Alkaline hose water - what now?

[Mattikuss]

My pool alkalinity is 220, I purchased aerating jets that slowly raise the pH (took me about a week of on/off use to get from 7.2 to 8.2 pH). Each time I bring the pH up and use MA to bring it back down I'm able to drop the TA by about 15ppm. This is a super annoying process. Turns out, my hose water has high alkalinity and it is obviously keeping my TA high regardless of my efforts. What do I do to keep my add water from messing up my TA reducing efforts?

 

[Donldson]

If it takes a week of aeration to get your pH to rise from 7.2 to 8.2, how long does it take without aeration?

 

[reggiehammond]

There's no magic bullet; once TA is under control, every time you add water, you'll need to also follow up with acid to reduce the added TA. You'll get a good sense; I know that every time I top off, I need to add 3 qts of acid and just do it at the same time. Not a big deal once you learn the rhythm, the only annoyance is running to the store 2x per year for acid.

 

[wireform]

Or have your fill water from evaporation come through a water softener.

 

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

Or have your fill water from evaporation come through a water softener.

A water softener doesn’t affect alkalinity. It will remove all the calcium, but the alkalinity of my softened water is identical to my raw well eater.

 

[amymeme]

I have a similar issue so I try like heck not to add house water, relying instead on rain water. I only use the house if the water gets low enough that my pump is at risk of cavitation. Two years ago, filling pool after liner replacement my TA was in the 180 range. I've just finished my third gallon of acid and my pH is currently 70-80. One thing that I do in the spring, since historically I lose all CYA over winter, is use 3" tablets until I get my CYA in the 30-40 range. That quickly lowers pH (of memory serves, it may contribute a bit to TA? But mine still lowers some with the pucks.) All said, it did take well into the third year to get the TA down when I want it, I don't think, at this point, an inch or 2 of house water is going gonna totally whack the level. Unless we get a drought

Also, I understand high TA not a huge issue for vinyl lined pool? But, as mentioned above, acid is a regular addition. and, honestly, while husband uses a measuring cup and carefully calibrates the additions, I put on a face mask and gloves and just glug glug glug by eyeball. Don't tell on me!

 

[reggiehammond]

I have a similar issue so I try like heck not to add house water, relying instead on rain water.

What is this "rain water" you speak of?

 

[amymeme]

we've had way more rain than I would prefer. Except it did help with the TA. Our lawn has been a bright, lush green all summer, needing mowing at least weekly and still have a bit of a hayfield appearance

 

[Mattikuss]

If it takes a week of aeration to get your pH to rise from 7.2 to 8.2, how long does it take without aeration?

about 3 weeks

 

[Donldson]

about 3 weeks

Then it sounds like your pool is perfectly happy at that TA level. Why fight it?