High TA and pH adjustments

[xtencornfield]

After our first week of new pool ownership, all seems to be going well but I do have some questions about TA and pH.

My TA is high at around 350...I got distracted during my test last night and ended at 370 but I think it may have been a "drop" or two lower--I'm doing the "adjusted" test for high TA using only 10ml of pool water.

My pH as of last night was at 7.8 (I added the appropriate amount of dry acid to bring it down to 7.5). It has been 3 days since I previously added dry acid...I had a creep from 7.5 to 7.8 over those 3 days.

So my question, we're probably going to close our pool end-October/early-November, is it even worth it to try to tackle my TA levels at this point in the season?

One thing I'll note is that we have a 2hp pump for an only 21' round pool (silly but they were out of smaller pumps for the season and we bought our pool on a end of season deal and wanted to get it installed this year so we can get our landscaping done before winter), so we're getting some water breakage from the return jet...I'm wondering if this will help my TA at all...I guess only time and testing will tell on that one.

One other question. I'm currently using a pH reducer (dry acid)--3 lbs came with our pool kit. Any reason not to use this until it's gone and then switch to muriatic acid?

 

[duraleigh]

The dry acid is fine....use it up.

I doubt you'll get much help with your TA if you keep your pH up where it is. If you carefully lower it to around 7.0, then aerate with your big pump, you'll see TA drop pretty quickly (until you get pH up around 7.4 or so, then you have to start over again.

Whether you can move TA much or not, I think I would encourage you to ignore it fro the rest of the season. Read the "Lowering TA" article in Pool School and it'll give you a good idea how the process works.

 

[dmanb2b]

What Dave said Gosh a 2hp pump ....way overpowered , but like Dave mentions...just point your returns upward when you decide to aerate.

 

[JohnT]

What Dave said, plus make sure you take advantage of rainwater over the winter to dilute your high TA water with 0ppm TA rainwater. It's the easiest way to lower it.