High Alkalinity

[Stonesphan]

So just got the TF - 100 over the weekend and this is my second set of test results:

FC: 8.5
CC: .5
pH: 7.8
TA: 250
CH: 575
CYA: 100
TEMP: 90
CSI: .99

Big question is I know that TA is affected by high levels of CyA. So should I be dropping the pH really low and really dropping the TA or is the high level of CyA affecting my TA readings and its not really that high?

 

[Newdude]

Rerun the TA test. It’s wonky at first for a lot of folks. The bottles get static charged in shipping. It takes a few rounds of tests to lose it.

go slow. Bottle fully upside down. Gentle squeezes to let gravity make perfect, repeatable drops. Wipe the tip with each drop

 

[wireform]

As New dude said, new TA regents suffer from static and the drops may be smaller then it should be thus making the count go higher then actually needs to be. Just to add to what was said is: for the first few tests between drips turn the bottle right side up and wipe the tip with a moist paper towel and then go it again perfectly vertical helping the droplets ever so slightly that it drops off on its own.

 

[Stonesphan]

I did wipe the tip in-between drops, I will see about trying to get nice full drops, but this is my second test and the first was pretty much the same, showing TA of over 200

 

[Texas Splash]

As noted above, give the TA test a couple more runs to ensure you are getting good drops to form for an accurate TA. Yes, once the pH hits 7.8 - 8.0, use enough muriatic acid to lower the pH to about 7.0 and that will lower the TA each time.

The big issue is your CYA. It's not effecting the TA, but it does require more FC. It's difficult to manage a pool with a CYA at or over 100. So before you waste too much chemicals treating the water, you might consider exchanging some water. An ideal CYA for you this time of year might be around 70 or so. If you decide not to change water and ride a higher FC level, remember that an FC that creeps over 10 will start to influence the pH. That, combined with locally hard water and an ever-increasing CH level, will be important to avoid scale.

 

[mknauss]

To answer the question about CYA and TA. Part of the TA is cyanurate alkalinity. Roughly 30% of your CYA level is added to TA. So as Pat said, you need to get CYA under control, then TA will manage itself by controlling pH.

 

[wireform]

Inorder to know what to do and how to do with the CYA you need an accurate CYA test. If you suspect CYA around 100 thats where this test tops out and you won't know if your over the 100 and by how much. You need to do a diluted CYA test and then multiply the results by 2.

 

[Stonesphan]

Thanks for the feed back. I'm stuck with the CyA levels until I'm able to drain this fall. Just trying to get through this summer so that I can drain and do some additional pool maintenance.

 

[Stonesphan]

Inorder to know what to do and how to do with the CYA you need an accurate CYA test. If you suspect CYA around 100 thats where this test tops out and you won't know if your over the 100 and by how much. You need to do a diluted CYA test and then multiply the results by 2.

I did do the diluted CyA test