New Pool Won’t Balance

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Br09891

Member
May 14, 2023
5
Maryland
We built our pool in October. Since we have opened it we can not seem to get the PH to stop spiking. We can get it lowered with Muriatic Acid 29% but it comes back in a couple days. On another note, we are also starting to see some discoloration (lightened ring) in the deep end. Pool is 25k gallons and we used Marbletite finish. Salt Pool. Here are the current readings

PH -8.8
TA 110
CA 50
Chlorine - 3.6
CH - 400
 
Welcome to TFP!!! :shark:

Br09891 said:
We built our pool in October. Since we have opened it we can not seem to get the PH to stop spiking. We can get it lowered with Muriatic Acid 29% but it comes back in a couple days. On another note, we are also starting to see some discoloration (lightened ring) in the deep end. Pool is 25k gallons and we used Marbletite finish. Salt Pool. Here are the current readings
Click to expand...
It may take 12-24 months for the pH rise to slow in a new plaster pool.

I'd get your FC up too. Always follow this...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Can you post up a picture of the discoloration?

Finally, if you fill out your signature, it would really help troubleshooting...

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
New plaster pools require a lot of acid. This could last a couple years. How much acid exactly are you adding? I still add close to a gallon a week in my 7th season. I buy 8-12 gallons or so per season.
 
Br09891 said:
We built our pool in October. Since we have opened it we can not seem to get the PH to stop spiking. We can get it lowered with Muriatic Acid 29% but it comes back in a couple days. On another note, we are also starting to see some discoloration (lightened ring) in the deep end. Pool is 25k gallons and we used Marbletite finish. Salt Pool. Here are the current readings

PH -8.8
TA 110
CA 50
Chlorine - 3.6
CH - 400
Click to expand...
Br09891 said:
We built our pool in October. Since we have opened it we can not seem to get the PH to stop spiking. We can get it lowered with Muriatic Acid 29% but it comes back in a couple days. On another note, we are also starting to see some discoloration (lightened ring) in the deep end. Pool is 25k gallons and we used Marbletite finish. Salt Pool. Here are the current readings

PH -8.8
TA 110
CA 50
Chlorine - 3.6
CH - 400
Click to expand...
It’ll help if you fill out your pool details in your signature. But fast pH rise is pretty normal for new plaster pool. A few other things can contribute:
1. Water falls or gets that produce aeration cause pH to rise.
2. High TA water will also cause it. If you can get your TA doesn’t to 60, it should help some as well.

Take a look through TFP recommend water levels and follow those along with getting a good self test kit if you don’t have one already. The test strips, generic kits and free pool store tests are really unreliable.
 

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Our newer pool is doing this too (plaster, SWG, spa spillover). We filled it in August, battled bad water chemistry for a few months due to leaks, after the leaks were repaired, had to acid wash the brand new pool (the builder said we could top off using hose water that went through our water softener causing tons of calcium buildup - bad advice), and after the refill, our water chemistry balances well. But the ph goes up quickly. I add 1/4 gal muriatic acid twice a week to keep it in the 7’s.

Both the builder and our pool service guy said this was normal for the first year in new plaster pools with SWG. Our friends with more established pools only need to add a couple cups of acid every month or after a lot of rain.
 
edogg said:
Our newer pool is doing this too (plaster, SWG, spa spillover). We filled it in August, battled bad water chemistry for a few months due to leaks, after the leaks were repaired, had to acid wash the brand new pool (the builder said we could top off using hose water that went through our water softener causing tons of calcium buildup - bad advice), and after the refill, our water chemistry balances well. But the ph goes up quickly. I add 1/4 gal muriatic acid twice a week to keep it in the 7’s.

Both the builder and our pool service guy said this was normal for the first year in new plaster pools with SWG. Our friends with more established pools only need to add a couple cups of acid every month or after a lot of rain.
Click to expand...
The water softener wasn’t bad advice. Its supposed to remove calcium.
 
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edogg said:
Our newer pool is doing this too (plaster, SWG, spa spillover). We filled it in August, battled bad water chemistry for a few months due to leaks, after the leaks were repaired, had to acid wash the brand new pool (the builder said we could top off using hose water that went through our water softener causing tons of calcium buildup - bad advice), and after the refill, our water chemistry balances well. But the ph goes up quickly. I add 1/4 gal muriatic acid twice a week to keep it in the 7’s.

Both the builder and our pool service guy said this was normal for the first year in new plaster pools with SWG. Our friends with more established pools only need to add a couple cups of acid every month or after a lot of rain.
Click to expand...

How do your friends chlorinate? If they are using the pucks, they have acid in them which might be why they seem to not add much acid. And/or, if they have fiberglass or liner pools they would not see a huge increase in pH.
 
Bperry said:
The water softener wasn’t bad advice. Its supposed to remove calcium.
Click to expand...

When we did the initial fill after build was complete, the builder specifically said to bypass the softener because the salt in the water will cause scale. Whenever I’d refill from the pool leaks, I would top off without bypassing the softener. Next thing I know, our pool feels like sandpaper and my kids’ feet would be cut up after every swim. Maybe it was a combination of the chemistry being off and the additional minerals added from the softened water.

Thankfully, we’re all good now.

PoolGate said:
How do your friends chlorinate? If they are using the pucks, they have acid in them which might be why they seem to not add much acid. And/or, if they have fiberglass or liner pools they would not see a huge increase in pH.
Click to expand...
One of our friends has a SWG. The other uses liquid chlorine. Both have a plaster finish. Both only add a couple cups of acid periodically.
 
edogg said:
When we did the initial fill after build was complete, the builder specifically said to bypass the softener because the salt in the water will cause scale. Whenever I’d refill from the pool leaks, I would top off without bypassing the softener. Next thing I know, our pool feels like sandpaper and my kids’ feet would be cut up after every swim. Maybe it was a combination of the chemistry being off and the additional minerals added from the softened water.

Thankfully, we’re all good now.


One of our friends has a SWG. The other uses liquid chlorine. Both have a plaster finish. Both only add a couple cups of acid periodically.
Click to expand...
I’m confused. If you bypassed the water softener, then you’re not adding softened water, you’re adding hard water, which is full of calcium. Your builder gave you really bad advice.
 
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