Does anyone have experience with the CircuPool TOTALBalance pH Control System? 12k gal, no spa, SWG, plaster. This will be my second season with the pool after it was built. Spent last season constantly adding acid and never got the pH under 8. I was adding about a gallon of MA every 4-5 days and just don't want to deal with that again. All other chemistry levels were within normal limits all season. pH was the only issue. I understand plaster pools inherently have a higher pH until fully cured, but I'm tired of constantly dealing with liquid acid so I'm wondering if a CO2 system might be the answer. Thanks
CO2 pH Control
- Thread starter crosby1612
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,904
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
What is your TA, and what is the TA of your fill water?
How old is the pool? pH rise typically takes 6-18 months to settle down.
The downside of the CO2 system is that it lowers pH but not TA. Most residential pools can get relatively stable pH by allowing the TA to drop until the water finds its equilibrium. If TA is high it draws up the pH so we add acid which lowers both and corrects the problem now and makes headway towards correcting it long-term. With CO2 you don't actually make any headway towards correcting the problem, so if the TA is high then you just burn through CO2 maintaining pH = $$$$
Likely a better solution would be to add a stenner pump and tank on a timer. I would not bother with pH probe feedback and all that complication. Just simply set the acid dosing pump to run for a short time once a day and then test and adjust as needed. Since any pH in the 7s is just fine.
The best solution is to lower your TA, to reduce your pH rise.
www.troublefreepool.com
www.troublefreepool.com
How old is the pool? pH rise typically takes 6-18 months to settle down.
The downside of the CO2 system is that it lowers pH but not TA. Most residential pools can get relatively stable pH by allowing the TA to drop until the water finds its equilibrium. If TA is high it draws up the pH so we add acid which lowers both and corrects the problem now and makes headway towards correcting it long-term. With CO2 you don't actually make any headway towards correcting the problem, so if the TA is high then you just burn through CO2 maintaining pH = $$$$
Likely a better solution would be to add a stenner pump and tank on a timer. I would not bother with pH probe feedback and all that complication. Just simply set the acid dosing pump to run for a short time once a day and then test and adjust as needed. Since any pH in the 7s is just fine.
The best solution is to lower your TA, to reduce your pH rise.
Lower Total Alkalinity
A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.
www.troublefreepool.com
Lowering Total Alkalinity (TA) Quickly with the Acid Aeration Method
Thought I'd make a post that might help others. We've had quite a few members this year with high TA, and I've been typing the same information over and over. I'm going to post this so I can link it to help others. High TA can cause rapid pH rise. High TA is typically caused by high TA fill...
www.troublefreepool.com
Like said above. Pool store will push artificially high TA which makes the pH rise faster. Letting the TA get down to 50-60ppm results in a pretty stable pH. I also had my plaster done last year and just kept a trichlor tab in a floater all season and it kept my pH fairly stable along with the TA. I think I maybe added acid once.
I just purchased the kit yesterday. Waiting for it to be delivered. Found a source that will deliver bottles to home for cheap gas. Will write back when I get it up and running.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,103
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
That does not make any sense.
1 gallon of 31.45% acid in 11,000 gallons of pool water will lower the pH by about 1.6 and the TA by 46 ppm.
What is the TA?
Are you adding baking soda to raise the TA?
Is the calcium increasing?
What is the CSI?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,103
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Question about poolmath vs leslie's pool chemical recommendations:
My pH is high after a replaster (8.7).
Leslie's is telling me to add 64 oz of MA to get the pH down to 7.6.
PoolMath is saying to add 30 oz.
TA 123 / pH 8.7 / CH 125
Why the huge difference in MA? Who do I trust?
My pH is high after a replaster (8.7).
Leslie's is telling me to add 64 oz of MA to get the pH down to 7.6.
PoolMath is saying to add 30 oz.
TA 123 / pH 8.7 / CH 125
Why the huge difference in MA? Who do I trust?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,904
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Trust your TF Pro test kit and pool math. (stay away from Leslie's testing).
Lower your pH in .4 increments. Add acid, test 30 minutes later. Repeat until you hit your target. See note in pool math "effects of adding"
Lower your pH in .4 increments. Add acid, test 30 minutes later. Repeat until you hit your target. See note in pool math "effects of adding"
8.7 is difficult to measure unless you have a good calibrated meter.
Be careful about overdosing based on pH testing over 8.0.
FC and CYA levels?
Note that FC over 10 can cause false high pH readings.
Based on your other thread, you have something else going on and the pH seems to be out of control.
Why stay away from Leslie's testing? I don't about you, but the color variations on the pH drop test for me are next to impossible to discern. Isn't it better to have an actual number for the pH instead of guessing at a color?
Get this meter and begin to manage the CSI.
aperainst.com
Begin to lower the TA, keep the pH at about 8.0 to 8.3 and adjust the CH to balance the CSI.
Note that as the water warms up, the CSI will increase, so anticipate this when adding calcium and do not add too much.
Get the TA down to about 60 ppm.
PC60 Premium Multiparameter (pH/EC/TDS/Salinity/Temperature) Pocket Tester/Meter Kit-Apera Instruments
The Apera Instruments PC60 Multi-parameter Tester/Meter simply tests pH/EC/TDS/Salinity/Temperature for regular aqueous solutions such as hydroponics, aquaculture, pools& spas, tap/drinking water, water treatment, cooling towers, etc.
aperainst.com
Begin to lower the TA, keep the pH at about 8.0 to 8.3 and adjust the CH to balance the CSI.
Note that as the water warms up, the CSI will increase, so anticipate this when adding calcium and do not add too much.
Get the TA down to about 60 ppm.
If you can certify the # is accurate, sure.
But their inaccuracies and advice keeps a line of newbs around the corner seeking a better way.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,103
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
What plaster start-up guide are you using?
Follow your plaster start-up guide, not PoolMath , Leslie, or general chemistry advice, for the first 30 days...
www.troublefreepool.com
Follow your plaster start-up guide, not PoolMath , Leslie, or general chemistry advice, for the first 30 days...
Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,904
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
This one from the national plaster councilWhat plaster start-up guide are you using?
Follow your plaster start-up guide, not PoolMath , Leslie, or general chemistry advice, for the first 30 days...
Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading