Best way to Automate PH control

[Tallredrider]

My pool has now been filled for 2 years and I am still fighting an elevating PH. I constantly get a PH at about 8.0-8.2 and add enough MA to get it down to 7.6, then 3-4 days later it is back to 8.0. I even checked it the next day to be sure what I was adding is working, and my PH was where it should be. It is like clockwork, and I think that half the time, I wouldn't even have to bother with checking the PH, I know it will be back up. It did slow down a bit in the winter, but anyway, I am tired of adding acid twice a week. And it probably is not good that my PH is higher than ideal for a good chunk of the time unless I go to 3 times per week and add smaller amounts every time.

I have the means to automate the system, and think that it is about time to do that. I have a Hayward system, so would love to have it connect seamlessly to the OmniLogic system, but it doesn't have to. Is there a fan favorite here at TFP? I would like something that keeps the PH constant and doesn't require as much time. Soon I am leaving town for a week, and don't want to have to rope the neighbors into adding acid while I am gone. So it would be great to have something that I can leave alone for short periods and not have to worry about it.

Let's hear it, is there a favorite?

 

[Katodude]

What is your TA?

 

[Tallredrider]

I keep the TA steady at 70. I thought of adding borates, which should slow down the swings, and plenty of people seem happy with that, but haven't done that yet.

I think there are 2 other factors that contribute. My incoming water has a PH greater than 8. And I have an elevated spa, but just one pump. So I really have no way to separate the water without water falling from the elevated spa into the pool. That aerates the water and likely increases the PH some. But I have even limited that exchange to just 4 days per week long enough to completely cycle out the spa water.

 

[Katodude]

Drop your TA some more. Try 60 and see what happens. Do that before you go to borates.

 

[PoolStored]

get it down to 7.6

Stop forcing it to 7.6. TA 60-70 should be a stable ph of 7.8 to 8. Don't lower it until it gets above 8 (purple hues).

 

[Tallredrider]

It is always above 8 after a few days. I add enough acid to put it down to 7.6 or so. In my little brain, the average PH is 7.8 - 8.0 that way. But it seems to be swinging from 7.6 to 8.2. My kit only measures up to 8.2.

 

[mknauss]

It appears you have automation. Program the spillover to only run 20 minutes or so twice a day.
The TA of your fill water I suspect is quite high. With your high evaporation (exasperated by the continuous spillover) you are adding significant fill water volumes and thus increasing the TA via fill water. Thus you will need to add acid often, likely twice a week.

There are acid dosing systems. Not sure if Hayward has one but I suspect they do. DO NOT get a system that attempts to control pH and chlorine. Those fail to produce the results expected.

 

[Tallredrider]

It appears you have automation. Program the spillover to only run 20 minutes or so twice a day.
The TA of your fill water I suspect is quite high. With your high evaporation (exasperated by the continuous spillover) you are adding significant fill water volumes and thus increasing the TA via fill water. Thus you will need to add acid often, likely twice a week.

There are acid dosing systems. Not sure if Hayward has one but I suspect they do. DO NOT get a system that attempts to control pH and chlorine. Those fail to produce the results expected.

Thank you. I don't even dare open the pandora's box of measuring the spa water and see if it differs significantly once it has sat for 24-48 hours without getting mixed with the pool water.

Yes, my TA water coming in is high. I have had to aerate on purpose and add extra acid in order to get the TA down in the past because it creeps upward over time.

It sounds like I can run the spillover a bit less than I do. It currently adds up to about 8 hours per week. I think that would recycle the spa water adequately at 20 minutes twice a day. That would be about 4.6 hours. I have lowered the spa before and it seems it rises about 1/2-3/4 inch per minute when in spillover mode, so if my spa is 36 inches deep, that should be plenty.

So nobody seems to have a fan favorite acid dosing system? I will avoid one that tries to do chlorine at the same time.

 

[Katodude]

There are a bunch of people that have done stuff with stenner tanks. Do a quick search and you will find them. I thought about it many times. I just decided it would be easier to manage my water by getting my TA down and then add borates.

Although I am a big fan of automation, acid just scares me. It’s easy enough to add it manually. If I need to go away some pucks in a floater assist in pH control.

 

[casiokid]

I was in the exact same situation with my pH, even with my TA at 50…my water just wanted to be at 8.0 with no aeration or any other obvious cause for the consistent rise.

I just installed the Intelliph and absolutely love it. I don’t know if Hayward has a similar product, but I’m sure they do. The brand agnostic equivalent would be a Stenner tank/pump combo.

There are plenty of discussions on the site on the topic.

It’s been a huge timesaver and piece of mind knowing my pH is always consistently at 7.4!