Been using TFP test kit for several years. No complaints. Been buying calcium, and stabilizer in bulk, on-line for use when needed. Buy muriatic acid from local family pool store, when needed. Use Pool Math to determine how much of what is needed. The past 6 months, or so, weekly readings have indicated a need, in varying amounts, for both muriatic acid and stabilizer. CH readings have held steady at around 400, and pH readings have been steady between 7.2 and 8.2. TA readings have also held steady between 60 and 80. Given the need to add some measure of stabilizer and muriatic acid on a weekly basis, are there are other things I need to pay attention to? Am I missing something? Thanks very much.
Always a need for stabilizer & muriatic acid
- Thread starter Henry M
- Start date
There's only two ways stabilizer disappears quickly. One is through bacterial conversion to ammonia, which would cause 0 CYA, 0 FC, high CCs, and high pH. Does your FC hold after you add it?
The other, more likely, cause is that you have a leak. Do you have an autofill? That can disguise a leak.
The other, more likely, cause is that you have a leak. Do you have an autofill? That can disguise a leak.
Adding acid sounds normal to me. I have to do the same thing during the course of the season. Do you get a lot of splash out? You can lose CYA that way, also due to pump out after big rainstorms and when backwashing your filter. I don't usually have to add stabilizer weekly.. more like a pound or two once or twice during the pool season.
Last edited:
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,136
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I am surprised you need to add stabilizer weekly.
Are you adding much fill water weekly?
What is the pH and TA of your fill water?
What pH, TA and CYA level are your targets?
Are you adding much fill water weekly?
What is the pH and TA of your fill water?
What pH, TA and CYA level are your targets?
Evaporation leaves the CYA behind in the remaining water, increasing the concentration. Refilling just restores the original concentration.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
Henry, You might want to run a chem panel on your fill water. If you have high CH in the fill water and you have a leak that would account for your CYA dropping and the CH remaining more or less constant. I see you have a SWG.. do you notice your salinity dropping too? That would be more evidence of a leak.
Thanks for the replies from all of you! I do not have autofill, but there has been no dramatic change in water level. It's been several months since I've added any water. My target levels are: pH:7.5; TA: 70; and CYA: 75. I add, on average, about 2 to 3 cups each of acid & stabilizer. FC seems to hold steady at about 5 after I add it. Salinity level also seems to be holding steady, as well. Haven't added any salt in about 8 months. Given my location, is this just the "nature of the beast"?
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
You can expect to lose 4-5ppm of CYA a month due to just normal degradation ( I think that is the correct rate). I'm going to let you do the math to see if that equates to 2 cups.. ugh.
Will need to give this a great deal more thought. Thanks for your help.