Do I need to aerate our pool?

[D&GNewbies]

We had to add muriatic acid again since our TA level was way way high yet again after having to add water over the weekend. We had water loss due to evap and lots and lots of swimming and splashing. Kids were making huge waves in the pool and we had a lot of splash out. I also like to keep our water level just a smidge above the middle of the skimmer.

So our levels yesterday were
FC 7
pH 7.6
TA 205
CH 275
CYA 25- haven't added anything yet, was more worried about TA

So we added the acid- 2 gallons and then rechecked this morning. We were told by our pool store ( we actually do like them) to add the 2 gallons since our TA level was so high and we have borates in the pool that it would be harder to lower TA, so we would need more acid.

Our levels this morning
FC 6
pH 7.2
TA 150

So my questions are:
Do we need to aerate? If so, how long? Or will pH come up a little on it's own? Or should i add some borax? I plugged our numbers into pool math and it said to add 104oz of 20 mule team borax to raise pH, but won't that raise TA?
Do we want to add some stabilizer? We do have some pucks that we can use. We've just been using liquid chlorine for the most part. I think we've used maybe 5 pucks or so since we got our pool installed and that was before going to liquid chlorine.

I feel like we are going to be constantly battling high TA since our fill water is high, so I want to make sure I know how to aerate, how long etc based off our levels at the time.

Hope that makes sense.

Thank you!!!!

 

[mknauss]

TA is the parameter to be least concerned with. Having CYA at a proper level and chlorine in the water is most important.
Did you test the CYA at 25? 5 pucks will not add that much CYA to your pool volume.
Taise your CYA to 40 ppm using granular stabilizer. Maintain your FC based onFC/CYA Levels. Keep pH in the 7’s.

 

[D&GNewbies]

TA is the parameter to be least concerned with. Having CYA at a proper level and chlorine in the water is most important.
Did you test the CYA at 25? 5 pucks will not add that much CYA to your pool volume.
Taise your CYA to 40 ppm using granular stabilizer. Maintain your FC based onFC/CYA Levels. Keep pH in the 7’s.

So when I test the CYA on my kit, it comes back higher at 50. That's when I stop seeing the little black dot at the bottom of the cylinder. If that makes sense.

 

[Chasarms]

The pH will drift back up on its own, and likely fairly quickly with TA that high. When my TA was over 100, I could easily drift from 7.4 to 7.8 in 2-3 days. I am at 80 now, and it takes about a week.

Why are you concerned with a pH of 7.2? It is within acceptable range. With high TA and using LC, you should never have to add anything to the pool to raise pH.

 

[D&GNewbies]

The pH will drift back up on its own, and likely fairly quickly with TA that high. When my TA was over 100, I could easily drift from 7.4 to 7.8 in 2-3 days. I am at 80 now, and it takes about a week.

Why are you concerned with a pH of 7.2? It is within acceptable range. With high TA and using LC, you should never have to add anything to the pool to raise pH.

I thought it needed to be 7.4-7.8, so I was worried.

 

[Chasarms]

I thought it needed to be 7.4-7.8, so I was worried.

There is ideal, and then there is acceptable. TFP states 7.2 - 8.0 is acceptable. Plus, you're probably already drifting back up.

The TA of your fill water won't have as much impact as you think, even if the fill water has a TA of 250. If your water is around 45" deep, an inch of fill water is only about 2% of your total volume., which would raise TA about 3-4 ppm (assuming you are around 100). Plus rainwater has a very low TA, so any fill you get from rain should lower TA.

 

[mknauss]

So when I test the CYA on my kit, it comes back higher at 50. That's when I stop seeing the little black dot at the bottom of the cylinder. If that makes sense.

Then you have added more CYA than 5 pucks worth. No need to add more CYA. Maintain FC using FC/CYA Levels

 

[D&GNewbies]

Then you have added more CYA than 5 pucks worth. No need to add more CYA. Maintain FC using FC/CYA Levels

I knew it had to be higher because we added stabilizer last week and the monday following our pool install. i'm gonna leave the CYA alone and not add anything.
Just keep checking levels each day and keep FC and pH in check.

 

[Teald024]

As Marty said, TA is the least of your worries. It’s great to learn what things do but from here it looks like you’re trying to chase the ideal. You are fighting the pool perhaps unnecessarily on the pH roller coaster. Let TA ride for now. Keep the pH in range and add acid when and if necessary.

 

[D&GNewbies]

As Marty said, TA is the least of your worries. It’s great to learn what things do but from here it looks like you’re trying to chase the ideal. You are fighting the pool perhaps unnecessarily on the pH roller coaster. Let TA ride for now. Keep the pH in range and add acid when and if necessary.

thank you! i think i am just so scared of screwing up and ruining things that i am trying to micro manage everything.

 

[Teald024]

thank you! i think i am just so scared of screwing up and ruining things that i am trying to micro manage everything.

Think of this: your TA and pH were just fine at the moment, you went and added acid to change a parameter that didn’t need to be adjusted. You dropped the pH through the floor and now actually do have an issue that needs correction. A catch 22 for sure.

 

[Zwrickers]

I'm in a similar situation with a pool full of high TA fill water (180-200). I'm not fighting it based on advice here.....BUT If I get to late September and have to close with a high TA like 180, what will happen? I have a two week only new vinyl liner and am petrified of anything being out of whack.

Thanks,
Kristin