How long does aeration take to raise PH?

[kne]

I used well water to top off the pool when opening this season and paying the price. Been working the last few days to get TA down from 225. From playing with pool math I think I will have to lower the PH a total of 5.8 more to bring my TA down to a level of about 80. Tested the well water today, TA there is 550, being cheap on water cost me a lot of money in MA, lol

I have had the return jet pointed up, and now a sump pump on the steps to give me more bubbles. How much faster is aeration rather than letting it drift up naturally?

 

[ajw22]

There is no way to measure how many bubbles you are creating and how much aeration will raise the pH over any time.

The more bubbles and aeration the better .

Aeration - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[amymeme]

This was my situation last year. Took me most of the season being judicial with MA. I settled for TA of 140.

Oof - you have a large pool, too.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

What's the TA of the fill water you are using for top offs now?

 

[kne]

Oof - you have a large pool, too.

No, just 7,600 gallons, small

There is no way to measure how many bubbles you are creating and how much aeration will raise the pH over any time.

The more bubbles and aeration the better .

Stephanie shared 1 video with you - sorry, I don't know how to do a youtube video. Amazon is the best I can do. These are my 2 bubblers I have going, definitely not small bubbles. Are they a waste of effort?

 

[ajw22]

Be patient and your pH will rise.

 

[kne]

What's the TA of the fill water you are using for top offs now?

ohh, fun question! I just went and tested and it's 75. Only expensive house water for the pool from now on!

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

It will help that your fill water is low in TA.

 

[kne]

Be patient and your pH will rise.

Couple cannon balls, couple belly flops, lots of splash out, it will get there eventually.

 

[amymeme]

Couple cannon balls, couple belly flops, lots of splash out, it will get there eventually.

This! Especially in a smaller pool.

 

[PoolStored]

TA there is 550

You are going to have a constant battle. Two tricks to lowering TA.
1) Keep your pH between 7.0 and 7.4 while reducing TA.
2) Make LOTS of VERY TINY Bubbles.

INITIALLY lower your pH to 7.0 in small increments (say .2-.4 each time) until you reach 7.0. Aerate. When pH hits 7.4, lower to 7.0, rinse and repeat. When you get to ~90, then resume normal operations, meaning don't drive pH down to 7.0, keep it 7.6-8.0. CO2 outgasses at the highest rate between 7-7.4.

Build one of these on top of your sump pump. Makes LOTS of tiny bubbles. If you do these two things, it will speed results.

Aerator.jpg

• PoolStored
• Sep 11, 2022
• 2

 

[kne]

You are going to have a constant battle. Two tricks to lowering TA.

House water is 75, going to be using only that going forward.

Water cost savings using the well =/= effort & cost for MA. I battled really crappy hard water when I used the well only, so at my last liner change in 2022 I filled with the house water. I thought I would be ok using the well for top offs. But it's creeped up, I really didn't pay attention to it much before. Plus, I just ordered a brand new full refill set from TFT, my kit last year might have had some old stuff that gave me a lower number.

 

[amymeme]

Sigh. I don't have the option of using house water. House water is well water with pH of 8.0 (ish) and TA of 240. Currently pool water level is a mite on the low side, waiting for what looks to be a somewhat rainy week to bring the level back up. If not, I'll add the bare minimum of house water. My current levels TA 130 and pH 7.4 (courtesy of trichlor pucks to bring up CYA.) Those numbers will drift upward as I switch to liquid chlorine for the test of the season. I do keep my eyeball fittings pointed at the surface to generate bubbles and PoolBoy Johnny generates quite a few bubbles as well.

 

[kne]

Sigh. I don't have the option of using house water. House water is well water with pH of 8.0 (ish) and TA of 240. Currently pool water level is a mite on the low side, waiting for what looks to be a somewhat rainy week to bring the level back up. If not, I'll add the bare minimum of house water. My current levels TA 130 and pH 7.4 (courtesy of trichlor pucks to bring up CYA.) Those numbers will drift upward as I switch to liquid chlorine for the test of the season. I do keep my eyeball fittings pointed at the surface to generate bubbles and PoolBoy Johnny generates quite a few bubbles as well.

We used only the well for the first 7 years. When we first got the pool, it was a severe drought so the fines for excessive use of city water were very high. There were crazy restrictions for when and if you were allowed to water your lawn, no car washing etc. Our first pool was we just bought our house, and wouldn't be able to go on vacation, so I just wanted a little something to float in for the summer. We found a brand new 18' Intex, still in box with a SWG for less than $300 because the people selling were better environmentalists than us and didn't want to waste the water. Well isn't monitored, we just have to pay for power so at the time, it was worth the hassle to deal with the very hard water. Now that we have had a few wet winters, the excessive use penalties have been removed so I'll stick to house water.