AquaBright and TA level

[tshepball]

I received an email from my PB with several tips as swim season begins. This one caught my attention b/c I never know if I should treat AquaBright as plaster or fiberglass when testing water and using PoolMath. Here is info PB suggested : Note If you have a pool with aquaBRIGHT then your pool’s alkalinity needs to be between 120 and 150

 

[bjc123]

I entered all of the AquaBright numbers in PoolMath and there was no way I could get it to balance with that high of TA. What they don't account for on their sheet is CYA. There should be some sort of compensation for CYA there. I have my TA at 90, which I've been told is a bit high on here. Definitely enter the numbers on PoolMath and go from there.

As for the goals, I read on here at one point to enter as vinyl. I'm almost at perfect balance on mine. I just have to keep my pH from getting up around 7.8

 

[tshepball]

I agree....I have been following the recommended levels here and I also was battling the high pH issue. I decided to add boratic acid and that has seemed to stabilize my pH rise issue.

Here are the PB recommended levels.....I do not agree with the Chlorine or the TA for the Aquabright:

[FONT=&quot]Tip #5[/FONT][FONT=&quot] – Test your water chemistry regularly. Your Chemistry level should be maintained as follows: pH=7.2-7.6, Chlorine 1.0-3.0, Total Alkalinity 80-120ppm, Calcium 200-400ppm, Conditioner (CY) 40-80ppm and Salt between 2800-3800ppm.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Note If you have a pool with aquaBRIGHT then your pool’s alkalinity needs to be between 120 and 150

[/FONT]

 

[pooldv]

Even 80 may be too high for your TA, as low as 50 would be fine. I would start around 80 and manage your pH at 7.8, when it gets to 8.0 lower it to 7.6.

 

[bjc123]

Pooldv, should that be an on-going process? I'm at 90 now. I'm going to try to pull my pH back down to around 7.6 and see how long it stays there. Doing PoolMath, if I lower my TA down to 70, I'd have to add CH to try to keep close to 0 for balance. I'm hoping to leave my pH alone.

 

[pooldv]

It is fine to start at 90. In general, the higher TA is the faster it will push pH up. Adding acid to lower PH will slowly lower TA as well and they will eventually find equilibrium and settle down as long as you aren't running waterfalls, bubblers, spillovers, etc every day and raising pH a bunch. In most cases in pools with rising pH, 7.8 is quite a bit easier to maintain than something lower.

 

[dgknight3]

Yeah my AB pool stayed long time with TA of 70 and PH at 7.8. Just recently creeped up to 80 and 8.0. So some minor t weaking needed. Was getting kind of boring checking balance and nothing to do.

 

[Silver_2000]

Here are the levels recommended by my AB PB
Calcium 300
Alkalinity 120-150
PH 7.4 - 7.6
Salt 2.8 - 3.4
Stabilizer 50

 

[pooldv]

With TA that high the pH will rise constantly. I would recommend following the vinyl pool recommendations if you don't have tiles with grout. If you do have tiles with grout then follow the plaster recommendations. Pool School - Recommended Levels

 

[Silver_2000]

Definitely have tile with grout

Thanks

Maybe we should add a AB Row to the chart ?

 

[AmyJo]

With TA that high the pH will rise constantly. I would recommend following the vinyl pool recommendations if you don't have tiles with grout. If you do have tiles with grout then follow the plaster recommendations. Pool School - Recommended Levels

Dave - what would you suggest to use with tile in conjunction with AquaBright? - tile with grout? Tile with plaster? Can something else be used that works better chemically?

 

[pooldv]

AB with tile and grout should use the recommended levels for plaster.

 

[eric99gt]

Hey Dave. Assuming this only applies to Cementitious grouts and epoxy grouts (i.e. spectralock) would be fine under conditions listed for a vinyl pool?

 

[pooldv]

Yes, I would tend to agree with that. But, the key is to let your TA and PH find equilibrium on their own. TA anywhere from 50 to 80 is fine if pH stays stable at 7.86 to 7.8.