Alkalinity Creeping up?

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R

RogerDe

0
Jun 4, 2018
18
Sumas/wa
Hi Everyone,

Before I went away on holiday for a month (so no activity) I did the following:

Large dose of shock FC 30ppm, and had PH 7.4 & Alkalinity 85ppm balanced then. Good I think.....


Tested my pool last weekend when I came back, and pool was clear to my amazement (no algae)


FC 16ppm, PH 7 & Alkalinity 100ppm, I increased the PH using ph+ which brought my PH back to 7.4 which is good, but my alkalinity is now 110ppm approx.

According to the gov. pool guide for my area the max alkalinity allowed is 120ppm.

I'm concerned if my PH drops again our starts to go out control i'll have to put more PH+ thus raising the alkalinity again.

I guess a few questions arise:

Is there a danger to human health or equipment with high alkalinity?
Is there a way to lower alkalinity?
Is there a way to lower alkalinity without lowering PH

Will dumping a bunch of water, and refilling the pool help/solve the problem?

What's the best way to proceed here?


All Pool Grade Chemicals:

I use tri-clor chlorine pucks
I have PH+
I have PH-
I have Alka Plus
I have pool clarifier
I have algae clariifer
I have crystal shock
 
According to the gov. pool guide for my area the max alkalinity allowed is 120ppm.
Click to expand...
What government agency has specified your max alk.....that is new to me.

That issue aside,
Is there a way to lower alkalinity without lowering PH
Click to expand...
https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/129-how-to-lower-lowering-total-alkalinity.
Please read "The "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School....it'll answer more questions.

Last, if your read Pool School and stay on the forum, you will soon get rid of all the chemistry you have and learn to manage your pool water with TFPC......we'll all help.
 
Yes the pool was covered, no nothing added over that time. CYA was at around 40ppm or 50ppm.

I have thick cover. Silver on inside, and green on outside.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Dave,

I live in BC, Canada, and our Provincial Government (= to state government) set out pool regs. for commercial pool operators. The same rules (not enforced strictly) apply to home owners with a pool.

Here is the link to the document I was referring to: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/e.../pool_operations_guidelines_jan2014_final.pdf

The relevant page is, is page 29.

Most things are in metric values, some in imperial or both....

...and thanks, I'll be sure to check that link out!


Roger
 
your Total Alkalinity number is really a guide to Haow well your water can buffer PH changes. If it's too high, your PH will tend to rise rapidly. And likewise your PH will/can crash if your TA is too low. If you find your PH is remaining stable at your current TA then you don't need to mess with it. That relationship is referenced on page 9 in the same document you linked. There isn't harm in any way to the safety of the water at the higher TA.
 
RogerDe said:
I live in BC, Canada, and our Provincial Government (= to state government) set out pool regs. for commercial pool operators. The same rules (not enforced strictly) apply to home owners with a pool.
Click to expand...

Not strictly enforced? Are you saying that the BC government goes around testing private pools and issuing citations of some sort? I have not heard of this...

Generally we only run in to local government oversight when trying to assist with a commercial pool, in which cases we have to defer to those to keep the pools from being shut down. However, with private pools in the US, Australia, and we assumed Canada, people can pretty much do whatever they want and so we tend to ignore government guidelines as they are usually based on the same outdated boilerplate levels that the entire industry is attached to. If you are required to keep your levels within government spec then TFPC is going to be very difficult for you to follow and maintain.
 
First off, how are you testing your water?

My replies in red below

RogerDe said:
Hi Everyone,

Before I went away on holiday for a month (so no activity) I did the following:

Large dose of shock FC 30ppm, and had PH 7.4 & Alkalinity 85ppm balanced then. Good I think.....


Tested my pool last weekend when I came back, and pool was clear to my amazement (no algae)


FC 16ppm, PH 7 & Alkalinity 100ppm, I increased the PH using ph+ which brought my PH back to 7.4 which is good, but my alkalinity is now 110ppm approx.

According to the gov. pool guide for my area the max alkalinity allowed is 120ppm.

I'm concerned if my PH drops again our starts to go out control i'll have to put more PH+ thus raising the alkalinity again.

I guess a few questions arise:

Is there a danger to human health or equipment with high alkalinity?
None whatsoever, and I find the idea that some government agency would put a cap on it a bit laughable.
Is there a way to lower alkalinity?

Yes, acid.
Is there a way to lower alkalinity without lowering PH?

Not really, but there is a way to raise pH without raising TA. So essentially the process is to raise your pH through aeration, then lower both your TA and pH with muriatic acid, then repeat until you get to where you want to be.

Will dumping a bunch of water, and refilling the pool help/solve the problem?

Depends on the test parameters of your fill water...... but you don’t really have a problem.

What's the best way to proceed here?

Buy one of our recommended test kits, ditch those junky pool store chemicals, start following our advice, and end up with a Trouble Free Pool.


All Pool Grade Chemicals:

I use tri-clor chlorine pucks
I have PH+
I have PH-
I have Alka Plus
I have pool clarifier
I have algae clariifer
I have crystal shock
Click to expand...
 
Hi Donldson,

I spoke with the agency responsible for this document when I asked my questions. What they said to me to clarify was commercial pool operators have to follow these guidelines that's a must with regular inspections.

Its recommended that homeowners do the same. When i said 'not strictly enforced' means this agency doesn't check up on homeowners like they do with commercial operators.


That said, and its my speculation just knowing how things go...if someone say, got sick from your pool (a friend), I think we all know that the governing agency will want to see your pool records at some point, as part of an investigation. Maybe i'm being over cautious...?

Hence the question about alkalinity....I think my question has been answered...so thank you to all..I'm new this stuff, and forum.

Roger
 
Hi Jim,

Thanks for your reply...that was helpful.


Just a couple of questions in regards to your responses.

I purchased a Taylor K-2006 Test Kit with FAS-DPD as recommended on this forum. That's what I'm using to test pool water. I love it! Works great.

As far as ditch junky pools store chemicals, what do you propose in lieu of to manage the pool water? Advice is great, but I'm sure some of these things are needed to manage your water, no?


Roger
 

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RogerDe said:
Hi Jim,

Thanks for your reply...that was helpful.


Just a couple of questions in regards to your responses.

I purchased a Taylor K-2006 Test Kit with FAS-DPD as recommended on this forum. That's what I'm using to test pool water. I love it! Works great.

As far as ditch junky pools store chemicals, what do you propose in lieu of to manage the pool water? Advice is great, but I'm sure some of these things are needed to manage your water, no?


Roger
Click to expand...

The link that mknauss posted is a great one to read, but I’ll reply to your specific list too.


I use tri-clor chlorine pucks - We advocate the use of liquid chlorine for FC addition. This chemical is specifically sodium hypochlorite. It is sold in higher concentration (10-12%) as “liquid shock” or “chlorinating liquid “ and in lower concentrations (8.25% and lower) as household cleaning/laundry bleach

I have PH+ - use borax for this or you can raise through aeration especially with a high TA

I have PH- - use muriatic acid for this

I have Alka Plus - this is nothing more than baking soda, repackaged and resold for 5x the money

I have pool clarifier, algae clariifer - neither of these should ever be needed

I have crystal shock - this should never be needed either
 
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