Can't get pH up, am I missing something?

[toofast]

I follow TFP religiously...but this year I am struggling to keep my pH up.

FC - 6
CC - 0
TA - 80
CYA - 60
pH - 7.2

I've followed the calculators and have added enough pH to go 7.8 three times over and it keeps dropping to low 7's

I use Borax 20 to boost.

Any idea or any thing I should provide to help out ?

Thanks in advance!

 

[elwood58]

Aeration will likely help quite a bit.

 

[AimeeH]

You might try raising your TA with baking soda. Try going to to 100 and see if your PH isn't more stable there.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

What is the pH/TA/CH of your fill water...


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[JamesW]

Does it go up and then back down or does it not go up at all?

Have you used trichlor tabs or granular?

Have you added cyanuric acid?

 

[toofast]

Ok, wow....all good questions.

1) Aeration...got it, but every other year I have had rock stable pH with the same TA, etc.....so what changed ?

2) TA Raise with Baking Soda...so yes, but last year and every other year TA of 80 gave me rock solid pH....so I am stumped.

3) Unsure of fill water, but in all reality I've NEVER added fill water in the last 4 years, it is always rain water.

5) YES - I did add Cyanuric acid about a month ago, but this is all problems that have risen since...I did for some insane reason over shoot CYA, wanted to target 50, but got to 60 - could there still be some crazy strong acid....weeks later ?
Also, I should add some Borax and then 30 min later test....that I have not done yet, so I will.

 

[Richard320]

Just a thought.... how old is the test reagent? And did you get the right one?

 

[toofast]

Might be going on year 3....R-0004.

It came with the k-2006 c

 

[YetiAsr]

My Taylor reagents all have a expiration date , wonder if Richard is on to something. I would replace the 0004 reagent and retest

 

[toofast]

Where might I find that date I have a lot number it says 1044D

 

[JoyfulNoise]

If it doesn't have an actual Exp. Date on it, then it is over 3 years old because Taylor has been printing expiration dates for a while now...

 

[YetiAsr]

Interesting, mine are in the lower back of each reagent. My kit is less then a year old, maybe they just started dating them recently?

 

[JamesW]

Are you sure that you have the right Borax?

How much are you adding and how long after adding do you test?

Is your solar cover new?

 

[toofast]

20 Mule Team Borax, gotta be the right stuff correct ?

So I gotta strange question, assume yes, but hey just in case.

If I get my speedstir going, and then I add some borax to the cell the pH should be off the chart correct ? Would that at least tell me if my solution is good ?

 

[spinPHD]

You say that your fill water is rain. Maybe there is more acid in your rain water this season?

 

[toofast]

You say that your fill water is rain. Maybe there is more acid in your rain water this season?

Dang...I mean yes that is possible for sure. But if I test my pH, it is 7.1, I then add enough Borax to get to 7.6 say, yet it still reads 7.1 a day later with no rain.

I will get some more reagent and hopefully that is it....assuming there is a shelf life.