Hi everyone, I’m having hard time to control my ph. TA is 60, fill water ph is 7.9 and pool ph is rising 0.1 ppm every other day and I have a waterfall from spa to pool which cannot be turned off. Is it a good idea to lower TA from 60 to 50 ppm, or is there a better solution?
Ph problem
- Thread starter Antuan
- Start date
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,846
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Do you have automation?
Add your pool equipment manufacturer and model numbers to your signature.
Post a few pics of your equipment pad from different angles so we can see your plumbing setup.
Add your pool equipment manufacturer and model numbers to your signature.
Post a few pics of your equipment pad from different angles so we can see your plumbing setup.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,541
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If your TA is at 60 that is about the best you can do.
With a spa waterfall that can't be turned off and fill water pH of 7.9 then a pH rise of 0.1 every 2 days is not bad.
No automation?
And I have to ask about this pump and SWG runtime -12:00am-1:00am, 2:00am-3:00am, 5:00am-6:00am,8:00am-9:00am, 11:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-4:00pm ,8:00pm-10:00pm.
What pump and SWG models do you have?
Why did you choose those runtimes?
With a spa waterfall that can't be turned off and fill water pH of 7.9 then a pH rise of 0.1 every 2 days is not bad.
No automation?
And I have to ask about this pump and SWG runtime -12:00am-1:00am, 2:00am-3:00am, 5:00am-6:00am,8:00am-9:00am, 11:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-4:00pm ,8:00pm-10:00pm.
What pump and SWG models do you have?
Why did you choose those runtimes?
I have intelliflo VP, circupool RJ60 plus. I live in a windy area in Granada hills, pool is surrounded with many trees and there are many leaves in the pool all the time, so I setup the pump to work intermittently throughout the whole day to skim leaves constantly.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,846
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Add all that to your signature. Include pump and filter manufacturer and model number also.
What rpms are you running the pump at?
Are you on time of use electric?
Two separate run times per day - long enough to produce the required chlorine from the SWG and to skim - should be sufficient. If it takes 9 hours to produce enough chlorine, use the for total run time.
VP runs at 2600 rpm. Runtimes setup is just to skim leaves, there is an eucalyptus tree next to pool, and it has nasty leaves, and when they sink to bottom of pool they stain the plaster in couple of hours, that’s why I want them to be skimmed before they sink.
SWG runs only 6 hours at 40% and it’s pretty enough to keep chlorine levels at 4 ppm
SWG runs only 6 hours at 40% and it’s pretty enough to keep chlorine levels at 4 ppm
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,846
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
2600 rpm is pretty high. Determine the lowest rpm that will close the SWG flow switch - with a clean filter. Then add 200 rpm to that - which should account for the filter getting dirty. Also determine the lowest rpm you can run to adequately skim the pool surface.
As an example, I run at 1200 rpm 24/7 - which adequately skims and keeps the SWG happy - and it costs me less than $20/month in electricity. My electric rates are lower than your (SCE?) reats in Cali. And if you are on time of use, run only during off peak to save money.
Any chance you can trim those Euc's back away from the pool?
Will your robot pick them up? Keeping your FC on the high side of target will help to remofe those leaf stains.
As an example, I run at 1200 rpm 24/7 - which adequately skims and keeps the SWG happy - and it costs me less than $20/month in electricity. My electric rates are lower than your (SCE?) reats in Cali. And if you are on time of use, run only during off peak to save money.
Any chance you can trim those Euc's back away from the pool?
Will your robot pick them up? Keeping your FC on the high side of target will help to remofe those leaf stains.
Yes, robot does a great job collecting leaves, but the programming is limited, I cannot program it to work more than once a day
Thanks for suggestions I really appreciate it and I will lower pump rpm to 1700 , lower than 1700 won’t skim
How about the PH problem, is there a way to stabilize it?
Thanks for suggestions I really appreciate it and I will lower pump rpm to 1700 , lower than 1700 won’t skim
How about the PH problem, is there a way to stabilize it?
I was just thinking if I lower pump rpm I should increase runtimes, and it means more splash from waterfall and it’s gonna raise ph even faster, correct me if I’m wrong please.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,541
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do you have any automation?
Do you have an auto fill?
What it the pH and TA of your fill water?
Do you have an auto fill?
What it the pH and TA of your fill water?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,541
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
pH will never be stable with the setup you have.
The cycle time for your RJ60 is 180 minutes. So, 48% means 86 minutes on and 94 minutes off. Then, the polarity reverses and a new cycle begins.
The way you are running your pump and SWG cycles is bypassing the cycling and effectively running the SWG output at 100% for your times and not allowing the cell to change polarity which cleans out any scale forming on the plates. It is not the way the cell is designed to run. You should run the SWG for one unbroken time period to generate the daily chlorine your pool needs.
Your lack of automation makes it difficult for you to use modern equipment the way it is designed to be used.
The cycle time for your RJ60 is 180 minutes. So, 48% means 86 minutes on and 94 minutes off. Then, the polarity reverses and a new cycle begins.
The way you are running your pump and SWG cycles is bypassing the cycling and effectively running the SWG output at 100% for your times and not allowing the cell to change polarity which cleans out any scale forming on the plates. It is not the way the cell is designed to run. You should run the SWG for one unbroken time period to generate the daily chlorine your pool needs.
Your lack of automation makes it difficult for you to use modern equipment the way it is designed to be used.
You’re correct about SWG runtime mistakes I made. I will change SWG run times to solid continuous hours, but what does my current setup has anything to do with PH
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,541
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If you had automation you could schedule when the spillover runs and when it does not.
If you had automation you could run your pump 24/7 at low speeds always generating some chlorine and not have your spillover running. And then have the automation periodically increase pump speed to skim the pool for your leaf problem.
Spillover cannot be shut down due to wrong design and plumbing, it’s part of a return line
If I shut it down , the spa won’t be in circulation
If I shut it down , the spa won’t be in circulation
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,541
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Spa does not need to always circulate when in POOL mode. You only need to refresh the spa with chlorinated pool water twice a day. This is what SPILLOVER mode in automation does.
Post pics of your equipment pad.
I think your wrong design is not installing automation to optimally use your equipment.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,541
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
