Borax to lock your pH?

[iggy]

I just read about using Borax to lockdown your pH.
Does it really work?
Can someone explain this and why should I consider or not consider doing this.

 

[Guest]

50 ppm borates add a secondary borate/boric acid buffer that works with the carbonate/carbonic acid buffer to help lock the pH at arund 7.6-7.7

 

[chem geek]

In an SWG pool, a combination of factors can significantly lower the rate of pH rise as waterbear can attest to from his low acid usage. The Borates are not only an additional pH buffer, but they are also an algaecide so can lower chlorine consumption that would otherwise be fighting nascent algae growth. This allows one to turn down the SWG on-time which lessens the amount of hydrogen gas bubbles produced by the SWG that aerate the water and drive out carbon dioxide that raises the pH.

In addition to using Borates, one can lower the TA level and set a higher pH target, both of which reduce the amount of carbon dioxide outgassing (see this chart). Also, one can raise the CYA level to 60-80 ppm which reduces chlorine breakdown from the UV rays of sunlight even at higher proportional FC levels and this lets one turn down the SWG on-time...

The net of the above in an SWG pool is lower frequency of acid addition AND lower total amount of acid added "per time period". In a non-SWG pool, the Borates are still a pH buffer so will reduce the rate of pH change, but by themselves won't change the amount of acid one needs to add "per time period" so you'll add more acid less frequently, but the total will be about the same (i.e. the algaecide benefits don't affect the rate of pH change in a non-SWG pool). Of course, in most non-SWG pools, the pH is more stable already, unless there are significant aeration features (or the TA is high or the pH low).

Richard

 

[billyjoeraybob]

How do you test for borates/boric acid? It looks like a good thing for my SWCG pool.

 

[JasonLion]

The most practical test for borates right now seems to be the LaMotte borate test strips.

 

[Sabot]

Sorry.. off topic but related>I thought I read that borates are harmful to pets that drink from the pool. Is my memory correct?

I am wondering if I should introduce some borates to my pool to aid me in reducing the amount of acid that I am using. I want to "lock" in at 7.5 if at all possible. My PH is always climbing where I have to add about 20 oz of acid every day to keep the PH at or slightly below 7.5.

 

[JasonLion]

If a pet gets most of their drinking water from a pool at 50 ppm of borates there are likely to be detectable symptoms. In almost all cases it is possible to teach your pets not to drink from the pool, which is a good idea for other reasons as well, and so in most cases there isn't an actual problem.

 

[billyjoeraybob]

How do you test for borates/boric acid? It looks like a good thing for my SWCG pool.

 

[Strannik]

How do you test for borates/boric acid? It looks like a good thing for my SWCG pool.

The most practical test for borates right now seems to be the LaMotte borate test strips.

 

[billyjoeraybob]

Thanks Jason! Sorry for the double post. Not reallysure how that happened