High PH after adding acid, 0 CYA....

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bears831

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Aug 17, 2009
33
Montgomery, Texas
Hello guys.

Levels are: (taylor kit)
TC 1.5
PH 8.1
TA 150ppm
Calcium 240ppm
CYA 0

I put 1 gal of muratic in it about 2 weeks ago and NADA!! The ph is still freaking high.

The pool is new as of November 2009 and is Pebble sheen. Not sure if this is causing the ph to rage!!

I just took over the chem duties.

So, I checked the calculator and it says to add 374 ounces of liquid stabilizer???? I'm not a math wiz but that looks like 3 gallons?????

This freaking stuff seems complicated.
 
Dang, that's a big pool! Have you checked your math? If the pool is the size you say and it's only 4' deep throughout the entire length, that's more like 42,000 gallons, not the 28000 you say.

The calculations sound right to me. My pool is half that size, and I added 10 lbs of dry acid and about a gallon of liquid later. Now the pH is steady. I think I added a cup in the last month. I remember this much from high school chemistry: pH is logarithmic, like earthquakes. 8.1 is ten times stronger than 7.1. So every point is a sizeable jump.

Watch the testing when you test calcium and you'll notice something. You add a lot of drops and they disappear. As you start to get near the end you get a cloud of color that only disappears when swirled. Then that one drop changes everything. It's going to be like that with the acid: add and add and add and suddenly, it's there!
 
Take it one parameter at a time and it will get very easy. Start with pH. Keep adding muriatic acid until your pH gets down to around 7.4. The changes will occur usually within 30 minutes of you adding acid so it won't take two weeks.

If the pH goes back up (you should be testing daily) keep adding muriatic to brin it back down to 7.4....very simple..Once you get your pH down into the mid 7's then you can work on the liquid stabilizer (which is totally unrelated to pH....it's CYA)

While you are adjusting pH, read the ABC's of pool water chemistry in pool school.......it'll help.

Post back when your pH is stable and we'll help adjust your parameters one by one.....it'll be easier than you think. :lol:
 
bears831 said:
Levels are: (taylor kit)
TC 1.5
PH 8.1
TA 150ppm
Calcium 240ppm
CYA 0

I put 1 gal of muratic in it about 2 weeks ago and NADA!! The ph is still freaking high.
The pool is new as of November 2009 and is Pebble sheen. Not sure if this is causing the ph to rage!!
I just took over the chem duties. So, I checked the calculator and it says to add 374 ounces of liquid stabilizer???? I'm not a math wiz but that looks like 3 gallons?????
Click to expand...
Relax :-D -- you're going to be fine. If your plan was to increase cyanuric acid (CYA - also known as stablizer or conditioner) by about 40 ppm that sounds about right. If you haven't already purchased the liquid stabilizer, you should consider purchasing the dry granules instead. They're less expensive and just as convenient. Discount Pool Supplies has 7 lb tubs of CYA on sale for $27.38 each, shipping included. It takes about 10 lbs of the dry stuff to match 3 gallons of liquid conditioner. (If you add the dry granulated CYA instead of the liquid conditioner that will also lower the pH --- a two for one deal!)

You didn't say what the temperature of the water was -- but I can guess that it's probably not 80 degrees. A pH level that wants to go up is expected in a newer pool, so no problem there. Add small doses of muriatic acid every few days rather than once a week. Have you already added salt to the pool? If so, so much the better, though the salt water cell probably won't be producing any chlorine for a while with the temperatures we've had across the country. Spend a little time in Pool School. I don't think there are any math quizzes in there... but if I'm wrong, feel free to ignore them. :lol:
 
With a fresh plaster/pebble finish the PH, TA, and CH levels will go up constantly for up to a year. Cold water slows down the process significantly, so keep an eye on the PH as the water warms up. High TA levels also cause PH to rise.
 
You should be testing the PH every day or at least every other day and adding acid as needed to maintain the recommended levels.

Do not spend money on liquid stabilizer. It is simply not worth the added expense, just use the granular.

When you say Taylor kit, TC.... do you have a way to test for Free chlorine too?
 
JasonLion said:
With a fresh plaster/pebble finish the PH, TA, and CH levels will go up constantly for up to a year. Cold water slows down the process significantly, so keep an eye on the PH as the water warms up. High TA levels also cause PH to rise.
Click to expand...
bears831, Jason is correct. Our pool is about 6mths old and the pH continues to rise every week. I have noticed that I do not have to add as much muriatic acid as before, nevertheless I will have to add acid till the pool fully cures. Get in the mode of checking the pH every week at least and start a log of everything you do. You will find that you will eventually predict what and when you have to add chemicals. It take me minutes with my Apollo magnetic stirrer. Soon your pool will stabilize :cheers: :cheers:
 
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