Negative csi to stop scaling

[TJSgarlata]

At a quandary or too lazy to find the answer digging thru every forum post haha Trying to keep pool at a negative csi to reduce or stop scaling from swg. Pool has really high TA at 230ppm which seems like a daunting task to reduce to target levels as 1gal acid only drops 20ppm per dose. Trying to figure out what should be my ideal goals to gain a negative csi ? Any help is much appreciated. Wish there was a way or maybe there is to set a negative csi goal in pool math app
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Sgarlata pool
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Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 20000 gallons
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Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 3.0 (yesterday)
CC: 0.0 (yesterday)
pH: 8.2 (yesterday)
TA: 230 (yesterday)
CH: 385 (yesterday)
CYA: 55 (yesterday)
SALT: 3000 (yesterday)
TEMPERATURE: 85° (yesterday)
CSI: 1.05 (yesterday)
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Chemical Addition 07-16-2023 @ 11:31 AM
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+ 100 FluidOunces of MuriaticAcid29

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Chemical Addition 07-16-2023 @ 11:25 AM
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+ 25 Pounds of CalciumChloride

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Test Results 07-16-2023 @ 11:24 AM
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Free Chlorine: 3.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 8.2
Total Alkalinity: 230
Calcium Hardness: 385
CYA: 55
Salt: 3000
Temperature: 85°F
CSI: 1.05

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Test Results 07-13-2023 @ 10:46 AM
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Free Chlorine: 5.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 7.3
CYA: 55
Temperature: 85°F
CSI: 0.01

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Chemical Addition 07-12-2023 @ 10:46 AM
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+ 5 Pounds of DryStabilizer

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Chemical Addition 07-11-2023 @ 06:33 PM
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+ 100 FluidOunces of Baume31

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Test Results 07-11-2023 @ 02:40 PM
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Free Chlorine: 1.0
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 8.5
Total Alkalinity: 250
Calcium Hardness: 250
CYA: 15
Salt: 3000
Temperature: 85°F
CSI: 1.23

 

[PoolGate]

I think adding acid and aerating down is your best option. What T/A is your fill water? Also I don't think you need to add any calcium. Mine is in the 200s and it is fine.

 

[ajw22]

I think adding acid and aerating down is your best option.

Posting before morning coffee?

I think it is adding acid to lower TA and aerating pH UP is your best option.

 

[PoolGate]

Posting before morning coffee?

I think it is adding acid to lower TA and aerating pH UP is your best option.

Doh!

 

[PoolStored]

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

 

[TJSgarlata]

I guess what I'm looking for is adjusted targets to get to a negative csi to slow or prevent scaling. I spent a good hour cleaning tiles with acid because of my low CH. Also I run my pool at night with aeration with artic coolers to keep my pool temp below bath water haha So I'm constantly raising my PH everyday. Would like to get it under control. I achieved negative csi once I got my pH down to lower TA but that isn't feasibly possible everyday. Gonna check my fill water for TA , I did check it for CH and it was at 50ppm which makes sense since it is a deep water well.

 

[PoolStored]

Lowering your TA and maintaining lower pH are about your only options.

If you are using pool math. Create another pool. Enter fake tests in this pool and play around with the numbers...it will help you understand what you can control and provide targets for TA and pH that will lower your CSI.

 

[TJSgarlata]

Lowering your TA and maintaining lower pH are about your only options.

If you are using pool math. Create another pool. Enter fake tests in this pool and play around with the numbers...it will help you understand what you can control and provide targets for TA and pH that will lower your CSI.

Thank I will definitely try this , especially once I figure out where all this Alkalinity is coming from , could it my well water ?

 

[PoolStored]

could it my well water ?

Of course. Test your well water...

 

[jesse-99]

My well water TA is 330. I'll trade you

 

[PoolStored]

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

 

[TJSgarlata]

My well water TA is 330. I'll trade you

Yeah I hope mine isn't that bad , how do you keep your PH in order?

 

[jesse-99]

2.25 gallons of MA each week :-(

 

[cdadams1223]

My well water TA is 330. I'll trade you

 

[TJSgarlata]

2.25 gallons of MA each week :-(

Ouch now you got me worried

 

[scottts]

At a water temp of 85 and your other parameters, the only thing with any significant control on your CSI right now is your pH, controlled mainly by your TA. That has to come down. If you can, I'd recommend an acid dispenser. The frequent continual injections of MA over time WILL bring TA down and keep it down. You will be filling it a lot at first. If you can do anything to avoid evaporation, like a cover, to reduce make up water, that will also make it easier.

My water temp in AZ was 94 yesterday afternoon. My TA in the tap is 120 or so, nowhere near as bad as yours but still challenging when evap is high, and my CH is 1250. By keeping pH at <=7.2 through acid injection I can keep my TA at 40 and my CSI around -.2. Currently using about 1/2 gallon of 14.5% MA per week.

Wouldn't a nice cheap low maintenance large volume RO unit for makeup water be wonderful right now? It wouldn't even have to be that great an RO unit to be very helpful. Just a relatively crappy membrane with high throughput would be awesome.

 

[TJSgarlata]

My well water TA is 330. I'll trade you

Well mine ain't much better smh 290 ppm , now what haha surprised my TA isn't much higher

 

[jesse-99]

Well, there's 2 things you can do.

1. Ignore your TA and manage your pH instead. (I would not recommend that for -your- pool because of your high TA auto-fill water)

2. Manage your TA and manage your pH. This means bringing TA down to something reasonable like 80-120, which will help buffer against the fast rise of pH. The lower your TA, the lower your rise of pH.

If you have NO water features that create aeration (bubbles), you should be good to go once you bring TA down. If you have water features that create aeration, then you'll be doing what I'm doing, and dosing MA a lot and regularly.

The higher the TA, the faster pH rises.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Increasing calcium levels will further complicate matters for you. You need to try to maintain calcium levels at the lower side of the range. If you don't have a water softener, you should strongly consider adding one to the pool fill line.

Does your pool have an attached spa?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

If you have water features that create aeration, then you'll be doing what I'm doing, and dosing MA a lot and regularly.

If you do have high TA fill water, this works to your advantage. By using the aeration features of your pool, your pH gets forced up, allowing you to add acid which in turn lowers TA.