High TA and low PH

[Steveb_77]

Hello!
I am new to the TFP world. I purchased a property with an existing pool, prior owners used the aqua smarte system. I am trying to clean my pool up for their sins!

I have completely removed the mineral pack and use of the tab pacs.

I am using liquid chlorine and seem to be only struggling with getting my TA down.

It’s around 150 today. I have lowered to PH to 7.0 with dry acid (did last night) but I cannot get TA to budge.

Any suggestions or tips?

FC 7.0
CC 0
TA 150
CYA 55
PH 7.0

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Is there a reason you need to push the TA down quickly? Normally, through pH management using muriatic acid, the TA will come down to its happy spot.

Lower Total Alkalinity

A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.

www.troublefreepool.com

Do not use dry acid. Dry acid is Sodium Bisulfate. The sulfates build in your water and will destroy metals and concrete (plaster).
Please fill out your signature.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Steveb_77]

Welcome to the forum!
Is there a reason you need to push the TA down quickly? Normally, through pH management using muriatic acid, the TA will come down to its happy spot.

Lower Total Alkalinity

A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.

www.troublefreepool.com

Do not use dry acid. Dry acid is Sodium Bisulfate. The sulfates build in your water and will destroy metals and concrete (plaster).
Please fill out your signature.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

I started to use the pool math calculator and it indicated that TA Was too high, and offered suggestions on how I should lower, which I followed. If that's really not a big deal, I can disregard and manage the PH with muriatic acid as you stated that will over time reduce the TA.

 

[mknauss]

If that's really not a big deal,

It is not if you have reasonable levels of CH. You did not post a test result for that.

 

[Steveb_77]

CH is 350

 

[Steveb_77]

Reviving this a bit because I am confused. Over the last few days I have used a gallon of muriatic acid to bring my PH down, then aerated to bring it back up. The TA hasn’t gone down at all and I don’t know what is wrong, because I thought I’d see a re:

FC - 6
CC - 0
PH - 7.6
TA - 140

any thoughts?

 

[mknauss]

Is your muriatic acid 31.45%? If so, it would have lowered your TA by about 20 ppm, if you have not added anything (fill water) to raise the TA.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

...if you have not added anything (fill water) to raise the TA

Check the TA of your fill water. You may find the answer there.

 

[Steveb_77]

Is your muriatic acid 31.45%? If so, it would have lowered your TA by about 20 ppm, if you have not added anything (fill water) to raise the TA.

Yes, it is 31.45%.
I did have to add a little fill water, so maybe that’s throwing the numbers off a bit.

I don’t think my TA is a real problem, I was just expecting it to drop some.

 

[Sunnydaze]

Do you have a speed stir? I found that my TA test was significantly more consistent after I bought one. With just swirling manually, my results were fluctuating as much 20 ppm.

 

[Steveb_77]

Do you have a speed stir? I found that my TA test was significantly more consistent after I bought one. With just swirling manually, my results were fluctuating as much 20 ppm.

I do not but I’ll invest in one. I often end up spilling a few drops here or there when manually swirling myself.
Thanks for the tip!

 

[Sunnydaze]

I do not but I’ll invest in one. I often end up spilling a few drops here or there when manually swirling myself.
Thanks for the tip!

It's probably my favorite thing I've bought for the pool so far. Makes testing much easier and consistent.

 

[Steveb_77]

Check the TA of your fill water. You may find the answer there.

I finally got around to testing my fill water - TA is 250. Anytime I fill up I’m increasing the TA. Anything I can do or just have to deal and know I’ll be spending time reducing TA?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Your pH will continue to be pulled up by the high TA. All you can do is knock pH down to the lower end of the recommended range each time it gets to the top end of the range. MA is your best friend.

 

[IceShadow]

If you get a solar cover, it will help prevent evaporation and thus reduce the amount of fill water you need to use.