. I asked them about CH and having a vinyl pool and they told me my low CH will leach calcium out of the metal wall of my pool and metal in the equipment, while my low TA in the spa will destroy the heater.

And this is why advice from the pool store should never be trusted. Those statements are completely unscientific and, to be generous to them, idiotic. There is no calcium metal in your metal pool walls and how can water leach out anything from the pool wall when there is 20mil thick vinyl liner between the water and the metal wall???

Please stop going into the pool store, they will steer you wrong 99% of the time. Find chemicals elsewhere (big box stores, online, etc) and just buy pool toys at the pool store.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

CH of 150ppm is low, especially if you bring down your TA. If you're concerned about corrosion, use PoolMath to calculate your Calcium Saturation Index (CSI). If it's -0.3 or lower for a long time you can start to get corrosion, but otherwise you should be fine.

For a vinyl pool, CSI is not important. Just work on maintaining recommended levels...

What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?

Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Krulligo]

And this is why advice from the pool store should never be trusted. Those statements are completely unscientific and, to be generous to them, idiotic. There is no calcium metal in your metal pool walls and how can water leach out anything from the pool wall when there is 20mil thick vinyl liner between the water and the metal wall???

Please stop going into the pool store, they will steer you wrong 99% of the time. Find chemicals elsewhere (big box stores, online, etc) and just buy pool toys at the pool store.

Yea I only get my chlorine from there. Reason I get my water tested is mainly for warranty purposes as I replaced my liner with them this year. I thought there reasons didn't make sense.

 

[Krulligo]

For a vinyl pool, CSI is not important. Just work on maintaining recommended levels...

What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?

Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you. So all my values are in range for vinyl (other than TA being a bit high but that will drop over time with adjustments of pH rise over time).

How about a spa, do you know what the suggested values are when using bromine as sanatizer?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

How about a spa, do you know what the suggested values are when using bromine as sanatizer?

I assume you use non-SWG recommendations.