Pool Math is a wonderful tool that calculates CSI for us, which is awesome. However I am trying to calculate my current CSI realtime. Generally my Alkalinity, CYA, Calcium Hardness are fairly static between weekly testing, however pH, ORP, DO, water temperature, etc. vary widely throughout the week. I'd like to trend my CSI realtime. Is there a whitepaper or document that details how CSI is calculated specifically to match Pool Math's method? I can't find it on the TFP website.
Looking for a detailed Pool Math's CSI calculation methodology for use in Home Assistant Automation
- Thread starter johnny2k
- Start date
Can you write a web app to do your realtime trending? If so, TFP has a web based CSI calculator you can use as a web app for your web app. Will look for a link.
Found the CSI calculator you mentioned and solved my issue. Thank you. Interestingly, even though my pH, salinity and pool temp may shift a little during the day, there is minor changes in CSI calculation. I think I had a little OCD trying to get realtime CSI. Now I do and its just not impactful to managing my pool. I know where I want TA-70, CH-425, CYA-60, Borate-40 through weekly testing and pH-7.75, Salt 3200, Temp whatever comes, realtime through Atlas probes. Keeps me at a happy -0.08 CSI-ish.
- May 3, 2007
- 18,071
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Given you have an SWG and fairly high CH levels, you might want to target a bit lower CSI level. I target around -0.4 CSI to keep scale off the SWG and to reduce the need for acid cleaning which reduces cell life.
Before I really went down the TFP rabbit hole, I was maintaining pH roughly 7.5. When I read about scale build up in the SWG, I opened it up for the first time after 10 years, and there was no scale build up. I have never acid cleaned the cells, I didn't know I needed to maintain it. Now that I am 'TFP educated' I maintain a much higher pH of 7.75. For me this greatly reduced the acid demand to maintain that pH compared to 7.5 but I am very curious if I start to get calcium build up. I plan to check in a few months. If there is build up, I will lower the pH, maybe 7.6 ish which will lower my CSI to levels you are recommending.
The pH is the biggie for CSI. As you note, smallish changes in all the other stuff doesn’t do much. Change in pH is almost 1:1 to change in CSI.