Low TA

[wellsnlisa]

Ph 7.8
FC 8
TA 54
CYA 62
CH 232
Borax 53

We have a spa that spills over into the pool and I believe that is the reason I am always fighting high Ph. We had been running our pump 12 hours a day, but I think I now understand that isn't necessary when manually adding liquid chlorine. I cut the timer back to 5 hours in the morning which covers when the pool cleaner runs and should be enough to mix everything after I dose the pool in the morning. I'm hoping that helps with my Ph issues.

Do you think I should raise the TA with Baking Soda yet, or is it okay for it to be this low to help keep the Ph more stable?

 

[Patrick_B]

Your corrosion to plaster potential is likely a bit high with those numbers. What is your makeup water TA?

 

[wellsnlisa]

Your corrosion to plaster potential is likely a bit high with those numbers. What is your makeup water TA?

54 was the number the pool store gave me when I took water in to check my Borax level because I don't have test strips yet. They called it Adjusted Total Alkalinity.

I just did the test on my own and got TA of 80. My fill water tests at 270.

 

[Patrick_B]

Ok,

Don't worry about the ATA number. Its a negligible difference.

Trust your own results, and don't worry about adding Alakalinity. You have plenty in your fill water, and it will be high enough pretty soon. You could always top up the pool and backwash to get some in there now if you wanted, but if it were me, I wouldnt worrry if that 80 TA you got was a good number. Betting it was.

 

[wellsnlisa]

I watched a Taylor You Tube video to be sure I was doing the test right. I added the drops in quick succession like they did on the video. I get 80 every time on the pool water and 260 on the fill water. I guess I can stop worrying for now. Lol. I will see if cutting back on running the pump helps at all with my climbing pH.

 

[Patrick_B]

It will help for sure. And it sounds like you have the test nailed to perfection so good to hear that.