Total alkalinity low

[gnhand]

Attached are my pool math readings for the past five days. I added 31%muriatic acid a day before the first reading in the attachment.

My ta is between 50 & 60 which you all say to round up. I will be closing the pool relatively soon so I want to get the chemicals fully balanced. I want to raise TA to 70. Pool math suggested using baking powder ( sodium bicarbonate).

Should I use that or point my return jets up to aerate?

And my CSI. Is almost always below -60. Is that a problem? I’m thinking it is primarily because I keep my ph at 7.2 to 7.6

 

[ajw22]

TA of 50-60 is fine.

Your chemical balance is fine for closing.

Low CSI does not matter for a vinyl pool.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It’s baking soda, by the way, NOT baking powder. Baking powder is a completely different chemical … actually it’s two chemicals and they’re both acid salts.

 

[kellyfair]

My ta is between 50 & 60 which you all say to round up.

CYA is the one we say to round up. TA is pretty cut and dry. Add drops one at a time until your last drop doesn’t change the color. Subtract one, then multiply by 10. So if the 8th drop doesn’t change the color, your TA is 70.

 

[gnhand]

CYA is the one we say to round up. TA is pretty cut and dry. Add drops one at a time until your last drop doesn’t change the color. Subtract one, then multiply by 10. So if the 8th drop doesn’t change the color, your TA is 70.

Thank you - i didn’t understand that the last drop counted is the one that doesn’t change the color- I stopped the drop before

 

[kellyfair]

To be clear - the last drop that doesn’t change the color should NOT be counted. Its only purpose is to tell you that you have gone far enough. So you count all the drops, then subtract that last one that didn’t cause further color change.