Total Alkalinity = Zero per stores; 80 per TFT kit

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T

tonytoothdoc

0
May 30, 2015
20
Franklin, TN
Pool Size
27000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Turbo Cell (T-CELL-5)
When i test my TA on my 27,000 gallon plaster pool with chlorine generator using the TF100 kit, I routinely get 70-80 ppm with ph from 7.4 - 7.8 and very little fluctuation. I didn't add any baking soda at startup, but used borax instead. I have super clear and clean water and only add muriatic acid once a week to drop from 7.7 to 7.5 usually. CYA is 65. Water termp = 85.Salt = 3000 ppm



i had water tested at the pool store. Everything was about the same but TA was Zero. They wanted me to add about 50 lbs of their product to increase total alkalinity. Why is there so much difference in TA. Does 40 - 50 ppm Borax affect TA reading on their chemistry but not mine?


Are they trying to rob me or have i messed up? Any danger to pool or swimmers?
Thanks for your help!
 
Ignore the Pool Store. TA of 0 is unlikely in any water. They should realize that 0 does not pass a reasonability test. But then the folks behind the counter probably can't explain what TA even is.

Sounds like your tests are reasonable. Do you test CH and use PoolMath to monitor your CSI?
 
You have just seen a clear example why we don't trust pool store testing. We've seen it over and over again from posters just like yourself. Had you bought and added the alkalinity up they were trying to sell you, your TA would be sky high right now and your pocketbook would be a lot lighter. Not to mention the fact, but that alkalinity up that they tried to sell you is just baking soda repackaged at 4 times the price.

Trust your own tests! You have a great test kit. Don't second guess yourself.
 
Another good example why we insist upon self-testing. Someone recently offered up an impassioned defense of pool store testing and had strong words about our refusal to trust them. Such a person really has to close their eyes and plug their ears to be on this site, with hundreds of experiences similar to yours, and continue to defend pool stores so strongly.

Are they trying to rob you? Well, yes given that they tried selling you a 50 lb bucket of baking soda at a significant markup. But I wouldn't go so far as to say they intentionally fudged your numbers to sell you it. More likely a testing error, one a purported "professional" should have recognized (you wouldn't have a pH of 7.5 with zero TA) and retested. Either way it doesn't paint a very good picture for them, malicious deception or woeful ignorance of water chemistry.

Trust your numbers, you don't need them verified by an untrustworthy source. I like to say I would trust someone brand new with a TF-100 who is confused over a pool store test any day. I mean that.
 
Thanks guys. My Ch is always high around 475, even creeps back upseveral days after replacing 1 1/2 feet of water approximately. Yes, I religiously use the pool math app and csi is usually around zero, -.010.

Another question since i mentioned using borax. Is it ok to not use baking soda and substitute borax instead which raises ph and ya, then drop ph with miriatic acid?
 
In a nutshell, use Borax only if you want to raise pH.

Use Baking Soda only to raise TA.

Those sentences are not "precise no-exceptions gospel" but you will never go wrong if you abide by them
 
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