TA turned Red

[treyragno]

My TA turned red when adding 5 drops (red on first drop).

I believe I have no TA.

pH appears low (turned yellow).

I had very high TA and pH and I seem to have overshot it.

Can I aerate alone?

What’s the best item to add? Washing soda? Borax?

 

[Texas Splash]

Can I aerate alone?

Soda Ash (washing soda) would be idea to raise both at the same time, but use what you have. Even baking soda is better than nothing at this point. Go in about 20 ppm stages as to not over-shoot, but add some product, let the water mix for about an hour, then re-test and add more as needed until you see the TA register to at least 50 and the pH to at least 7.0-7.2.

 

[mgtfp]

Can I aerate alone?

Pat already outlined the path forward, nothing to add there. Just some background: If your TA is that close to 0, then there is basically no CO2 dissolved in the water anymore that could outgass and raise pH.

And looking forward, any idea how pH and TA crashed? Have you been using much Trichlor lately?

 

[treyragno]

Pat already outlined the path forward, nothing to add there. Just some background: If your TA is that close to 0, then there is basically no CO2 dissolved in the water anymore that could outgass and raise pH.

And looking forward, any idea how pH and TA crashed? Have you been using much Trichlor lately?

I crashed it while adjusting it and pH with muriatic. I was going through the up/down cycle to get TA stabilized.

I did use a small amount of trichlor to help add some CYA as I ran out of the dry stuff to add.

Hopefully I can get it moving in the right direction.

I added baking soda but ran out.

As I have a bleach spa, should I use washing soda over borax? Or does it not matter?

 

[mgtfp]

Have you retested to confirm where you are now after adding baking soda?

Washing soda would be better to raise both, pH and TA.

 

[mgtfp]

I'm a bit confused. The parameters at the top of your posts say pool volume of 13685 gal, but now you mention a spa?

 

[treyragno]

I'm a bit confused. The parameters at the top of your posts say pool volume of 13685 gal, but now you mention a spa?

I have both. I don’t see an option for this info to cater for both.

I posted in the spa/hot tub forum since that’s where my challenges are.

Have you retested to confirm where you are now after adding baking soda?

Washing soda would be better to raise both, pH and TA.

As I ran out of baking soda, my first dosage took me to 20ppm. I added what was left and based on calculation, it would bring me to only 23.

 

[Mdragger88]

You need to get ph in the 7’s & ta to at least around 50. The low ph will damage your heater.

Get whichever you can find (or all 3 to have on hand) you will only need a small amount of whichever one you can get your hands on. Then do as @Texas Splash said. Use PoolMath effects of adding & be sparing incase your volume is off. Dollar general, the grocery store, walmart etc. should have these.

 

[mgtfp]

I posted in the spa/hot tub forum since that’s where my challenges are.

Yep, of course you did
Somehow thought the post was in the balancing forum, sorry for that. Now I see that you have pool and spa in your PoolMath logs.

Use whatever you can get fastest.

Don't trust the PoolMath effects of adding pH-calculation with such a low TA, it assumes TA to be in normal range. I would add small amounts, retest, then add more if required.

 

[treyragno]

Soda Ash (washing soda) would be idea to raise both at the same time, but use what you have. Even baking soda is better than nothing at this point. Go in about 20 ppm stages as to not over-shoot, but add some product, let the water mix for about an hour, then re-test and add more as needed until you see the TA register to at least 50 and the pH to at least 7.0-7.2.

I was able to get baking soda.
Tested TA before adding more.
Tested at 40.
Added a little less than what PoolMath suggested for 50 and ran jets for 40 minutes.
Now I have 60 TA.
pH is now 8.2.

This feels like a rollercoaster.

Do I add muriatic to get back down?

 

[Mdragger88]

I was able to get baking soda.
Tested TA before adding more.
Tested at 40.
Added a little less than what PoolMath suggested for 50 and ran jets for 40 minutes.
Now I have 60 TA.
pH is now 8.2.

This feels like a rollercoaster.

Do I add muriatic to get back down?

Just enough to get to 7.6 or so - note the actual effect & adjust your volume in poolmath if needed. Do you have borates in this tub?

 

[Mdragger88]

I have a feeling your actual volume may be less than you think. A smidge off in a big pool isn’t a big deal but in a spa 50 gallons is a large percentage of the volume. For instance, my mfg. listed spa volume is 250 gal. For dosing & poolmath I use 200 gallons & it’s always right on the $$ with my results.

 

[treyragno]

Just enough to get to 7.6 or so - note the actual effect & adjust your volume in poolmath if needed. Do you have borates in this tub?

No borates- at least not intentionally!

 

[Mdragger88]

Also, you were probably right at the cusp of having 50 ta before using Trichlor & bottoming ph out. That’s why it feels like a roller coaster. Just go with small ph drops when needed as to not drop ta lower than 50.

 

[treyragno]

I have a feeling your actual volume may be less than you think. A smidge off in a big pool isn’t a big deal but in a spa 50 gallons is a large percentage of the volume. For instance, my mfg. listed spa volume is 250 gal. For dosing & poolmath I use 200 gallons & it’s always right on the $$ with my results.

I am beginning to get the same feeling.
I just added the recommended dosage of chlorine and will check in the morning to see if it hit the target or not. This should help me update the volume. I wish I had a small coriolis flow meter to measure

Manufacturer says it is 350 gallons so I had already set it to 340 gallons.

 

[Mdragger88]

No borates- at least not intentionally!

Adding boric acid can assist with the ph rise as it is an ongoing thing because of all the aeration in a spa. The best time to add them is after ta is in the 50 range. Some people find that the ta being in the 50’s alone is enough to moderate the ph rise. But the borates can be a helping hand.

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.google.com

 

[treyragno]

Also, you were probably right at the cusp of having 50 ta before using Trichlor & bottoming ph out. That’s why it feels like a roller coaster. Just go with small ph drops when needed as to not drop ta lower than 50.

I ran out of muriatic acid a few minutes ago in my pool. I thought I had more.

I have some Clorox Spa pH decreased (93.2% sodium bisulfate). Can I use a little of this stuff? It was left to me by previous owner and I’ve never used it.

 

[Mdragger88]

I am beginning to get the same feeling.
I just added the recommended dosage of chlorine and will check in the morning to see if it hit the target or not. This should help me update the volume. I wish I had a small coriolis flow meter to measure

Manufacturer says it is 350 gallons so I had already set it to 340 gallons.

Your chlorine additions can give you an idea but liquid Chlorine degrades in potency so using acid/ph to gauge results generally has less variables. Also, the tub consumes fc around the clock so if you want to verify your dose do it 10 -15 minutes or so afterwards - not tomorrow.

 

[Mdragger88]

I ran out of muriatic acid a few minutes ago in my pool. I thought I had more.

I have some Clorox Spa pH decreased (93.2% sodium bisulfate). Can I use a little of this stuff? It was left to me by previous owner and I’ve never used it.

U can until you get more MA- be sparing. Use google conversions to convert grams/oz to tsp

 

[treyragno]

U can until you get more MA- be sparing. Use google conversions to convert grams/oz to tsp

I used less than 50% of the calculated suggestion from the bottle. Is 30 minutes a long enough duration before retesting?