How often are you checking pH and/or adding acid?

[djdonte]

I thought I was doing OK checking my pH every week and adding about 8oz of MA to bring the pH down to 7.8 from 8.2. I guess not because my salt cell scaled up in about 6 months. I am shooting to keep it closer to 7.5-7.6 to help my CSI be slightly negative.

 

[jark87]

I’ve had to keep a closer eye on it this summer because we’ve had so much evaporation due to our drought. Our fill water has high pH and high TA, so I can’t do much to keep the pH down other than add acid, which I’m doing 2x/week instead of once. Normally, once per week works for me and I usually lower it at around the 7.8 - 8.0 mark. I also learned from this site that getting TA down in the 50-60 range can help with pH rise. Due to my fill water, I can’t control TA either this summer, but expect to get it under control starting in the fall. The lower TA also introduces some CSI challenges, so it’s always something.

 

[Texas Splash]

This year I've had to check my pH everyday and add acid just about every 2 days. Lots of water refills.

 

[djdonte]

Also I have a waterfall we use whenever we swim, which doesn't help my cause. I dont believe we have high pH fill water but I should check that because I'm topping it off every few days this summer. My TA is at 120 right now. I will check and adjust my pH twice a week when I do my skimmer sock cleanings and see how that goes. Also I'm going to remove my cell and check for scale at each filter cleaning. I could not see the scale with it hooked up.

 

[ajw22]

My TA is at 120 right now.

Lower your TA to 60-70 to prevent scaling in the SWG.

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

From TA - Further Reading

Why Should TA be Lowered with a SWG?​

Usually a TA on the high end is fine if the pH is stable. However TA does need to be adjusted down with an SWG. The problem is, INSIDE the cell, the CSI is very different than in bulk pool water.

With high TA and aeration from the bubbles the SWG creates, you'll get faster pH rise inside the cell and so there's more potential for scaling. With current reversal, the cell tends to stay clean but you'll get more snowflakes out of the returns. Calcium hardness is only one part of the equation.

If the SWG cell pH rises much above 10 (and it can easily do that) and if there is sufficient levels of carbonate ions available (CO3--), then you will get calcium carbonate precipitation. The higher the TA and pH, the more carbonate anions are available.

Borates are particularly helpful preventing scale in a SWG because the pKa for boric acid / borate anion buffering is approximately 9. That essentially means you get the maximum buffering capacity at a pH of 9 and that tends to hold down the pH rise inside the cell. Keeping the pH below 10 in the SWG cell reduces the risk of calcium and magnesium scaling (insoluble magnesium hydroxide precipitates at a pH of 10.2 or so).

 

[duraleigh]

If you are experiencing some change, I would suggest pH testing daily or at least every other day as a poor second choice. It's bullet fast and dirt cheap and will help you understand the chemistry of your pool.

Common sense intervals on the other testing

 

[djdonte]

How can I lower the TA besides using a ton of acid ?

 

[PoolStored]

How can I lower the TA besides using a ton of acid ?

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

 

[Texas Splash]

How can I lower the TA besides using a ton of acid ?

We are in the midst of a massive Texas heatwave. It's also been exceptionally windy all season. Lots of evaporations, so I'm adding water almost everyday. That will impact TA/pH efforts. You'll use a bit more acid for sure, but do your best to stay on it.

 

[ajw22]

How can I lower the TA besides using a ton of acid ?

You can’t.

What is the pH and TA of your fill water?

With high TA fill water it can be a losing battle.

 

[markayash]

Once I learned to keep my TA around 60 and added a few box’s or borax my PH still climbs but a lot slower. I add about Acid about every 2 or 3 weeks and add about a 1/4 of a gallon then

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I'm doing about 1/3-1/2 a gallon twice a week now... Cell is still scaling up like mad... like in a month now.... I need a water change... CH is up to 700. CSI is -0.2 to -0.3 and TA 60-70 now (our fill TA is like 130-140)... But that is the disadvantage of a SWCG... they are picky about more than just CSI..... I should add borax, but I don't want to because of our dogs.... Tucson water sux.

I don't have the schedule to take a day for a water exchange for several more weeks.... sigh....

The last couple of weekends I've not been able to find the not watered down MA for a reasonable price... need to definitely get serious about it this weekend or I will run out...

I didn't have the scaling problem here (like normal intervals were happening) until I hit about 600 PPM CH, FWIW... I need to figure out a fill softener, but I'd like to worry about that next spring... we will see....

 

[Saturn94]

Since lowering TA to 60-70 and adding borates, I haven’t had to add acid in many years; pH stays 7.4-7.5 all season so I only test it weekly.

 

[Britali]

I test my FC, CC & pH daily. Put pool water in a beaker & bring it inside…use a syringe to measure out the 10ml sample for FC. It is fast. I test everything else weekly but I see how I could push them out for longer since they take awhile to change.