Flakes coming thru the system at startup??

[Drewmich]

At pump startup - White flakes come out of each outlet for 2-3 min.

We had this occur 4 years ago when I had my pool tech taking care of the pool and I thought it was from high CH. I don't remember what the verdict was back then ... but the next year I found TFP and took control of my pool maintenance.

My chems have been decent all year - water is perfectly clear.

FCL - From 3.0 to 4.5 (the last 5 days = 3.75)
PH - From 7.6 to 8.2 (Last 5 days is 8.2)
TA - From 45 - 60 (last 5 days has been 55)
CH - From 130 - 150 (last 5 days was 130) I just added 20# of calcium chloride with the goal to be at 200. Up to 150 today.
CYA - fairly steady all year @ 55-60
Salt - 3400-3600
Temp - 84
20,000 gallons

I'm not sure if it is a combo of the A & H B-Soda (added 30# in the past 2 weeks due to falling TA (goal is 70) ... or the CC I added last week?

I have also been fighting a rising PH ... goal is 7.4-7.6 Pool math showed to put 32 oz of MA to lower my PH from 8.2 to 7.6. Put it in overnight - ran pump till AM and PH barely moved???

I know I'm fighting the fun battle of TA and PH interactions. I think I can deal with that ... but the flakes are a concern.

The last times it occurred in 2016 - we carefully checked the gas heater - no calcium buildup or flakes seemed to be coming from it. We also checked the IC40 - it's fins we very clean.

Any ideas or anyone else have this occur? If I didn't have a dark onyx plaster finish I probably wouldn't see it as easily.

 

[mknauss]

The calcium flakes are coming from your SWCG. Odd they occur at pump start up. They normally occur at polarity reversal. Though depending on how long you run your SWCG in continuous period, that may be when the reversal occurs.

Your pool water chemistry does not look like it is in the range that it would occur, but, if you add calcium a slug of higher calcium water may have gone through the SWCG. Also high pH, above 8, can cause this to happen even at low CH levels.

 

[Drewmich]

Marty

I will work at bringing my PH down.

Can you respond back to my original statement about my PH ??

" I have also been fighting a rising PH ... goal is 7.4-7.6 Pool math showed to put 32 oz of MA to lower my PH from 8.2 to 7.6. Put it in overnight - ran pump till AM and PH barely moved??? "

 

[mknauss]

8.2 is the max pH you can measure, so it may have been higher.

I would not try a pH goal that low. As long as it is below 8, all is good.

 

[Drewmich]

Marty

Almost embarrassed to tell you ... but my LaMotte Color Q7 has been consistently under reporting both my TA and CH since I refilled the pool in May. I am very precise and careful when testing with it - but it isn't doing a good job for me.

I ordered new reagents in May and they have 2021 exp dates ... LaMotte's tech support says it is a fluke?

I have consistently been testing TA and CH at the following ranges - twice a week for the past 4 months

TA = 40 low to 65 highest but in July in was 45-55

CH = 130 to 165 highest but in July it was close around 155-160.

I finally decided to test it with a new K-2006 kit I bought and here are the results.....

TA = over 400

Ch - 350

I tested it 3 times with my K-2006 and also verified with my local pool tech I know.

So I started running my pump 24 x 7 this week. I turned all 3 jets straight up so they are aerating as best they can ....

PH is between 8.0 - 8.2 .... so I am adding (1) gal of MA in the morning .... PH drops and at end of day ... it rises back to 8.0 + .... I add another gallon and have repeated this with the plan that TA will lower.

It isn't lowering very fast and I don't want to add 30 gallons of MA over the next month ...

I also haven't started trying to lower my high CH. Want that to be around 200.

SO - this I am I thought I would just drain the pool again. I have a lot of white calcium "worms" on the black onyx plaster finish. I will low pressure wash them off in a couple of hours and refill - then just use the K-2006 test kit going forward. Does this sound like a wise plan or what other steps would you take?

Thanks for your help.

 

[PullJunkie]

Doesn't aeration raise ph ? For example if I needed to lower TA with MA but my ph was already fine, I would add MA and then aerate to raise ph without raising TA.

 

[Drewmich]

B - that's exactly what I have been doing .... adding MA and aerating which lowers TA and PH. But the high TA raises my PH back up and the cycle continues ... it is lowering my TA but very slowly and will need alot of MA to bring TA into range I believe - 60-80 in my goal for TA.

 

[PullJunkie]

But aerating raises PH.... aren't you trying to get it lower?

 

[Drewmich]

B - I'm trying to lower TA ... one method is to use MA to lower PH which also lowers the TA ... correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[Drewmich]

Airation and acid are the trick for minor TA adjustments I have used over the years ... just have have a very large problem with high TA and CH.

 

[PullJunkie]

Yes that is correct, but you don't need to aerate. Just add proper dose(s) of MA and your TA will go down along with ph and since your ph was/is high, let that go down too, it will come up on its own due to the SWCG.

 

[Drewmich]

Aeration lowers TA ...

 

[PullJunkie]

I am sure the other pros can chime in but as far as I know, MA lowers TA. You don't need to aerate, that just raises ph without affecting TA and is a safe way to get your ph higher and keep your TA where it's at. Otherwise it'd be a roller coaster effect.

 

[mknauss]

Aeration lowers TA ...

Aeration raises pH. Acid consumes alkalinity (lowers TA) and lowers pH.
Read Lower Total Alkalinity - Trouble Free Pool

I would not try to lower CH right now. You winterize, correct? When you do, you will drain off some water. Rain/snow will fill it back up with 0 CH water.