Does adding borates mean your pool requires less total muriatic acid?

[crosley]

I recently added a salt water generator to my pool and love it.

But one thing this pool has always struggled with is high PH since I had the pool redone in plaster, even before the SWG. The SWG seems to make it a bit worse.

(As a side note, I really regret going to a plaster pool, my previous was fiberglass and I almost never had to add muriatic acid to balance. I go through a lot of acid now)


But I see conflicting info on whether borates make the water more "stable" (I'm guessing that means slower rise in PH?) or whether it means I need to add less total acid to get to the PH I want.

So does adding borates to the right level mean I will then be adding less total acid?

Thanks

 

[ping]

No, the amount of acid will not be lowered by having borates in the water. The borates will slow down how fast the pH rises but it will require more acid to lower the pH once it rises thus equaling the same amount of acid needed to control the pH.

 

[crosley]

No, the amount of acid will not be lowered by having borates in the water. The borates will slow down how fast the pH rises but it will require more acid to lower the pH once it rises thus equaling the same amount of acid needed to control the pH.

Okay, thanks. That's what I needed to know.

 

[CarolineM]

Prior to adding Borates I was struggling to keep my PH from going high. Since adding Borates my PH is now stable. Prior I was adding MA 3-4 times a week. I haven't had to add MA in 6 weeks now.

 

[ping]

Prior to adding Borates I was struggling to keep my PH from going high. Since adding Borates my PH is now stable. Prior I was adding MA 3-4 times a week. I haven't had to add MA in 6 weeks now.

What was the TA before adding borates and after adding borates? Adding borates to the water and not adjusting the other parameters will not stabilize the pH for that long of time.