Which to correct first? TA or Ph

[JGrana01]

Newbie here - bought a house this past October with a 16000 gallon built in pool.
Purchased the TF-Pro Salt test kit and have been faithfully doing my weekly testing.
I upgraded 2 old fixed speed pumps to a single VR Pentair pump and also had a SWG installed. It's not yet connected to the IntelliCenter since the water has been too cold. Hopefully in a few weeks.

Anyway - I am trying to get my pool chemicals in good shape before we turn on the SWG.
We have had lots of rain the past few months here in Northern CA. My chemicals have been holding in pretty good.
My pH has been creeping up. I have an Extech pH meter that I have calibrated so I get pretty accurate readings. Oddly my TA has gone down some.
Right now, with the pool water is at 60F my pH is 8.0 and my TA is around 60.

I would like to bring that pH down - but am unsure if I should first try to get the TA up some and then the pH or pH first then deal with TA.

Advice?
Thanks in advance

 

[mknauss]

When your pH reaches 8 - 8.2, lower it to 7.6. The TA level is fine.

 

[proavia]

Post a full set of current test results from your TF-Pro Salt.
Use the test kit reagent for the pH test, not the meter for this posting

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water temperature

Or share your PoolMath logs here.
Set app to Track Combine Chlorine, Track CSI, Track Water Temperature, Track Salt

 

[Toxophilite]

Knowing your fill, replacement, water TA helps with determing management method was well. My TA will slowly, gradually, creep up due to high TA fill even with keeping my pH in the upper 7's. I then have to up the acid and aeration doses to knock it back down to 60 and go then back to smaller maintenance dosing. If I ever overshot and lowered my TA below my comfort zone, I know it's coming back up on it's own.

 

[IceShadow]

You probably have been hearing to keep TA up near 90-120. That level is based on using chlorine pucks, which are acidic - you need higher TA when using those in order to combat the acid from the pucks. (This is also why pH rises in pools that chlorinate with SWCG or liquid chlorine, as those don't have the acidic effect of the tablets, and so natural offgassing causes pH to rise over time without the pucks lowering it.)

Since pucks add CYA to the water which can accumulate to levels that make the chlorine not work, we don't recommend pucks and instead recommend adding muriatic acid to combat pH rise. A lower TA will mean less pH rise over time, and since all acid additions are carefully dosed out with the system this site and forum use, you don't have to worry about the pH suddenly crashing from the acidic pucks overpowering the lower TA.

I believe you don't want it to go below 50, so if it does lower more (which if you add acid, it will) you may need to add baking soda, but for now it's fine.

 

[JGrana01]

Thanks for all the great advice folks!

I did another test yesterday with TFP-Pro (haven't done the Salt partion since SWG is not on yet).

Here are the results:
Pool temp 64F

FC 0.5
CC 0.0
pH 7.8 (sorry, used the Extech meter)
Ch 350
TA 70
CYA 30

The pH has started downward on it's own an the TA up a little.
FC was low so I added some liquid chlorine. Will check that again later today.

I think I will tweak the pH down a bit more and then do my first shock of the season.

Hopefully the salt goes in the pool in a few weeks and we turn on the SWG.

 

[PoolStored]

FC was low so I added some liquid chlorine. Will check that again later today.

You should always keep your FC in range for your CYA. It should never get near minimum. minimum is lava (algae). Link-->FC/CYA Levels

I think I will tweak the pH down a bit more and then do my first shock of the season.

Leave the pH alone. Any pH in the 7s is just fine. When it gets to 8, then you can/should lower it.

There is no reason to shock a pool, if you follow FC/CYA Levels.

I would spend some time reading through the articles here--Link-->Pool Care Basics