High Source Alkalinity

[robbieturner]

Long time reader, first time poster...

I am starting to take over my pool maintenance and one thing that has jumped out is the high TA (170-230). My local store was suprised at the levels and I was thinking about using acid to slowly bring it down but when I tested my source water it was reading 230. Is it common for alkalinity to be high from the source and part of the maintenance is to constantly bring it down? The store said as long as everything else looks good I should be ok but I know the high alkalinity makes moving the PH more difficult. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum

Stay out of the pool store.....their results are simply unreliable

Tell us what test kit you used to get that 230 TA fill water.

Lowering the TA is pretty simple but let's make sure you have a valid test result before you get started

 

[robbieturner]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I've tried a few . My original All-Clear standard kit said 230. I took it to the store and they said 170 although I watched as they did the test and the water didn't turn clear at 17 drops so not sure how they came up with that. I then purchased a LaMotte ColorQ Pro 7 which has registered between 170-220.

 

[duraleigh]

While it's not REALLY critical, you can get that test to be consistent (+/- 10 ppm) with a Taylor 2006C or a TFTestkits TF-100.

If you decide to follow what we teach, one of those kits will be mandatory to get the precision we need.

TA from source water varies widely depending on where you live. I would reduce your TA to 60 or so just to make your pH more easily managed.......should you need to.

This Link will take you to an article in Pool School that will explain the TA lowering process. Again, nothing horrible will happen if you let it come down slowly on it's own but that is pretty high and I would suggest 60 as a target. Getting a really good kit will make that and other tests very easy.

 

[robbieturner]

I've already begun the the TA lowering process and will look into the Taylor kit.

So in general, regions that have high TA in their city water just have to get it under control and then perform more regular acid maintenance (to counter the high TA on refill) than regions that don't have higher alkalinity in the source water?

I see a lot of aeration options, do you have a preference for the type that works best?