pH Won't Stay Down

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S

structre40

0
Aug 14, 2017
11
Phoenix, AZ
Hi,
It seems that I need to add MA almost every other day to keep my pH level down.

FC 1.0
CC 0.0
ph 8.2
TA 140
CH 375
CYA 30

I have my SWG running about 12 hours to keep FC in the system. My pump is also running at 2800 RPM during that time. I have a couple questions:
Are the pop ups causing that much aeration leading to the rise in pH?
I also have been getting little green spots grouping in about 4 different locations in our pebbletec pool. I tried scrubbing them and it mostly works but can't get them all scrubbed away. Is it time to SLAM to get those cleared up?
Should I get CYA higher first before dealing with ph and TA or will it matter?

Thanks for the help!
 
Yes you should follow the SLAM Process process to eliminate the algae.
After you pass the 3 criteria to stop, then you should raise your CYA up to about 80ppm to better protect the FC from the sun. This should allow you to reduce the SWG output which should slow the pH rise.
After that, as you keep the pH in the 7s the TA should drop (unless your tap water has high TA) which will also slow the pH rise.
 
structre40 said:
Hi,
It seems that I need to add MA almost every other day to keep my pH level down.

FC 1.0
CC 0.0
ph 8.2
TA 140
CH 375
CYA 30

I have my SWG running about 12 hours to keep FC in the system. My pump is also running at 2800 RPM during that time. I have a couple questions:
Are the pop ups causing that much aeration leading to the rise in pH?
I also have been getting little green spots grouping in about 4 different locations in our pebbletec pool. I tried scrubbing them and it mostly works but can't get them all scrubbed away. Is it time to SLAM to get those cleared up?
Should I get CYA higher first before dealing with ph and TA or will it matter?

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Hello,

Before we dive in (pun intended) to your pH rise, are you familiar with our [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]? Your FC is below the recommended safe minimum for your CYA level, and is well below the recommended daily target of 3-5ppm. This is why you have Algae.

Your pool should be SLAM Processmed, and with the CYA at 30ppm, all you need to do before the SLAM is lower the pH to about 7.2

I just noticed that you have a SWG, while that may change the recommendations after the SLAM, right now you should focus on killing the algae that is alive in your water. Algae spores are microscopic, by the time you see green patches, there are millions of spores in the water.

Your CYA will not impact the pH and TA, but don't raise CYA until after you complete a SLAM.

Aeration, coupled with an elevated TA level will most definitely attribute to pH rise. Once the pool is algae free we can deal with that.
 
40,

During the 12 hours you are running your salt cell is the spa continually spilling over into your pool???

If so, that and your high TA will cause your pH to increase...

As the others have said, I would be much more worried about your very low FC level..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Thank you Dom, Jason and Jim. I will start the SLAM process today. My spa water does spill over into the pool as those pop ups switch around. Overall there is lots of motion in the water during the 12 hours the pump is running at a higher RPM.
Any recommendations on pump speed during the SLAM process?
Should I switch to just the pool returns instead of pop ups to circulate the water?
The SLAM guide says to backwash as needed. Should I do that before starting and add back the required amount of DE or wait until the end? My pressure is at the same starting mark so it seems to be fairly clean so far. It is a new filter installed in January. *Update: Just watched the video and it says to backwash daily. My pool water is very clear so I will likely backwash daily just to be sure and do a full cleaning after the process is done.
 
40,

I can't see why the in-floor system itself, would cause much aeration. If I understand what you said, it sounds like the spillover is on all the time, but when the pump speeds up to run the in-floor system the spillover is much more active... Is that true?

Do you have an automation system or is the pool being controlled by the pump's internal timers?

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
structre40 said:
Thank you Dom, Jason and Jim. I will start the SLAM process today. My spa water does spill over into the pool as those pop ups switch around. Overall there is lots of motion in the water during the 12 hours the pump is running at a higher RPM.
Any recommendations on pump speed during the SLAM process?
Should I switch to just the pool returns instead of pop ups to circulate the water?
The SLAM guide says to backwash as needed. Should I do that before starting and add back the required amount of DE or wait until the end? My pressure is at the same starting mark so it seems to be fairly clean so far. It is a new filter installed in January. *Update: Just watched the video and it says to backwash daily. My pool water is very clear so I will likely backwash daily just to be sure and do a full cleaning after the process is done.
Click to expand...

Do NOT backwash daily. Keep an eye on your filter pressure and backwash only when it reaches 25% over clean filter pressure.

Running your SWG while the pool only is circulating will certainly keep your aeration down and help with the pH rise, but you still are going to need to run your spa and spillover for at least 30 minutes a day to ensure the water in there is well circulated and chlorinated.

When you adjust your pH, what are you taking it down to? Lowering your TA will help to slow the pH drift that is occurring with the aeration.
 
What video? The INYO one? That has a few things in it that are different than we would recommend.

You should backwash when the pressure rises 20-25% over the clean pressure. That could be a couple times a day or multiple days.
 
Regarding the spa and spill over: We have a 6 port valve that rotates which pop ups are actually on at any given time. 2 of those pop ups are in the spa resulting in the spill over during the normal valve rotation.
I have the SWG hooked up to a separate timer so that it is only on when the pool pump is at 2800 RPM for those 12 hours.

Thank you for the notes on the back washing during this process instead of following the video. I will keep note of starting pressure.

Regarding pH, I had been taking it down to 7.0-7.2 but TA rarely came down much.

Any recommendations on RPM for the pump while doing SLAM?

Should I keep it on pop ups or move everything to the pool/spa returns?
 
I am done with the SLAM process. FC this morning was at 12 still after the overnight test.
Just ran all the tests again and this is where I am at:
FC 5.5
pH 8.0
TA 150
CH 375
CYA 30
Tackle pH first, which will hopefully lower TA and keep it down. Then add stabilizer to raise my CYA to 70?
 

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Yes, lower the pH. Add the CYA and keep the FC above the minimum for your CYA.

The TA should hopefully slowly come down as you keep the pH in the 7s.

Test your tap water pH and TA and see what your top off water may be doing to the balance to counter the evaporation.
 
I just added 7 cups of MA to get my pH down.
Tested the water coming from our filler:
ph 8.0
TA 140

I am guessing I am going to just have to deal with the tap water having high values and stay on top of them? I would imagine that unless I am constantly filling a large amount, it wouldn't sway teh math too much. Any ideas?
 
This time of year you are adding 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch per day due to evaporation. You will have to add acid regularly to combat that.

I add every 3 days in the summer. Drop my pH from 7.6 to 7.2 each time. That keeps my TA steady at 60-70 ppm.
 
With high pH and TA fill water like that and the evaporation makeup additions you’ll be making in the climate you’re in, you really have no choice other than to monitor and adjust regularly.

You could add an IntelliPH system, but they are expensive and I’m given to understand, not without their cons/problems.
 
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