Trouble keeping TA up

[Laurie Critchfield]

We have had a very rainy season. At least 5 times this season we received more than two inches of water in a 24 hour period, I usually let the water level get pretty low before I add it from our well and only have had to to that maybe 3 times this season. I have had to drain it because it was above the skimmer level 3 times. I am adding all this rainy information because maybe it has a bearing on my issue. I have added boxes and boxes (and boxes) of baking soda to get my TA from about 60 to right about 90. After the last rain dump it is back at 60. Is this normal? I do have metals in the water and problems with calcium scaling over winter so this year I was paying special attention to my TA and calcium levels as I prepare to close. Maybe this is connected but I am also having to dump a lot of muratic acid in to maintain the PH at 7.5 or lower. close to a half a gallon a week. Is this normal?
FC 5
PH 7.5
TA now 70 (was at 90)
CH 240 (was at 290)
CYA 50

 

[needsajet]

Nice to meet you via TFP

If it were mine, I'd leave TA at 60 long enough to let the pool tell me if that's it's sweet spot. You can also let the pH settle a bit higher. Take a look at CSI when you enter all your most recent numbers in PoolMath, and play around a bit with your numbers and decide on something close to what the pool wants to settle at, and to get a CSI around -0.3 to -0.1

Raising TA causes the pool to need more acid, so you may be able to reduce your additions of both baking soda and acid.

 

[duraleigh]

Let your TA go down as low as 60, but not as low as 50. The pool may like 60 and that's ok....let it stay there.

Keep the pH down, regardless of the acid it takes. High pH is the primary cause of scaling. All pools are different on pH and TA. Keep them in the range suggested and you should be able to eliminate scale formation.

 

[JVTrain]

Is your pH fairly stable at 60 - 70 ppm TA? If so... why are you arbitrarily raising your TA back up to 90. If you're not having issues with pH bouncing around at 60 TA, leave it there. Also... with your low CH, you're better off keeping the pH higher such as 7.6 to 7.8. Your water at your indicated levels is leaning toward corrosive, rather than scaling. Input your numbers into Pool Math and see where your CSI is at. If anything, you might want to consider raising your CH while leaving the TA low.

 

[26venus]

Laurie,
I'm not far from you and have experienced the extreme rainfall as well. In 16 years I can't remember a season where I had to drain as often as this one. It's usually the other way around. I can't speak to your issues with metals but I do agree with the advice given so far. My TA runs 60-80. This season has been pretty steady @ 60. My PH has been very consistent and only needed adjusting when I added borates or made other changes. I've found that when my TA gets to 80-90 I start seeing more fluctuation in my PH. Give your pool a chance at 60 TA. It sounds like it's trying to tell you that's where it wants to be.