Plan to be away for a couple weeks and want to know if the pool can handle the rising pH. I am not worried about the chlorine because that is supplied by an SWG, but the SWG does cause the pH to rise. Generally I add 12 to 14 ounces of muriatic acid every two to three days to keep the pH in range. For vacation I was figuring on dropping the pH to 7.2, which should give me 5 to 7 days of pH below 8, if I'm lucky. Will my plaster pool be ok if the pH rises above that for about a week? Thanks.
pH and Vacation
- Thread starter ThomasG
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,751
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
That's a lot of pH rise you have to manage every 2-3 days. Is your plaster new? Also, what is your current TA and CH? That might give us more options.
Yes, plaster pool. Plaster is a year old this month. Current numbers:
FC: 7.0
CC: 0
pH: 7.8 (added muriatic acid, so this should be down)
TA: 70
CH: 440
CYA: 80
Salt: 3600
Temp: 84
CSI: -0.01
FC: 7.0
CC: 0
pH: 7.8 (added muriatic acid, so this should be down)
TA: 70
CH: 440
CYA: 80
Salt: 3600
Temp: 84
CSI: -0.01
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,751
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Okay, I was looking to see if your TA was higher which might warrant some quick "acid/aeration" tricks to lower TA and help keep pH from rising so fast. You still could lower TA a little more to 50-60. That might help reduce the rate of pH increase. I was also going to suggest using a few tablets for their acidity value, but your CYA is already on the high end.
So in the end, you might try to lower TA a little more before you leave, but then drop pH to the 7.0-7.2 range just before walking out the door. Even if your pH rises to 8.2, it's not over the 0.6 threshold for scale, so a lot won't happen in just a few days.
So in the end, you might try to lower TA a little more before you leave, but then drop pH to the 7.0-7.2 range just before walking out the door. Even if your pH rises to 8.2, it's not over the 0.6 threshold for scale, so a lot won't happen in just a few days.
Hadn't thought to lower TA, but I might try that this week. Since my CSI is near 0, I figured things would be OK.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,751
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I was checking the CSI as well based on your last tests. You have some wiggle room either way, so you're in a good position right now. Good luck!