my fill water has extremely high TA

[CheetoGuido]

Hello!! I have been lurking for a bit and learning. We are waiting for our new hot tub to be delivered. I am getting all of my pre work done so I can have on had everything I need and "know" what to do. No prior experience at all. I just checked my water from the hose we are going to use to fill the tub and my TA is 240 PPM. I did the test twice. I got to 20 drops and multiplied by 10 to get ppm. Can this be right? My PH was 7.8 and my CH was 100 PPM. I am planning on doing Bromine with a start up bromine bank. I am worried about getting my TA down to 80. That seems quite a task. I read all the notes on how to do it but I am scared, it seems a bit daunting.

Is this normal for City Water to be so high in Alkalinity? We live right outside of Houston.

Thanks for all of the info on this forum, it is so helpful!

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! Well, with my TF-100 test kit, yes, using all 3 forms of TA reagents required, I count the number of R-0009 drops it took to go from green to bright Barbie pink/red, then multiply by 10. If your TA is that high, you'll be using a bit of acid to lower it. What you'll learn here is that even though there is a generic "recommended level for TA (i.e. 70-120), several other factors determine where your TA should be. Most commonly how well does you pH stay in the mid-7s with a high TA. Also, the type pool and equipment you have may play a role in TA management.

What I suggest is for you to become familiar with the method to lower TA via acid, but then raising the pH back-up to a safe level, and continuing this method until the TA is just where you need it. You can see that page here at Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity.

Also, please add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. It will help us later.

 

[Crackerjack4u]

+1 Hello Cheeto, and Welcome to TFP,

Congratulations on your soon to be delivered Hot tub.

It sounds as though you are using one of recommended test kits for your testing, which is great.

Yes a 240ppm TA on the fill water can in fact be correct. Once you get your hot tub with your fill TA being high to start, and your pH already at the higher end at 7.8ppm, you will most likely at 1st be battling a increasing pH level, until you can get the TA level down enough so it can stabilize the pH better, but not to worry we can help you do that when the time comes.

Here is a link that might help explain what we may be asking you to do at that time should the pH start increasing, as I suspect it will do because of the high TA and a starting pH of 7.8ppm.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/3134-High-pH-That-will-just-NOT-come-down

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/129-how-to-lower-lowering-total-alkalinity


Here are a few more links on other important topics that you can look over before your Hot Tub arrives.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/123-abc-of-pool-water-chemistry
www.troublefreepool.com/content/139-recommended-pool-chemicals
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/134-recommended-levels
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/114-poolmath-pool-calculator

Once your Hot Tub arrives and you are able to recheck your levels so we know everything that is occurring we can certainly assist you more from there.

Also once your Hot Tub arrives Please fill in your Signature information (or If you know the size etc. you may fill some of that in there now, along with your test kit information then add to it should you need to later.

This can be done by: Going to the top of this page Clicking on Forum Actions---->General Settings and then look down the left side of your screen for a Bold tab called MY SETTINGS, and EDIT SIGNATURE is located there.

Here is a link describing the type of information you can add to it so we can better assist you. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post

I hope this helps. Again welcome to TFP. Feel free to post any other questions you may have, and someone will be happy to assist. Have a wonderful Day

 

[JohnT]

TA of 240ppm is nothing. Mine is 480ppm.

 

[Donldson]

TA of 240ppm is nothing. Mine is 480ppm.

Is that all? 800ppm. Yes, checked, double checked and wiped the dropper between all 80 drops. Just topping off my water causes a measurable increase in my TA reading.

All I do is keep plenty of acid on hand in Spring until the pH gets managable. I don't do any special aeration, I just let it do its thing until the pH stabilizes.

From my HTC One via Tapatalk

 

[CheetoGuido]

Hello and thank you for the help. I will review all of the links shared. I am testing with a K1005 kit. I realize now that I am missing the FAS-DPD test, mine is only DPD. SHOOT. Should I buy that separately? (if they have it, that is).
Also, do you think one of those garden hose filters would be worth it for filling the tub? I wasn't sure if they only help with calcium which is not a problem for me.

Thanks!

- - - Updated - - -

Wow, i had not read the other responses regarding high TA, that makes me feel better. I was thinking maybe I did it wrong or something.

 

[Texas Splash]

You can order just the FAS-DPD portion from the TF-100 site. The link is below in my sig. Have a nice evening.