How important is it to get TA down to 90 before borates

[treefarmer]

How important is it to get TA down to 90 before adding Borax to water. We have very soft water here and I don't think I've ever been able to get it past 120 ever! I just bought some PVC and installed the eye's from the pool on the end of them 1-2' above water. Have 3 of them in a 20x40 pool. Ta started at 220 yesterday, took pH to 7.0 turned pump on 24/7 and 24 hours later pH up to 7.5 and TA 180. So, 3 more days maybe??
Fill water test out at:
TC 1.5
pH 7.8
TA280!
CH 30!
My current readings are:
TC 2
pH 7.2
TA 180
CH 210
CYA 50
Borate 15 From last year.
Temp 78.
Is it really important to get that TA down to 70-90 before I bring Borate up to 50? I'm sure your answer will be yes, however, when I run some hypothetical numbers in the pool calculator with TA at 200 it still shows "balanced" as long as pH stays around 7.2-7.8.

 

[JasonLion]

Re: So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How

If you are going to be lowering TA, it is simplest to do so first. But if you are not intending to lower TA, then it is still fine to add borates.

 

[treefarmer]

Re: So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How

I would like to lower to the TA because pool calc sets a goal of 70-90+. Does that mean anything above 90 is ok and never get below 70?

 

[JasonLion]

Ideal is 70 to 90, but higher is alright as long as you are not having problems with the PH going up.