Cya and TA

[Deb04]

I know adding CYA will lower my pH. Will it also lower TA? The pool calculator doesnt mention effects on TA.

 

[coffeegoddss]

As far as I know, the only way to lower TA is to lower the pH and then let the pH go back up. Then you lower the pH again to lower the TA and let the pH rise again - it's a cycle. My TA is high and that's what I've been doing... I'll lower the pH to @7.2 and then turn the return jet upwards so the water breaks the surface. The aeration raises the pH without raising the TA like a lot of the additives to raise pH will. It's been slow going but it works.

 

[duraleigh]

To permanently lower TA, you must include aeration into the equation....in other words, manually accelerate the natural tendency to out-gas CO2 out of the water. So as Ms Coffee suggests, the CYA has virtually no affect.

Perhaps even more important, do not overestimate just how much effect CYA has on pH. Use the poolcalculator to set up scenarios but you will find that adding normal amounts of CYA to your pool will not have any really drastic affect on your pH.

 

[JasonLion]

The net effect of adding CYA is normally a small increase in TA.