Having trouble with dropping ph

[clogan]

Brand new pool owner. Trying to figure this out as local places won’t assist (it has a copper ionizer and no one will touch it until I get it removed) so until then I’m trying to do this on my own. My ph dropped so I added sodium carbonate until it was around 7.6. Then a few days later it started dropping again and now is down to 7.2. My alkalinity is 80. From what I read last night sodium carbonate works for raising alkalinity whole sodium bicarbonate raises ph only. So since I was using the proper chemical, what might the issue be? Or am I not using the right one? I’m so confused.

 

[duraleigh]

Lower pH - use muriatic acid....TA also comes down
Raise pH - use 20 mule team borax.....it has little effect on TA.

Lower TA - acid and aeration method....see Pool School
Raise TA - use baking soda....it has little affect on pH

That may help.

Curious why you think your pH is falling....it's usually caused by use of pucks. If so, your CYA may be too high.....do you know what it is?

 

[mknauss]

Have you purchased a proper test kit yet?

Your pH will rise with your TA at your level if you are getting alot of aeration. Either let the TA drop and / or eliminate some of the aeration.

Use 20 Mule Team® Borax Natural Laundry Booster (Sodium tetraborate) to raise pH with minimal effect on TA.

Sodium Carbonate is Soda Ash - which will raise both pH and TA

Sodium Bicarbonate is baking soda and will raise TA and pH a little.

 

[clogan]

My CYA was zero so I bought stabilizer. I keep adding a little at a time and it’s up to 10 now. I did buy pucks before someone here told me about them so I only used them for about two weeks. I was having major issues keeping chlorine in it. I finally have that stable at around 2. Before the stabilizer no matter how much I added, by morning it was back to zero. Now I’m struggling with keeping the ph stable.

 

[rmturner54]

Have you purchased a proper test kit yet as mknauss said. Post your results then then those w the knowledge can help.
Use pool math to determine the amounts to add.
As far as stabilizer dont add the whole amount at once. Ease into it. Easier to add to reach value than remove it.
Once u learn your pool you will quickly know what u can and can not get away with

 

[clogan]

What would signify a proper test kit? It’s a pool master liquid test kit. I truly can’t afford the ones for hundreds of dollars. The pool came with the house. I definitely would never have been able to afford it myself. Is there a test kit I should be looking for in particular? Under $50 by chance?

 

[duraleigh]

1. Dropping pH in a pool is not normal unless you are continually using a LOT of pucks.

2. A CYA of 10 is not normal either (you can't test that low)

I suspect you have some testing errors....I would resolve that before you raise the pH too much more. How are you testing?

 

[mknauss]

Order a TF100 test kit
The only other real option for a test kit is a Taylor K-2006-C. Be careful comparing prices because the K-2006 comes in sizes, designated by a letter. The basic K-2006 has .75oz bottles. You need to get the K-2006-C to get the larger bottles that you want. Even then it is a little short on the reagent & powder for the FAS/DPD test.

I also have the SpeedStir. It makes testing much easier.

The cost of the above is just over $100.

 

[clogan]

Okay, thank you