Hi All - Pool owner in Palm Springs area - Dealing with having to add quite a bit of Muriatic Acid Weekly

[keedo]

FC:1.5 CC:2.0 TA:90 CYA:67 PH 7.6 CALC:523

Just wondering for those in very hot climates like Palm Springs area. Currently we are hitting 110+ weather now. My PH increases very rapidly each week and requires AT LEAST a half gallon of muriatic acid weekly (sometimes more). This of course is lowering my TA to where I then need to add baking soda for the first time due to the pool readings listed above. Due to CYA and adjusted TA, my pool calculator is saying I need to add 13 lbs of baking soda to bring the TA range up to an appropriate level.

1st Question: Does anyone else in similar environment have to add that much acid weekly?
2nd Question: Will I be chasing the add baking soda add muriatic acid cycle often to keep the adjusted TA level good?

Thoughts are welcome.

 

[Mdragger88]

Welcome to TFP
I see you’re using pool store testing.
The first step is to get your own proper test kit - pool store tests are fraught with inaccuracies along with being inconvenient.
Test Kits Compared
2nd - if your results are accurate at all your fc is too low & its an open invitation for algae & nasties.
Follow the FC/CYA Levels
Dose with liquid chlorine now to get fc in target range & set your swcg to maintain that going forward.
Use PoolMath to calculate amounts.
3rd- any actual TA (not adjusted ta) above 50ppm is OK
Keep your ph in the 7’s & stop adding soda, as your ta lowers the ph rise will slow.
Get off the ph ta merry go round

TA - Further Reading

www.google.com

Pool Care Basics

 

[Newdude]

Hey Keedo and Welcome !!!!

My PH increases very rapidly each week and requires AT LEAST a half gallon of muriatic acid weekly

Once a week, or a couple times a week ?

What strength acid, as the low fumes / eco kind is half strength and you obviously would need twice as much ?

Is the pool new ? (Fresh plaster has a healthy MA appetite for 6 to 12 months as it cures

 

[keedo]

Welcome to TFP
I see you’re using pool store testing.
The first step is to get your own proper test kit - pool store tests are fraught with inaccuracies along with being inconvenient.
Test Kits Compared
2nd - if your results are accurate at all your fc is too low & its an open invitation for algae & nasties.
Follow the FC/CYA Levels
Dose with liquid chlorine now to get fc in target range & set your swcg to maintain that going forward.
Use PoolMath to calculate amounts.
3rd- any actual TA (not adjusted ta) above 50ppm is OK
Keep your ph in the 7’s & stop adding soda, as your ta lowers the ph rise will slow.
Get off the ph ta merry go round

TA - Further Reading

www.google.com

Pool Care Basics

Hi there. For testing. I am using strips/Taylors/and Leslies. Mostly just the Taylor kit now.

I didn't mention that my Jandy TruClear SWG is actually not working as it is under warranty and am waiting for a replacement (going on a month now!) Currently using liquid chlorine and pucks.

Ok. So don't add baking soda and just deal with the PH and acid right now? If I keep using the muriatic acid, won't it bring down the TA (except the part that is CYA)?

 

[keedo]

Hey Keedo and Welcome !!!!



Once a week, or a couple times a week ?

What strength acid, as the low fumes / eco kind is half strength and you obviously would need twice as much ?

Is the pool new ? (Fresh plaster has a healthy MA appetite for 6 to 12 months as it cures

Hi Newdude.

I am adding muriatic acid 2x a week, sometime 3x a week. I test every other day as I work from home. Acid is 14.5% (brand HDX)/

Pool is not new. Was re-plastered at least 4 years ago.

 

[Newdude]

Acid is 14.5% (brand HDX)/

Ok so right there you will need twice the MA. It's no harm in any capacity but also your own doing.

Mostly just the Taylor kit now.

*only Taylor now. We can guide you from those #s. The other 2 are different points on different maps. We all need to be on page 3 of the Taylor map or we get lost and you end up in France.

Currently using liquid chlorine and pucks.

Pucks will raise your CYA, needing more FC to sanitize at the same level.

Ok. So don't add baking soda and just deal with the PH and acid right now?

Yes

If I keep using the muriatic acid, won't it bring down the TA

Maybe. And we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

When you dose, do you aim for high 7s or low 7s ?

 

[reggiehammond]

What Taylor kit and how old is it (Before all get too excited here…)

 

[keedo]

When you dose, do you aim for high 7s or low 7s ?

Usually try and hit 7.4

What Taylor kit and how old is it (Before all get too excited here…)

Taylor K-2005 Salt and the expiration on these is 3/25

 

[mknauss]

When the pH rises to 8, lower to 7.4. Use
PoolMath for treatment volumes. Your high TA fill water will not allow the TA to get too low.

 

[Mdragger88]

& use your actual TA for calculations in
PoolMath
not the adjusted TA.
If your adjusted TA is 90 your actual Ta is quite higher - you have no need for baking soda.
Please post your results from your kit.
As mentioned the pucks are adding cya- you have enough now.
Use liquid chlorine only & follow the liquid chlorine recommendations on
FC/CYA Levels since you are manually dosing. Aim for high target & replenish before you broach minimum.

 

[SoCalTFP]

Everyone else hit the points but to summarize anyways. TA is likely rising from fill water, due to evaporation. Wait until PH 8 or close to it to add MA. Don’t worry about TA unless your down by 50. And only use the Taylor.

What are your current Taylor results? I’d be more concerned about your low FC. You might want to add the FAS-DPD Taylor kit, the 2005 isnt enough for FC management.

Also how does your water look? Cloudy? Anything green around the corners?

 

[keedo]

Everyone else hit the points but to summarize anyways. TA is likely rising from fill water, due to evaporation. Wait until PH 8 or close to it to add MA. Don’t worry about TA unless your down by 50. And only use the Taylor.

What are your current Taylor results? I’d be more concerned about your low FC. You might want to add the FAS-DPD Taylor kit, the 2005 isnt enough for FC management.

Also how does your water look? Cloudy? Anything green around the corners?

Currently my TA is 90 and Adjusted is about 67.

Pool looks great and clear. No green corners. Haven't had an algae bloom in years and that was due to running the waterfall fountain by mistake where water had been sitting in the pipes for months.

And yes, since there is alot of sun and heat my pool is evaporating around 1/2" a day. So the water is filling automatically and could help with the TA.

 

[reggiehammond]

Order a K-1515 Taylor FAS-DPD kit to more accurately test your FC and CC levels. The K-2005 doesn't have it, but the K-2006C, which is recommended, does...

It's imperative to follow the FC/CYA Levels to avoid algae. Your FC, per pool store testing, was too low. You should consider an
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.

Test Kits Compared

 

[kul]

That you are requiring more acid in the summer seems to be normal. Same thing happens to me each summer. I usually dose once a week when it gets to 8.2. I don’t bother touching it if it is in the 7s. Consider using the stronger MA so you don’t have to purchase as often.

 

[keedo]

Everyone else hit the points but to summarize anyways. TA is likely rising from fill water, due to evaporation. Wait until PH 8 or close to it to add MA. Don’t worry about TA unless your down by 50. And only use the Taylor.

What are your current Taylor results? I’d be more concerned about your low FC. You might want to add the FAS-DPD Taylor kit, the 2005

Ok so bit of an update related to all of the above questions.

1. I've bought a muriatic solution that has 34.1 % instead of the 14.5%. Thanks for this! Appreciate it.
2. My salt generator has been replaced (TruClear). It lasted about 2 years.

We've been having some hot days here in Palm Springs. Last 10 days was over 115 and some days around 119-120. The new salt generator is holding the chlorine at 3PPM. So here are my current results. I am posting this as my TA is now getting to be around 70-80. I also just shocked my pool as the days when it was 120 the water smelled a bit and I started seeing a fine dust which I thought might have been algae. I have the Taylor 2006K kit. I also just added muriatic acid to bring the PH down to 7.4.

Current reading are..... FC = 8, CC = 8, TA = 70-80, CYA = 60-70, PH = 8+. PH continues to rise quickly in my pool. As I mentioned I just treated the pool with muriatic acid and I expect the PH to drop in an hour or two.

Thanks for all the comments. They are very very helpful.

 

[reggiehammond]

You're not really following TFP methods - CYA of 70 (always round up) has a minimum of 3 FC. You've been at that, or likely below, which is why you are seeing algae. You really do not want to SLAM at high CYA levels in the summer.

There's also no way your CC is 8, and FC is 8. No need to report total chlorine, just tell us FC and CC. pH rise should really slow down once you get TA to 60, but if fill water is higher than 60 TA, you'll be adding MA all summer. I just returned from Home Depot with 6 more gallons of MA, so I know this evaporation fight well!

Get your FC up immediately. Go buy liquid chlorine and dose up to 10ppm, then let your SWCG maintain from there. CYA of 70 has a range of 5-10 FC. Try to stay at 10 FC, there's no benefit to running at lower end of range, and only horror stories of trying to maintain minimum level of FC (3ppm.)

 

[kul]

I recommend and OCLT test to confirm the fine dust is not algae.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test