Recommendations to lower TA

[Venomx99]

Hi All

I got my TF-100 last week and I've done 3 tests thus far. I think it's going well with the exception of TA. I've gotten it down some since last week but not nearly enough. Any suggestions?

First Test 6-3
FC - 15
CC - 2.5
pH - 7.8
TA - 240
CH - 375
CYA - 60
Temp - 84
CSI - 0.76
Added 22oz 31.45% Muriatic Acid

Second Test 6-5
FC - 11.5
CC - 1.5
pH - 7.5
TA - 220
CH - 325
CYA - 45
Temp - 84
CSI - 0.38
Added 22oz of Borax (20 Mule)
Added 12lbs Calcium Chloride

Third Test 6-9
FC - 7
CC - 0.5
pH - 7.5
TA - 220
CH - 400
CYA - 40
Temp - 86
CSI - 0.5

 

[mknauss]

With that level of TA, your pH will rise fairly quickly. When it reaches 7.8 or 8, lower it to 7.4 with acid. Continue doing that and the TA will reduce.

There is a method to force the TA down, but it is not necessary unless the pH rise is too fast for you to manage.

 

[splashpad]

Honestly, you don't have to "chase" a perfect TA, the only time you need to focus on it is if your PH is rising too fast

 

[IceShadow]

First - be sure you have a damp paper towel and are wiping the tip of the R-0009 reagent before the test and after each drop for the next 3 tests or so. Sometimes there's a static electricity charge that builds up in the tip and makes the test read high.

Second - don't stress about the TA. Your pH will rise on its own. You'll add acid, the TA will come down a bit as you adjust your pH. Repeat. Over time the TA will drop, unless you have evaporation and fill with high TA water.

 

[Venomx99]

Man! You guys are fast!

Ok, so then I'm going to add CYA and Calcium Chloride and I should be good to go? Don't need to add Borax since the TA will cause the pH to rise on its own?

 

[splashpad]

Man! You guys are fast!

Ok, so then I'm going to add CYA and Calcium Chloride and I should be good to go? Don't need to add Borax since the TA will cause the pH to rise on its own?

ROFL!
It's Weds I guess! hahaha!

 

[IceShadow]

Man! You guys are fast!

Ok, so then I'm going to add CYA and Calcium Chloride and I should be good to go? Don't need to add Borax since the TA will cause the pH to rise on its own?

Your CSI is already positive so you do NOT need more calcium. If you wanted to drive down TA to get the CSI closer to 0, it might be worth it, but I would just recommend keeping the pH in the lower 7's and you should be fine. No need for Borax, correct. Is the water clear? If you're sure you won't need to SLAM, then getting CYA up to levels for a SWG is all you'd need, I think. You had higher CCs but the last test was 0.5 which is close enough to 0 to be fine.

 

[Venomx99]

Thanks, IceShadow. My water is clear. I'm not too familiar with SLAM so I'll need to read up on it. I am going to be moving over to a SWG, just waiting on the new valves to arrive since I need to replum in order to fit the SWG.

 

[Venomx99]

So I totally had a brain fade and didn't realize that I had put 3 3" trichlor tablets in the floating dispenser a week or so ago. I really don't know how to use the trichlor since it's slow release and I'm new to all this. I honestly just did it because the pool store guy told me to.

Should I continue using them? The ones that are in there now are almost gone. I'm not sure what the general consensus is about slow-release chemicals is. I feel, that for me, it would make it more difficult to monitor since you don't know how much is being released. I would prefer to add a specific amount of a chemical and then test.

 

[IceShadow]

So I totally had a brain fart and didn't realize that I had put 3 3" trichlor tablets in the floating dispenser a week or so ago. I really don't know how to use the trichlor since it's slow release and I'm new to all this. I honestly just did it because the pool store guy told me to.

Should I continue using them? The ones that are in there now are almost gone. I'm not sure what the general consensus is about slow-release chemicals is. I feel, that for me, it would make it more difficult to monitor since you don't know how much is being released. I would prefer to add a specific amount of a chemical and then test.

Correct. They will also raise your CYA too.

 

[mguzzy]

'''
Should I continue using them? The ones that are in there now are almost gone. I'm not sure what the general consensus is about slow-release chemicals is. I feel, that for me, it would make it more difficult to monitor since you don't know how much is being released. I would prefer to add a specific amount of a chemical and then test.

Yup, switch over to using liquid chlorine exclusively. I don't know how many you have left over but you could use them to raise your CYA when you get your SWG in.. albeit at a snails pace. Once you are running on your SWG you will really have no need for them.