I am a new member with an alkalinity level question

[Jerm]

Hello. I am a new member and just received my TF Pro test kit. I’m also new to pool maintenance.

My question is about the acceptable level of alkalinity in the pool water. I just downloaded the Pool Math app to my phone and it is telling me that the acceptable alkalinity rate in the pool is between 50 and 90 ppm. My pool tested at 100 ppm today. When I look at the other information out there, it seems that it’s more common to have an acceptable range of 80 to 120 ppm for alkalinity and when I plug 100 to my target range in the app it keeps telling me that it is too high, so I am wondering which information is correct. Or is it somewhat of a moving target depending on what you’d like to see in your pool?
I would love to have some advice from you, experts…… because I am far from an expert.
Thank you in advance!
Jeremy

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
TA is the least important parameter in pool water chemistry. It is essentially a buffer for pH. When too high, the pH will rise quickly, and if you have other conditions conducive to it, scaling can occur.
The range in Poolmath is to create a condition that if you keep all the parameters with range, you will not likely be in a scaling tendency area nor, if you have a plaster pool, in an aggressive range that can hurt your plaster.

In your case, just relax. Manage the pH. Test the TA every week. All is good.

TA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

PH TA Relationship - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Texas Splash]

You'll find we have several resources to that clarify what TFP is all about and how we manage things the way we do. By testing your own water, you're on the way to great pool management. Be sure update your signature with all of your pool and equipment details. See our sigs as examples. Please add your test kit to the sig as well. Lastly, be sure to save our Pool Care Basics page to your favorites. It's a great resource.

Welcome to TFP and enjoy the forum!

 

[Jerm]

Welcome to the forum.
TA is the least important parameter in pool water chemistry. It is essentially a buffer for pH. When too high, the pH will rise quickly, and if you have other conditions conducive to it, scaling can occur.
The range in Poolmath is to create a condition that if you keep all the parameters with range, you will not likely be in a scaling tendency area nor, if you have a plaster pool, in an aggressive range that can hurt your plaster.

In your case, just relax. Manage the pH. Test the TA every week. All is good.

TA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

PH TA Relationship - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks for the pep talk! I’ll keep pressing on and learning!

 

[Pauls234]

Just for some real world experience to confirm what mknauss tells you....

For the last 10 years my TA has consistently tested at 120, but my Ph stays remarkably stable, even with my periodic add of CYA, it drops a bit but then goes back up on its own to its happy place ~7.5. As long as your Ph is good don't worry about TA.

 

[gingrbredman]

I'm the same @Pauls234 , my TA likes to sit around 100-120, but my PH also tends to remain pretty predictable. I have a lot of water features, so am constantly adding muriatic acid to keep the PH in check, but even with the lowing and raising PH, the TA likes to just sit there and seem quite happy in that range. Since the PH is my main focus (of the two, PH and TA), I never even worry about the TA. I test it every week in my routine but have not adding anything to the pool in two years to address the TA specifically.