I'm still a newbie dealing with my first SLAMing as we speak. As a side, my CH is measuring at 900 with my speed stir. My tap water is measuring 350-375. This part of Texas is known for its hard water, so it's just something I've always lived with, but can my pool handle it? Does the CH really mean anything in of itself, or is the CSI what really matters? In the middle of my SLAM, my CSI is -0.06 according to PoolMath, so well within the acceptable range. But my worry is when the SLAM is done and I am maintaining the pool on a day-to-day basis.
CH is 900, questions about acceptable range
- Thread starter tangouniform
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Generally once it gets over 500 you have to start being careful and approaching 1000 becomes near impossible to avoid scaling. You would have to get your TA down and maintain very tight pH control in the lower 7s.
How low are we talking on the TA? Current TA is hovering between 30-40 but I just opened the pool 2 days ago. Are there any downsides to having such a low TA?
I know the answers to your question but I am becoming Wild-eyed
about people reading Pool School. You can find the answers in "Recommended levels" or "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry"
I know the answers to your question but I am becoming Wild-eyed
You can find the answers in "Recommended levels" or "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry"
Thanks for the response.
I have read every article on Pool School at least once and I understand the recommended levels. My question is whether or not I will have to keep my TA below the recommended level and what affect that will have long term.
The recommended levels are those that work is a vast majority of cases. Since you are violating the CH recommendation, the others may not apply to you either and you will have to make adjustments for your specific case.
To avoid calcium scaling, the CSI is the major factor. So you will have to do what you can to keep that at a reasonable number. TA feeds into it (play with PoolMath), but it also stabilizes your pH. If you go too low, your pH may swing wildly with chemical additions.
To avoid calcium scaling, the CSI is the major factor. So you will have to do what you can to keep that at a reasonable number. TA feeds into it (play with PoolMath), but it also stabilizes your pH. If you go too low, your pH may swing wildly with chemical additions.
I deal with the same thing.
You can figure out your answer by playing with Pool Math. Raise and lower pH on the target and see what happens to CSI. Do the same with TA. See what happens when the water temperature goes up. I've found 800 CH is about the practical limit. Beyond that, You'll be very hard pressed to keep CSI neutral. You only have a narrow range for eye confort with the pH, and you have to have some TA; every time you top off the water you'll add more, too. You can't do much to control the temperature, either.
The worst thing is, even partially draining and refilling doesn't work very well.
Replacing 10% of the water will go like this: (.90 * 900) + (.10 * 350) = 845. The test kit will give you 850. Not much of an improvement for 2300 gallons. I suggest you a) capture as much rainwater as you can when it rains and b) use pool water on the lawn and use the irrigation water in the pool. It's a PITA, but so is scaling.
You can figure out your answer by playing with Pool Math. Raise and lower pH on the target and see what happens to CSI. Do the same with TA. See what happens when the water temperature goes up. I've found 800 CH is about the practical limit. Beyond that, You'll be very hard pressed to keep CSI neutral. You only have a narrow range for eye confort with the pH, and you have to have some TA; every time you top off the water you'll add more, too. You can't do much to control the temperature, either.
The worst thing is, even partially draining and refilling doesn't work very well.
Replacing 10% of the water will go like this: (.90 * 900) + (.10 * 350) = 845. The test kit will give you 850. Not much of an improvement for 2300 gallons. I suggest you a) capture as much rainwater as you can when it rains and b) use pool water on the lawn and use the irrigation water in the pool. It's a PITA, but so is scaling.
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