Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine pool

[chem geek]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Am I reading stuff right....If I go the boric acid route for borates, I just add boric acid and no muratic acid?

You read that correctly. If you go the boric acid route, that's all you add. It may lower the pH slightly, say from 7.5 to 7.3, but that's about it.

 

[blownby]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

sweet. $101 shipped for a 55# pail. That will get me from 0 if that is where I am at to 50ppm....
Or if I am higher for some reason, leave me some extra for additional top offs!

Basically maybe $15 more than Borax & MA

 

[blownby]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Question for the salt side....
If I add salt at say 1500ppm, I have aluminum cups for my stair rails. I didn't go with bronze. Will this be an issue. Should I skip salt and just do borates or is this lesser amount safe?

 

[JohnN]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Boric acid is for the most part pH neutral. I think it raises pH a little, but not much. I know boric acid is more expensive than borax, but you have to add the cost of muriatic acid. I think boric acid still sends up being more expensive. I've never done borates, so I am not positive of any of this.

 

[SaintRonin]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Boric acid is for the most part pH neutral. I think it raises pH a little, but not much. I know boric acid is more expensive than borax, but you have to add the cost of muriatic acid. I think boric acid still sends up being more expensive. I've never done borates, so I am not positive of any of this.

As ChemGeek said, Boric Acid will LOWER your pH some, not raise it. I just added granular Boric Acid from DudaDiesel yesterday using calculations from the pool calculator. http://www.poolcalculator.com I brushed for about 10 minutes and it appeared to be all gone when I got in about an hour later.

 

[JohnN]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Good to know. I have never used boric acid , so I wasn't sure. Thanks for correcting me.

 

[blownby]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Boric acid will be here today. Gonna start with just boric acid and see if it accomplishes that feel. Plus it should have added benefits as well. If I don't acheive what I am aiming for in fell I will possibly add some salt and see.

 

[blownby]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

Boric Acid in 55# pail...La Motte Borate Test kit in...
Pool was filled last summer with new water. Just tested the borates and i can't tell what the heck I am reading. Looks closest to 15 if anything.

Based on calculator, 55# boric acid. will get me from 0 to 50 ppm Since I am guessing I am higher than 0 I will start with like 40# and test in a few days.
50ppm is ideal range correct? any issues if it is higher than 50?

also anyone know of a better test with a wider color variation?

 

[blownby]

Re: Adding salt/ borates to soften water feel in a chlorine

UPDATE:

I added the Boric Acid about 2 weeks back now. Used just about 50# of the 55# pail. Levels seem to be about 50+ppm.

I don't notice a huge benefit silky feeling wise, but water does seem to sparkle a little more and a tad softer so to speak, but not very noticeable. Params seem to be holding steady as well