Where is my muriatic acid going

[1poolguy]

I am a new pool owner and I am trying to learn about a SWG system. My PH goes up about .2 each day. I am having to add muriatic acid about twice a week to keep it in range. What is happening to the acid?




32,000 gallon plaster pool with spa. SWG

 

[JasonLion]

It is effectively turning into water.

You should lower your TA level to reduce the amount of PH drift you are experiencing. We recommend TA around 60 to 70 with a SWG.

High TA is just like soda water, it effectively raises the dissolved CO2 level. The SWG causes aeration, with allows CO2 to escape. Since CO2 is an acid, that raises the PH.

 

[ranger_ric]

Awesome Answer Jason..... Now, after 2 months of reading about this, I understand..

Thanks

 

[1poolguy]

Thanks. Good explanation. My TA is currently 80. How do you lower the TA? Do they make a system that can add a acid drip into the pool like a chlorinator?

 

[Suziqzer]

When you add acid to lower the ph it also lowers the TA... aeration brings back up the ph but the TA stays at it's lower point. Doing this over time will lower your TA to where your ph shift is less and more manageable.

 

[LotusRacerX]

It is effectively turning into water.

You should lower your TA level to reduce the amount of PH drift you are experiencing. We recommend PH around 60 to 70 with a SWG.

High TA is just like soda water, it effectively raises the dissolved CO2 level. The SWG causes aeration, with allows CO2 to escape. Since CO2 is an acid, that raises the PH.

Jason, that is the post of the year!!

I would love an elaborated "Pool School" that explains the WHY behind all of these recommendations, not just "TA of 60-80 for salt (THIS IS IMPORTANT)". Inquiring minds REALLY DO want to know WHY it is important!
Those of us who are bad with cookbook recommendations can start to understand how getting lazy on a particular element is harming us.

Loved it, want more of it.

 

[JasonLion]

LotusRacerX, the "why" information is around, but not nearly as well organized as the material in Pool School. A good place to start for "why" information is the Further Reading article in the Miscellaneous section of Pool School. Keep in mind that the "whys" tend to be a lot more complex and take more background to figure out.