Need to raise TA

[Arizonarob]

So for the first time, I need to raise up my TA to get it back in range. My question is, is any baking soda acceptable to use, or should I be looking for a particular one?
The app is recommending I add 3lbs 4oz to bring it up to 80.

 

[Texas Splash]

Nothing fancy. Just your typical basking soda (sodium bicarbonate) from the baking aisle of any grocery store.

 

[Arizonarob]

Awsome, thanks Pat.

 

[JamesW]

If you're deliberately lowering the pH below 7.8, you should not do that.

 

[Arizonarob]

Why James?

I always wait till my PH is 8, then dose it back down to 7.4. (Once a week during this time of year)

 

[JamesW]

There's no reason to lower it that much. It lowers the CSI too much and it lowers the TA, which you then have to raise again and again.

If you allow your ph to remain in the 7.8 to 7.9 range, you will find that you almost never need to add acid or bicarb.

 

[Arizonarob]

Ok, so if I’m reading you correctly. I should change the parameter in the app to be 7.8 and only dose with MA when it rises above 8? (Which my pool tends to do, especially in the hotter months)

Right now my csi is -0.62 (recommended-0.60 to 0.60)

 

[JamesW]

I would suggest that you don't lower the pH unless it gets to 8 or above and then only lower the pH to 7.8 or 7.9.

Keep the CSI between -0.3 and 0.0.

 

[Arizonarob]

How do I control the csi? I thought that was a byproduct of all things combined??

 

[JamesW]

If you allow the pH to stay at 7.8 to 7.9, your CSI should be good.

You control CSI by adjusting the individual elements as needed.

In the summer, you might keep the pH down a little bit lower if the water gets really warm.

 

[Arizonarob]

Yeah, in the summer it gets up to 95, plus add in water features, and it tends to climb pretty quickly.

I’ll bump up the TA to the bottom of the recommended range of 70, and keep the PH at 7.8-7.9.
Thanks James.

 

[ajw22]

TA as low as 50 is ok. I would not look to raise a TA of 60. Raising the TA just causes your PH to rise faster, which causes you to add MA to lower the PH and it lowers the TA, which causes you to raise the TA, and on and on. The less you need to lower the PH the more stable your PH and TA will be.

Leave the TA at 60 and do as JamesW recommends and keep your PH at 7.8 or higher. See how long it takes your PH to drift up above 8.

 

[Arizonarob]

Allen, will do.

This is the first time that I was going to need to raise TA according to PM since taking over my pool care since last March.

So my question becomes, why does the PM app recommend I keep it between 70-90 TA?

 

[ajw22]

So my question becomes, why does the PM app recommend I keep it between 70-90 TA?

Let's say that PM is overly conservative. We don't want people forcing their TA into the 50 - 60 range unless they have a reason or it naturally gets down there. You are on top of your chemistry and can see how your PH and TA behave at those levels.

 

[Arizonarob]

Got it! Thanks again guys.

 

[aussieta]

people without spas or swg have little ph rise so they can get away with higher ta
anything that artificially drives your ph higher you should keep your ta as low as practical
i aim for 60, but i would not raise it unless i found the ph becoming eratic
even down to 50

 

[KurtinTUS]

Thanks for starting this thread, Rob. I'm in about the same shape pool-wise, except my TA is at 50 and I had been wondering if I should be raising it, too.

 

[ajw22]

Thanks for starting this thread, Rob. I'm in about the same shape pool-wise, except my TA is at 50 and I had been wondering if I should be raising it, too.

Dopends what your PH is doing. Don’t adjust TA independant of PH.