New Water - Help on high TA - First Time

[Zwrickers]

Hi - new liner, new water. First time balancing TA. Above ground, vinyl. Taylor testing first time:
pH = 7.4
TA = 160
CH = 125
FC = assumed 0
CYA = assumed 0

I read to add dry acid (using pool math) to pH of 7.0, then aerate. I don't have anything to really aerate with. I also need to add chlorine and CYA, and kids want to swim ASAP. I read it can take TA weeks to reduce.
Questions
1) what order should I add chemicals?
2) how can I aerate fast (I have an Aqualuminator light on my return which is realllly tight and won't turn and I'm afraid to loosen it)
3) at what point can we actually swim?

Thanks so much -

Kristin

 

[Zwrickers]

Hey I just thought of something. I could aerate by hooking up a garden hose to a garden sprinkler and use the submersible pump to create a makeshift 'fountain'.

 

[PoolNewb2020]

Get at least 30 ppm of CYA and 5-6ppm of chlorine ASAP. These are the most important two steps in order to keep the water sanitary and safe to swim in.
Maintainf FC per Chlorine/CYA Chart
Monitor your daily FC loss and if you like you can bump up the CYA level to 4-50ppm. Remember to adjust your FC levels up as well.

Your TA, although on the higher end, is not outrageously high. Once kids start swimming and splashing your PH will go up. Let it go up to 8 and then lower to 7.6 with muriatic acid. This will also lower the TA a little.
In liquid chlorinated pools, PH will rise naturally and with TA of 160 it simply means PH will rise quicker. By lowering PH periodically, you will also be lowering TA, until it reaches an equilibrium. If your fill water has high TA, it will raise it a little when makeup water is added.

In short, you don't need to "fight" it.

 

[Zwrickers]

Really liking the last line of your post. Thank you. I will do liquid chlorine first, use the sock method to add the CYA, and swim. Can I let the CYA sock dangle in the return while we swim? I know it takes a long time to dissolve.....

I might do the aeration just to see what will happen too, but will do as you say with adding back acid as needed.

Thanks,
Kristin

 

[PoolNewb2020]

CYA is acidic so I would not let it dangle in front of a return while people are in. However, I think putting it in the skimmer basket should be OK. Then, once the swimmers are out, you can hang the sock in front of a return.
For me, I put the sock in the skimmer basket for few hours to let the granules soften up and then sort of shake it in water to let the CYA out. It creates a white cloud which quickly dissipates.

 

[mknauss]

CYA is acidic so I would not let it dangle in front of a return while people are in.

It is very mildly acidic. There is no harm to swimmers with the sock hanging in the water. Squeezing the sock helps disperse it quickly.

 

[PoolNewb2020]

Good to know, thanks for clarifying.

 

[Zwrickers]

OK - it's been 4 days. Via Taylor K-2006 I now have:

TA - 180 (even after including a bit of sprinkler aeration!)
pH - 7.6 (I had taken it down to 7.2 then it went up again)
FC - 6
CC - 0
CYA - 30 (I think)
CH - 125

So I'm playing the ph/TA game now. Was going to add dry acid to lower pH to 7.2 again, then wait till it creeps up or aerate while waiting. I think I'm scared of the TA being high, maybe because I don't understand it. It's a measure of the pool's pH buffering capability, right? So, it determines how quickly a pool's pH will react or change? But does the TA number itself mean anything bad if it's low, or bad if it's high? (Like an FC level of 0.5 would be bad for sanitizing.....a pH level of 6.5 would hurt the equipment and swimmers....too high CA could cause scaling, etc.) What is the downside of having a high TA, practically, and do I really need to fight this? What about winterizing at high TA?

Thanks!
Kristin

 

[PoolNewb2020]

Besides PH buffering, high TA also affects the CSI (calcium saturation index) which is important for plaster finish pools or with very high calcium levels in water. None of this is a concern for you since your CH is low and you have a vinyl liner.

I don't know of other effects TA may have.

You have nothing to worry about. Just let the PH naturally got to 8 and then lower it to 7.6 or so. TA will come down, albeit slowly, overtime as well.

What is the TA of your fill water?

 

[Katodude]

Was going to add dry acid to lower pH to 7.2 again

Use muriatic acid. Dry acid adds extra stuff to your pool you dont want.

Dont worry about aerating swimming and playing in the pool will do that. Your pH will rise very naturally and quickly with that level of TA. Just keep adding acid.