Fighting PH^ drift

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J

jdp39

0
May 31, 2011
42
Charlotte County, Florida
This is probably a topic covered repeatedly somewhere herein, just short on time and long on work atm. I have a pool in my care that although by all accounts (ie: TC, CYA, TA, FC, etc. using Taylor 2600) are all on the money for a gunite pool this one picks up an upward swing in PH regularly. Pool is located in SW FL, 12k gal. range, and had a new tile roof installed last summer. I was wondering if anyone has experienced an upward PH drift due to new glazed tile runoff.

It is not an SWG pool, is chlorinated by liquid only (no feeder). It also gets attention at least three times a week due to the PH swing going on right now. I suspected that TA was the culprit - but it has been just about target for this pool @ 90ish. I have tried to lower it to no avail, PH still creeps up. The measured PH on monday is 7.3 w/ a good water balance, CYA running about 50, FC 3.5, TA 95, water temp approx 83F and by Friday I have a PH of almost 8, FC 2.5 with no additional chlorinator/sanitizer added. Will do the same thing w/ TA @ 70. Go figure. A low PH pool w/ a relatively low TA still creeping up in PH and no real chlorine shock going on. Liquid acid used as balancing agent. Chlorine loss in full Florida sun is about right for the time w/ CYA level. No green or mustard problem at this time. New cage super gutters were installed during roofing so roof runoff should be less than prior to new roof. Pentair pump, DE filter working normally with 9hr run time daily. Hence the roof coming into question.

Input/thread links appreciated. Thanks so much for your wisdom and experience - this is a great resource. Almost feel bad I haven't had a problem child since last year. :D
 
You definitely need to lower your TA level, especially if you have the spa in spillover mode very much. Also, the PH is more stable around 7.7 to 7.8 than it is below that. One of the big drivers of PH increase is CO2 outgassing, which happens more quickly when TA is high and when PH is low. Lower the TA to around 60 and don't lower the PH quite as much as you have been and things will at least be improved, if not completely better.
 
Sorry, this is not my pool w/ a spillover. No spa or other features in it - just standard returns so not a whole lot of outgassing going on. One other thing to note is that my Taylor kit will not measure PH over 8 so when it's bright red that's a PH of 8+ and around here it's an invite for mustard unless FC is pretty high w/ summer pool temps @ 86F+. Hope that helps.
 
I have asked this same question over and over, as my pH drifts like yours. I take my TA down to 50-60, but it doesn't matter, the pH keeps climbing .02-.03 per day and it never finds the "happy spot" that others speak of. My test only goes up to 8.2, so I have no idea how high it really gets. Couple this with high CH and high evaporation rate and my only solution is to drain my pool every 3 months to keep it from scaling. Really sucks! Seems no one has an answer...I have no aeration, no spa spill-over, almost non-existent bather load. :-(

Feelin your pain :)
 
There aren't very many other possibilities.

Freshly applied plaster/pebble/quartz/etc surfaces will raise the PH rapidly for the first three or four weeks and more slowly for up to a year.

Your TA is high enough that a source of aeration will raise the PH.

Or there is something else getting added to the water that you haven't mentioned. Tap water is one possibility, if you have an autofill system or top off the pool regularly. A few areas have very alkaline dust that gets blown in, though that is rare.
 
That is quite possible. If you have a chance, collect a sample of the water running off the roof and measure it's PH and TA. Or better yet, don't allow the roof runoff to get into the pool in the first place.
 
Sure. Ever seen a Florida downpour? Doubt you have many like it nor tile roofs in MD. It's less runoff than it is overspray. Considerable amounts are spent on cage gutters and deck pitch here to keep it out of pools.
I was attempting to find a realistic buffer to the PH problem. Sarcastic statements I can obtain locally.
 
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