How will I know that I have the Ideal TA?

[mokabb]

This is titled the Deep End... So here it is if you are up for it.

I've been reading the threads about TA and have some understanding most of it at this point. My question is... Practically speaking, is there an ideal TA for my pool? and if so, how will I know that I have reached it?

I ask because I see that I should be in a range of 60-90+ according to stuff I have read here and elsewhere. Currently, my TA is about 95 or so. That's essentially in the range. I have MA sitting in my shed and I have a great little aerator, so lowering ( or even raising) my TA more is no big deal and will only cost me a couple dollars of MA and some time. Should I get it to 80? or 70? or 60? Will it have any practical value to my pool care? How would I know that I have hit my ideal TA? Or doesn't it really matter at all?

 

[Guest]

How fast does your pH rise? If you have to put acid in a lot to lower the pH then your TA is too high. If your pH is stable your TA is fine. Most pools do best with the TA in the range we recommend but there are always going to be exceptions.
If you have new plaster or a lot of aerating water features then your pH is going to rise no matter what.

You will know when you hit the ideal TA because the Heavens will part and a chorus of Angels will sing!

 

[Pisces]

You will know when you hit the ideal TA because the Heavens will part and a chorus of Angels will sing!

*SNORT*!! Oh, BLESS ME, that was funny, waterbear!! OK...I'll also be watching for the miraculous event too, but in the meantime I'll keep testing. BTW...is that piece of info in Pool School? :lol: :angel:

 

[mokabb]

Thanks. So the ideal TA is really "measured" by how stable my pH is - right? If the pH doesn't fluctuate much - the TA is fine. If it rises? I should lower it more?? If it lowers? I should raise it more??

My plaster is almost 20 yrs old. The aerating feature really has only been used over the past week to lower help my TA from ~ 150 to the current level. I can't tell you how stable the pH is yet - only that it has been stable at 7.6 for the past 24 hours.

 

[dmanb2b]

give it some time, if it stays stable for at least a week your near your sweet spot

 

[anonapersona]

I think that the TA of your tap water will come into play here, since if you are refilling much due to splashout or evaporation or backwashing your pool TA will be changed with the additional water.

My tap tested at TA 340! So, for me, that adds up with the 1"-2" evaporation per week.

 

[Guest]

Thanks. So the ideal TA is really "measured" by how stable my pH is - right? If the pH doesn't fluctuate much - the TA is fine. If it rises? I should lower it more?? If it lowers? I should raise it more??

You got it!

give it some time, if it stays stable for at least a week your near your sweet spot

Exactly! Do I see an Angel over there?====================> :angel:

I think that the TA of your tap water will come into play here, since if you are refilling much due to splashout or evaporation or backwashing your pool TA will be changed with the additional water.

My tap tested at TA 340! So, for me, that adds up with the 1"-2" evaporation per week.

Good Point! If your fill water has high TA then I would keep the TA at the low end of the scale and add some acid to drop the pH down to around 7.0-7.2 whenever you have to add fill water. It will still be less acid than if you don't try and keep your TA down.

 

[mdhwoods]

Great topic, i was wondering the same thing. So would you say that if you have to add acid once a week that you would be at a good ta level? every 2 weeks?

 

[JasonLion]

If you can hold PH adjustments to once a week you are doing fine. It is possible to tune things so you adjust the PH less often than that, but the effort of figuring that out can be larger than simply adjusting the PH once a week.

 

[sevver]

I am thinking my TA is like 120, lowered it from about 240 over last year, but, my Ph is stable, so I am no longer going to mess with it. I had to add some borax one week, and a bit of acid another, a couple weeks apart, but that is good enough for me.