Battling Rising PH

[curlyfry22]

This is my second year on BBB. I am still learning a lot but am in a much better position than I was last year at this time. I feel like I am adding a lot of muriatic acid. I had trouble with calcium scaling on the walls this year. It has improved a lot but there is still some there. (Because of this I was advised to keep my PH on the lower end (7.2) for a few weeks). My test results the past week or so:

on 6/18
FC-5.5
CC-.5
TC-6
TA-70
CH-170
PH-7.4
CYA-30

on 6/24
FC-6
CC-.5
TC-6.5
TA-100
CH-230
PH-7.8 (after testing this day, added approx. 42 oz. muriatic acid)
CYA-30 (added stabilizer to raise to 40. My goal is 50 but I am doing it gradually)

Today 6/27
FC-8.5
CC-.5
TC-9
TA-90
CH-180
PH-7.6
CYA-40

I have been running my pump a lot. I guess if I would power it off at least 8-10 hours a day that would help? Because of the remaining calcium I feel like I should drop the PH again. I was dealing with rising PH last year too. I probably averaged adding about a quart weekly. Is that normal? I just don't like handling muriatic acid. How does the PH-minus from Wal-Mart work/compare? Am I missing anything else in the changes of my test results?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Between 6/18 and 6/24 your TA rose from 70 to 100. What caused that?

 

[curlyfry22]

Between 6/18 and 6/24 your TA rose from 70 to 100. What caused that?

I haven't done anything to adjust my TA. Unless it was a testing error, I don't know why the difference? It's been anywhere from 70-100. Doesn't TA change, as well, when I add muriatic acid? Most of the time it is around 100. Like I said, I haven't added any baking soda. I did float some chlorine tablets for a couple days a week or so ago.

 

[Richard320]

Yes, that is a puzzler....TA and CH are up and down. I could see them climbing from hard fill water...

A quart a week is about the same as I use, adjusted for size differences. The dry acid is a sulfur compound. I'm just wary of it...I don't remember enough college chemistry to know what might trigger that to start smelling sulfurous.