TA cranking up

[chris4150]

Hello all,

Just conducted a home test of my pool water and discovered the following

TC 2
PH 7.8
TA 160

I used the pool calculator, however, do I enter the values to lower PH or the values to lower the TA. If you shoot for 7.2 PH, I get one value for miratic, if I had the desired TA based on my current reading, the miratic value increases significantly. So which value do I aim for, one or the other or both?

 

[chris4150]

Disregard,

Located the info in pool school as far as sequence in lowering PH

 

[mas985]

Hello all,

Just conducted a home test of my pool water and discovered the following

TC 2
PH 7.8
TA 160

I used the pool calculator, however, do I enter the values to lower PH or the values to lower the TA. If you shoot for 7.2 PH, I get one value for miratic, if I had the desired TA based on my current reading, the miratic value increases significantly. So which value do I aim for, one or the other or both?

The best way to lower TA is by the method in Pool School located here.

 

[chris4150]

Mas985,

Thank you for the response. I followed the literature and was able to lower the PH to 7.2. The TA is still at the high end of the threshold at 120. It got dark before I could take another PH reading, so Ill have to check it at a later time. I figure once the PH gets back up to 7.5 or so and see where Im at. If my TA is still a tad high and my PH has built back up to 7.5 or higher can I attempt to lower the TA again? I guess what Im concerned about is lowering the PH too often. But from reading the literature as long as I dont bottom out my PH I should be ok. Let me know what yall think.

 

[mas985]

WIth a plaster pool, you will want to get it down a bit to prevent scaling (depends on your CH level) but keep in mind that other factors will limit how low you can go.:lol: You should be able to get it down to at least 100 ppm or so but long term it depends on how much and how often you are adding TA to the water. Fill water can affect your overall chemistry in the pool so you might want to check what your fill water has in it. Some live with high TA water all the time by keeping PH on the low side. Eventually, this will tend to lower or at least keep TA in check. This is basically what I do by using an IV acid drip for my pool.

 

[MikeInTN]

Yep, that's the method; lower the pH and TA with muriatic acid, aerate to bring the pH back up, add more acid to again lower the pH and TA, aerate to bring the pH back up, and on and on you go until your TA's where you want it. As long as you don't take the pH really low and leave it there, you'll be OK.

You are aerating the water to bring the pH back up, correct?

 

[chris4150]

Correct,

While adding the MA I have my filter pump running which is flowing water from the spa, over a flagston spill way, and into the pool. If I really need to aerate, I can turn on the water fall and/or two water sprayers.