High TA, low PH

[roheid60]

AG, 12' x 24' x 54" pool, Aqua pro 1.5 HP SPL pump, 100 sq ft cartridge filter and a Nature2 mineral sanitizer.

had MAJOR algae issues when we opened our pool last month (1st time that ever happened!), and had a heck of a time getting the water crystal clear. now, I can't seem to get the chemicals right, no matter what I do! No matter how much PH UP, I add, the alkalinity has gone up, but the PH is still nearly non-existent! how do I fix this?

 

[Richard320]

Aerate the water.

Point the return up. Set up a sprinkler. Do anything to get the water churned up -- even swimmers if the pH isn't dangerously low. It's the same thing as shaking a can of Coke. But the pool isn't quite so acidic so it won't foam up. Plus you can't shake your pool.

And I can't believe you've been a member for five years and are still using a Nature2.

 

[roheid60]

thanks, richard. I will point the return up. our weather has sucked again this year. pool isn't even at 70 degrees yet. I've been in only once!
Although, I've been a member for 5 years, I originally joined because my hubby bought an Intex pool and I thought it wouldn't fit in the area we had excavated. it didn't. the following year, we bought a regular pool. the intex is still in the boxes in the basement.

next question: why would we NOT use the Nature 2 ?

 

[Richard320]

next question: why would we NOT use the Nature 2 ?

Because it adds metal ions that can lead to wall staining and green-haired blondes. While copper is a great algaecide, it doesn't work fast enough to kill bacteria and such that can spread from swimmer to swimmer So a pool needs chlorine. Nature2 uses trichlor for the chlorine source. Trichlor is 1) very acidic, hence your battles with low TA & pH and 2) It leaves behind CYA. Too much CYA and your chlorine is useless.

There's actually a nifty video to explain the CYA problem

There's more in
ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[roheid60]

Because it adds metal ions that can lead to wall staining and green-haired blondes. While copper is a great algaecide, it doesn't work fast enough to kill bacteria and such that can spread from swimmer to swimmer So a pool needs chlorine. Nature2 uses trichlor for the chlorine source. Trichlor is 1) very acidic, hence your battles with low TA & pH and 2) It leaves behind CYA. Too much CYA and your chlorine is useless.

There's actually a nifty video to explain the CYA problem

There's more in
ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

thanks! this info has been better than anything I got from EITHER of the pool stores I've worked with. So this is where I started on 6/03, when I saw how low the PH was, I added PH up, TWICE, which didn't appear to do anything. Since I posted this, we've had the return pointed up creating lots of churn. the water temp is only 64 after all the cold nights we've had, so I don't see anybody getting in to create more churn any time soon. The 2nd photo is from yesterday and 3rd photo today. things are looking better after having the return pointed up. since the alkaline is finally going down, is it safe to add some borax to bring up the PH, or will that mess up the alkalinity? or should we just leave the return as is, since no one will be swimming in it anytime soon.... :-(
I have a way to add more churn for a little while at least. Hubby built a water slide out of two yard slides. we have a pump and hose connected to it. he had to redo the area where the 2 connect and is nearly finished with that project. If the extra churn would help, we could run that for an hour or so?

 

[Richard320]

Yes, if you've got an extra pump that can spray or drop water to disturb the surface, that will raise the pH. Borax will raise pH, but it will also raise TA a little bit and also make TA more resistant to change. You don't want that. Once the pH hits 7.2 or better, you're done. The TA isn't critical, so wherever it ends up is fine.