Total Alkalinity of 270 plus fill water

[smeestu]

Hi all I've been trying to help a friend' with his newly built pool .He has a problem with what I'm guessing is calcium scaling .He has had flat plate like build up on his chlorinator cell almost over night.
The cell is self cleaning so can just be washed out between the fins but there is a lot .So have turned it off for the time being .Have been using 10% liquid chlorine to sanitise the pool .Have also started using trichlor to get some cya into the pool as I am unable to buy it on its own where we live out in the sticks of Thailand .
The problem seems to be that the bore hole fill water has a TA of 270plus .I have managed to drop it down to 180 so far by adding HCL letting the pH rise which it is doing quickly then adding more HCL .

The concern is how is the pool going be maintained and balanced with the fill water being so high .The only thing I could think of is maybe a 2000L standalone tank and try to lower the TA before it goes into the pool .
Also the calcium hardness is only 100.So that needs raising as well Any suggestions welcome

FC 3.0
PH 7.5
TA 180
CH 100
CYA 10

 

[duraleigh]

Continue to reduce the TA with acid/aeration until you get it down around 80-90 ppm. That, coupled with the naturally low calcium fill water (and keeping the pH in the 7's) should minimize any scaling on the cell

I would simply add the high TA fill water and then reduce it down using acid/aeration.........I see no need for a separate tank.

 

[smeestu]

Continue to reduce the TA with acid/aeration until you get it down around 80-90 ppm. That, coupled with the naturally low calcium fill water (and keeping the pH in the 7's) should minimize any scaling on the cell

Thanks very much for your reply the other problem is the fill water from the Bor hole is at 270 measured today .I'm wondering if there is any way to address this problem before adding it to the pool when needed otherwise will be for ever chasing the TA down every time the pool needs topping up .

 

[duraleigh]

What test are you using for the TA test?

 

[smeestu]

What test are you using for the TA test?

I use a lovibond scuba 2

 

[duraleigh]

Sorry.....we're posting at the same time. If you get the pool water down to 80-90 TA and then add one inch of 270 TA fill water, the TA in the pool will likely only increase up to around 100 or so at most. Pretty easy to knock it back down to 80 at that point.

Is that lovibond a drops based test with two reagents? Got a link?

 

[smeestu]

Scuba II

<p>Floatable, waterproof and certainly a useful little helper for the pool: The Scuba II is for private pool owners the ideal companion for the bathing season. Measure the most important parameters and hold the results in your hands immediately.</p> <h4> <a...

www.lovibond.com

I use this for TA CYA CL CC PH I also have the basic plastic mini test kit with tablets for everyday CL PH tests
.For Calcium hardness I use the palintest tablet count mini test kit .
Can't buy Taylor kits in Thailand so I get lovibond /palintest sent over from the UK

 

[duraleigh]

I would perform a second test just to be sure. Electronic testing may not be as reliable as drops based testing and it would be reassuring your TA is really that high. I dont doubt you but another type test would be helpful.

Assuming TA of 270, I would still add refill water directly to the pool and acid/aerate as necessary.

 

[smeestu]

I would perform a second test just to be sure. Electronic testing may not be as reliable as drops based testing and it would be reassuring your TA is really that high. I dont doubt you but another type test would be helpful.

Assuming TA of 270, I would still add refill water directly to the pool and acid/aerate as necessary.

Thanks very much for your advice will carry on lowering the TA .
would you advise raising the calcium hardness or just leave it as it is and just keep at the TA levels

 

[duraleigh]

would you advise raising the calcium hardness or just leave it as it is and just keep at the TA levels

Try to solve the issue with scaling on the cell before you raise the Calcium Hardness. As you know, that scale on your cell is Calcium so it would seem counterproductive to raise CH in your pool water when it is already precipitating.

 

[mknauss]

Take a look at CSI - Calcium Saturation Index (CSI) - Trouble Free Pool
By monitoring that, and keeping it at 0 to -0.3, you can protect the plaster/grout and also keep the SWCG from scaling.
Your Poolmath app will calculate it. You can set up his pool on your app (you can have multiple pool setups) or he can get his own app. Be sure to Enable the CSI tracking.

 

[smeestu]

Thanks again for your advice will stick to just taking care of the TA and keeping a eye on the CSI

 

[smeestu]

Just a update to the posts as soon as the TA got down to 120 the pool stopped scaling .
It is now sitting at 80 and the pool is crystal clear the PH has calmed down and no large scaling on the salt cell so all good thanks for all the help my friend is very happy with his pool now ?