New pool owner with new PH problem

[dtsavant]

Well just recently purchased a home with a pool and so far it has been going great except recently when my ph has begun to drift up to 7.8 to 8. I have owned the pool for 2 months now and this past week is the first time I have had to do anything with it, as it has stayed at about 7.4. I am not currently living in the house so I only have time to check it about 2 or 3 times a week, which has been fine until recently. Water has been crystal clear and the results below have been pretty consistent, just have not had time to work on getting the TA and CH down. I am using a combination of tri-chlor tabs and bleach as previous owner had a supply of tabs left when I bought house, I did just switch from one brand of tabs to another, I do not know the brand names, I will get those next time I head to house if it may be relevant. Any thoughts on whether brand of tabs can cause PH drift upward or any suggestions on what may be causing PH drift upward? Recently got a lot cooler here too, but pool is still open?


FC 6
PH 8
TA 140
CH 525
CYA 90

 

[JohnT]

Tabs push pH down. Most all pools have pH drifting issues. Water chemistry, pool surface and pool water features all impact pH. Just add some muriatic acid to bring it back in range.

 

[BoDarville]

dtsavant:

Do you have any kind of water features that cause aeration (such as fountains, waterfalls)? If so, that will cause pH to drift up. I have an attached spa to my pool and the spillover waterfall from the spa into the pool aerates the water causing the pH to drift up. As a result, regular MA additions are part of my normal maintenance plan.

 

[dtsavant]

JohnT - that's what puzzling me, I haven't had to add any acid since I had the pool, now the last week I have had to add acid every visit (2 or 3 days).

BoDar - no water features, but will try the acid/aerate method to get my TA down soon.

Thanks for advice.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

You mentioned a combination of tabs and bleach. Are you using more bleach than before? Less pucks?

Are the new pucks trichlor based or calcium hypochlorite based?


- Sent using Tapatalk

 

[dtsavant]

I am using more pucks(tri-chlor) than bleach now, since I am not there everyday to add bleach as needed. I may just use bleach from now til the spring, since my FC will not get used up as much with cooler temps.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

I am using more pucks(tri-chlor) than bleach now, since I am not there everyday to add bleach as needed. I may just use bleach from now til the spring, since my FC will not get used up as much with cooler temps.

Well dang, there goes my theory. Pucks push pH down - bleach is more pH neutral, Pool water out gasses carbon dioxide which unchecked by acid tends to raise pH. Have you increased the TA somehow? Is the fill water higher in TA than the pool?


- Sent using Tapatalk

 

[UN1017]

Don't get too hung up on the pH issue. As conditions/weather changes so will your water chemistry. Just adjust with muriatic as suggested.

What has my attention most is your CYA. Definitely quit using pucks. You can't take the increase in CH or CYA any longer (depending on which you use). Your CYA is double the level you need. Just use bleach and muriatic acid to keep your levels in check. You can chip away at that TA though.

Also, don't worry about your CH too much. Just keep the pH in line.

Oh...and welcome to TFP!

 

[ping]

Start aiming for a pH of 7.2 with acid and the TA will come down. You are definitely at risk of scaling with those parameters. You will probably need to monitor a little more closely now that the weather is changing.

 

[dtsavant]

Thanks a bunch for the advice. I will just finish the season with bleach, acid, aeration and work on getting that TA, CYA, and CH down with the methods mention in pool school.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Thanks a bunch for the advice. I will just finish the season with bleach, acid, aeration and work on getting that TA, CYA, and CH down with the methods mention in pool school.

Where you are will you need to winterize fully - draining some water? If so that's one small step in the right direction.

 

[dtsavant]

I shouldn't have to winterize, but I do plan on draining and refilling. Live in south Louisiana.

 

[dtsavant]

Looks like I have found the culprit to my PH problem, it is the fill water. PH of 8 and TA of 150. I thought I was just filling up my pool once a week was just normal evaporation, but it appears that is not the case and I have a leak on my pump (magnum force pump with 1hp A.O. SMITH motor).

The leak is happening near the mounting nut (where the pump and motor connect)and was wondering if it might be just a matter of changing out an o-ring or is it more to it than that? I tried to attach a photo, but kept getting kicked off TFP when trying to attach it.
Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[dtsavant]

The leak is where the red arrow is.