PH won't stay constant

[Itsjustme0770]

Here are the levels. This pools is requiring a gallon or so of acid every week. Normal?

Free chlorine is high because I am coming off a couple of weeks away.


Results from poollogger.com

FC: 9
CC: 0
PH: 8.2
TA: 70
CH: 400
CYA: 70
Temp: 70
Salt: 3200
Borates:

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It can be normal if you have lots of aeration - spillway, spa jets, bubblers, SWG. It's a big pool, you're going to need a lot of acid.

I'd suggest pushing your TA down to 50-60ppm and making sure your pH stays in the 7.6-7.8 range. Don't add acid until the pH is above 7.8 and don't push the pH lower than 7.6.

Consider adding borates to help with the pH rise.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pooldv]

Yes, fairly normal for a new plaster pool to use some extra acid. Letting your TA drop to 50 will help to slow the PH rise. It will drop in its own as you add acid to lower the pH. Or you can actively lower it following this, Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

Keep in mind that the pH test isn't accurate when FC is above 10. 10 and under is fine.

 

[grumpiebk]

Yes, fairly normal for a new plaster pool to use some extra acid. Letting your TA drop to 50 will help to slow the PH rise. It will drop in its own as you add acid to lower the pH. Or you can actively lower it following this, Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

Keep in mind that the pH test isn't accurate when FC is above 10. 10 and under is fine.

Interesting. I didn't know this. Is there a logical explanation for why? My ph has been high since the startup, but our FC has also been off the charts. I never connected the two. Still learning here...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The phenol red indicator dye for pH testing will, with no additives, react with chlorine and for a new chemical compound called chlorphenol red. Chlorphenol red is an acid base indicator for lower pH levels (in the low 6 range) so at normal pool pH, it will always look like a reddish-purple color. Taylor puts additives in its pH drops to neutralize the effects of chlorine on phenol red but they can only handle FC's up to 10ppm before the dechlorinating agents run out of steam. Typically you can still get a decent pH read between 10 and 15ppm FC but once you go above 20ppm FC it gets kind of impossible. After 25ppm FC, the phenol red dye is totally useless.

So, if your FC is above 10ppm, or waaaay above 10ppm, you need to be careful with reading the pH.

 

[grumpiebk]

The phenol red indicator dye for pH testing will, with no additives, react with chlorine and for a new chemical compound called chlorphenol red. Chlorphenol red is an acid base indicator for lower pH levels (in the low 6 range) so at normal pool pH, it will always look like a reddish-purple color. Taylor puts additives in its pH drops to neutralize the effects of chlorine on phenol red but they can only handle FC's up to 10ppm before the dechlorinating agents run out of steam. Typically you can still get a decent pH read between 10 and 15ppm FC but once you go above 20ppm FC it gets kind of impossible. After 25ppm FC, the phenol red dye is totally useless.

So, if your FC is above 10ppm, or waaaay above 10ppm, you need to be careful with reading the pH.

Good to know, especially as we track results the first 30 days. Thanks for explaining.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk