Pool acids and proper pH

[JJoe]

It has been a long time since I posted anything on here…lessons learned here have served me well and made it easy!

I came across this article. Hope it is ok to introduce it like this.

I found this article very interesting because my pool seems to like it when pH is 7.7-7.8 and alkalinity is allowed to go where it wants. Trying to maintain lower pH dramatically increases acid use.

I am interested in your take on the article and discussion of HOCl and OCl. Hope you are able to read it.

Thanks

 

[cwswifty]

This group consistently reinforces the idea of pH anywhere in the 7’s is fine as long as your CSI is in a good range.

 

[PoolStored]

oh...debunk the funk...

Histeria....avoid high pH you will get sick! Use dry acid! UGH...

First error:



It will drop rapidly WITHOUT CYA. Author does not state that. (NOTE: author works in water treatment...they work with waters that don't contain CYA).


With even minimal CYA in the water, the HOCl difference is minor between 7.5 and 8.0


Second error/hysteria...

NO IT DOES NOT! Ph will not matter if you follow our FC/CYA advice here: Link-->FC/CYA Levels
There will be plenty of HOCl to take care of the bacteria (and algae), if you maintain the proper FC levels for your pool.




Don't use dry acid.

Keep your ph at 7.7-7.8 and let the TA be what it will.

 

[Lake Placid]

So….if in the industry (as this article was apparently targeted to those “pros”) you decide to employ 15 year old lifeguards in an effort to save payroll and manage your chemistry…….and those 15 year olds would rather eat glue sticks, tide pods, and watch tik toc….. then tabular or granular sodium bisulfate is your answer. Why? It won’t hurt the dipsticks that eat it (too much), will keep your insurance rates nominal, and you can continue to not care about water chemistry while employing completely unskilled labor that doesn’t actually care about public safety or the actual sanitary conditions that are present in your water.

Sign me up?

 

[AUSpool]

How does cloudy water represent as a greater risk of drowning? But more to the point, I have used TFP levels for the past ~15 years and have never had cloudy water.



Sodium bisulfate. Just no. The fact that is powdered gives a false sense that it is safer but it is not that much less hazardous the muriatic..

“Too much sulphate (above 300ppm) can cause metal corrosion and concrete/plaster damage.” I agree. “Operators should monitor sulfate levels.” Can anyone tell me the last time anyone heard of or saw the results of a sulfate test? Anyone? No one. No, they never test for sulfates in domestic pools so they shouldn’t sell it and residential pool owners shouldn’t use it.

 

[Newdude]

How does cloudy water represent as a greater risk of drowning?

Because when you follow the industry methods / recommendations, it's more likely It looks like this

 

[Lake Placid]

How does cloudy water represent as a greater risk of drowning? But more to the point, I have used TFP levels for the past ~15 years and have never had cloudy water.

The 15 year old lifeguards that apply the sodium bisulfate can’t see floaters that are entrapped on your VGB compliant main drain grate. It’s actually a pretty common regulation that if you can’t see the main drain, you have to close the public pool for operation.