Why can't I get my PH To rise?

[Guest]

Something peculiar is going on here. When I opened the pool, my PH was under 7.0..
I used nearly an entire box of borax as recommended by the Pool Calculator. The next day it was around 7.3. I added a great deal more Borax, aiming at 7.6, but still only got it to around 7.4. I added Borax a 3rd time, according to the recommended dosage on Pool Calculator. Today, the PH is still only 7.2 - 7.3..

Here's the rest of my details:

FC: 6
CC: .2
PH: 7.2-7.3
TA: 80
CYA: 80
Water Temp: 76
CH: Possibly very low - under 120. (This is the great unknown) I am having a hard time doing the test. I don't get the color red when I add the drops. It's more like purple. I suspect metal ion interference and followed the instructions for prepping it before hand with the reagent. My best guess is it's around 120, but I'd like to be sure before I add a bunch of Calcium. More and more, I think the low water hardness is what's causing the yellow/brown metal staining.

But what's up with my PH? Should I raise the TA?

Ideas?

 

[JasonLion]

Are you using trichlor tablets? Trichlor is constantly lowering the PH and the TA. Trichlor is also constantly raising your CYA level, which is already getting as high as you should allow it to get.

 

[PaulR]

Re. the CH test, don't worry too much about the precise color. Look for a color change and then for it to stop changing.
--paulr

 

[Guest]

Not anymore, I went to the B.B.B method last year. My CYA is way lower than it used to be. I did a whole lot of drainings last summer to get it down to where it is now. To me, 80ppm CYA is great!

However, I did have a pool company close my pool and they did use Trichlor tablets, though most of the effects of that should be gone by now.

Are you using trichlor tablets? Trichlor is constantly lowering the PH and the TA. Trichlor is also constantly raising your CYA level, which is already getting as high as you should allow it to get.

 

[Guest]

It's very hard for me to assess that. The color doesn't seem to change. I'm fairly certain the CH is just really low. When I used 6 drops of the buffer, then added the drops, there was barely any color at all. Without the Buffer it's purple and never seems to change.

Either my CH is real, real high or it's real, real low. I'm going to get some calcium and do a bucket test, I think.

THanks for the tips,

Rob

Re. the CH test, don't worry too much about the precise color. Look for a color change and then for it to stop changing.
--paulr

 

[JasonLion]

That is curious. Without trichlor, three does of borax should have had a more visible effect. When you say "a great deal more" (borax) do you have any idea how much that was?

 

[Guest]

Let me see if I Can re-state what occurred.

When I first opened the pool, the PH was too low to measure. I put in about 76OZ of Borax.
The next day it was better - around 7.2. I put in another 76 oz of Borax, and it only went up to about 7.3 by the next day. I put in about another 24oz and it took it to just 7.4. I added another 24 oz, and the next day it was down to about 7.2 again.
In between the doses of Borax, I also did some aerating with my fountain. I can certainly add more borax, but it sure seems sluggish about getting the PH up to where it needs to be and holding there.

Last year, I really struggled to keep my PH high enough, but I was cautious because my TA was so high. Now, my TA problem is solved, but the PH still seems very slow about rising and holding. Before I add a bunch more Borax, I just thought I'd ask if there is some other unknown element keeping things from rising normally.

That is curious. Without trichlor, three does of borax should have had a more visible effect. When you say "a great deal more" (borax) do you have any idea how much that was?

 

[JasonLion]

That is very strange. Adding nearly 3 boxes of borax should have had a dramatic effect on the PH.

I can think of a couple of things to check. If your PH test reagent is more than one year old, there is a small chance that your PH test reagent has gone bad. Another possibility would be some effect from other chemicals you added but didn't mention, though it would have to been something fairly dramatic. But none of those seem especially likely.

 

[Guest]

I stand corrected in my numbers. I definitely did not add 3 boxes.

More like 1 and 3/4ths box altogether. I'll re-check my measurements when I go home.

I was going by the recommended amounts on Pool Calculator. With my first application, it was somewhat guesswork because my PH Doesn't measure below 7.0. I guessed it to be around 6.9 or 7.0 and the initial dosage (I think about a half box) brought it up to 7.2.. But, based on the Pool Calculator, my PH should be well over 7.6. and as of yesterday it's around 7.2 or 7.3..

Rob

That is very strange. Adding nearly 3 boxes of borax should have had a dramatic effect on the PH.

I can think of a couple of things to check. If your PH test reagent is more than one year old, there is a small chance that your PH test reagent has gone bad. Another possibility would be some effect from other chemicals you added but didn't mention, though it would have to been something fairly dramatic. But none of those seem especially likely.