ph 201

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Taterelder

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May 15, 2009
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can someone give me a little more info on PH... what are the key factors that affect increases and decreases? I seem to be having a little trouble keeping mine in check... I have been using the BBB method for the 1st year and love it, Thanks TFP!

I seem to need to drop my ph from 8.0 down almost 2 - 3 times a week... is putting Muriatic acid in that often normal?

I live in the midwest, and seem to find that after a good rain that ph usually drops to 7.0 (seems rain is acidic, is that normal?)

I did have a leak in my filter basket and lost about 2 inches of water a week... could water comming out mean air going in and I was constantly inadvertantly aerating my water? I have since bought a new pool pump and there are no leaks...

but I often realized that my ph has drifted outside the recommended levels in both directions respectively... could not really keeping a GOOD handle on these numbers be the reason I am noticing a slightly yellowish/brown stain on my white stairs below the water line???

I think I will go the Borates route next season since its getting pretty close to closing time for this year...but without borates is there anything I can do to have less 'maintenance' on my ph?

thanks
 
There are many contributors that can lead to constant PH rise, including but not limited to

- High TA level
- New Plaster (Not applicable in your case)
- Water Fountain or water fall...aeration increases PH without increasing TA
- Use of a SWG
- Lot's of kids splashing in the pool every day

If you let us know what your TA level is, method of chlorination (Trichlor tends to decrease PH) and a few more specifics on the features of you pool, we should be able to help out.
 
Rain is probably acidic, I measured mine once, the pH test said 6.8 but of course that's the bottom of the range so it could have been lower. People say the aeration from rain hitting the surface of the pool will raise pH; if you have a cover I think you wouldn't see that effect.
--paulr
 
My TA level is 85.. and I have been chlorinating with 6% bleach

I like all the suggestions on the other ways ph can be affected... I don't have a cover, new plaster, or swg.

Also, I read in another post that putting in bleach temporarily increases ph (but about how much, and about how long?)
 
AH, so just putting my nightly small amount to raise my fc to my target, shouldn't affect it much? thanks... anyone have any ideas on the light yellowish/brown color at the water line on my white plastic stairs???
 
its not just at the water line... there and below, and I have hit it with a magic eraser, and it lightens... I was curious how it got there in the first place.... can ph 8.0+ cause that? if so HOW???
 

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hey all, thanks for the advice... but I just did the vitamin c test, and found out that I do have metals in the pool... I read pool school about how to do the ascorbic test, but have a question... What is a sequestering agent, and where do I get it???
 
Taterelder said:
hey all, thanks for the advice... but I just did the vitamin c test, and found out that I do have metals in the pool... I read pool school about how to do the ascorbic test, but have a question... What is a sequestering agent, and where do I get it???
Click to expand...

Jack's Magic Stuff is good - You want a sequesterant that is HEDP based (look for DEDP, Phosphonic acid derivative, or phosphonates on the label). Jacks Magic, Proteam Metal Magic, GLB Sequa Sol are a few good ones. You don't want anything that is EDTA based. Check Online or at pool stores.
 
If the ascorbic acid removed or generally lightened the stain, it is iron in the water.

The sequestrant keeps the iron in soluable form and doesn't allow it to precipitate out onto your walls. (or in your water).

The sequestrant does not remove the metal from your water. You will have to continuously add sequestrant in the dosage recommended for the forseeable future.

Do/Did you fill from a well? That's the most common source of iron.
 
I didn't fill from a well... my pool was fine all summer long and the only water that was put in was tap water and rain water, so I was a little baffled on why the stains appeared.

So do I just go to my pool store and ask them for a sequestering agent? how much do I get for my 18,000 pool?
 
I wouldn't be in a rush to label that as an iron stain. If the pool had no iron before, it shouldn't have any now. Again, to my knowledge, the primary source for iron is well water.

So, did you put a tri-chlor tab on the stain to test for it being arganic or did you simply do the AA test?
 
Have you fertilized grass recently? Many grass fertilizers contain iron, they will have cautions about sweeping walkways before it gets wet to avoid stains. Also most plant fertilizers will have iron as well as other minerals. I have no idea of how much of either it would take to affect a pool, but someone here might.
 
Thanks for the advice, no I didn't try a chlorine tablet, I will tomorrow... I just did the Vitamin C test and it faded great so I just assumed.... can anyone tell me what a sequestering agent is and where to get it? thx
 

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