My TA was high in April--around 200. From reading the aeration instructions here, I've been adding muratic acid first, then sodium bisulfate, since 4/27 I believe. By May 1, my TA readings were averaging around 130. Since then, I have still been aerating 20-24 hours a day and have added almost 20 lbs of bisulfate daily or every other day when pH gets to 7.2 to 7.4. During this entire span, I have successfully lowered pH to 7.0 or less with each treatment, but have not been able to get TA to go any lower on average, as I still read 130.
When I say average, that is a result of several test strip readings. While strips may not be the most precise method of testing, they do seem to be detecting the fluctuations in pH in the manner expected with each treatment.
So is it possible that there is something about the water that keeps this level as a floor, such that I should just stop trying to lower it to 100 and leave it as is? The only thing that looks suspicious is a correlation that when using muratic acid in April I had success, but since switching to powder I have not.
When I say average, that is a result of several test strip readings. While strips may not be the most precise method of testing, they do seem to be detecting the fluctuations in pH in the manner expected with each treatment.
So is it possible that there is something about the water that keeps this level as a floor, such that I should just stop trying to lower it to 100 and leave it as is? The only thing that looks suspicious is a correlation that when using muratic acid in April I had success, but since switching to powder I have not.