I've already added 2 gallons of muriatic acid in the last couple weeks since we set the pool up. First started out at 320 (I think. Or 300) I've got it down to 130 right now with a ph of 7.8. I can't figure out if we're doing something that's causing this or this is just normal. We have a fountain/shower running at night because the temp has felt like a bath tub when we get in for the last week. Could that be causing the alkalinity to drop slower?
Taking forever to lower alkalinity
- Thread starter RobinArc
- Start date
Everything sounds normal. You're doing it right. No need to rush as long as the calcium is not really high.
The fountain actually helps the process.
The fountain actually helps the process.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,945
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
No - the aeration should be helping drive your pH back up so you can add another dose of acid.
Have you had to add any water due to evaporation or backwash losses? Your fill water has that TA of 320 so it will be a continual battle.
Good luck.
Have you had to add any water due to evaporation or backwash losses? Your fill water has that TA of 320 so it will be a continual battle.
Good luck.
I've added about an inch two times. (The return makes this weird sucking noise and a whirlpool when it gets to a certain level so I added some water to stop the noise). I'm not spending much on bleach and I was very impressed with the $$ that the BBB method was saving me but if I'm gonna have to add that much acid in two weeks time I'm gonna be sooo sad. Would it be better to use the dry acid?
- - - Updated - - -
CH was at 100 last test.
- - - Updated - - -
CH was at 100 last test.
With a 100 calcium, you're not at much risk for scaling. Just keep the pH between 7.5 and 7.8 and you'll be fine.
Your pH rise should be slowing down now.
Liquid acid is the best thing to use.
You should not need much acid now. Probably about 1/2 gallon or so in the next 10 to 14 days.
Your pH rise should be slowing down now.
Liquid acid is the best thing to use.
You should not need much acid now. Probably about 1/2 gallon or so in the next 10 to 14 days.
So it won't hurt skin or eyes? My 11 year old was complaining that the water was still burning his eyes last week.
I tested the fill water and it was at 320 straight out of the kitchen tap.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,945
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
That would be from pH, not TA. Some people have different tolerances of pH.
May need to test pH and dose with acid more often to manage the pH to tighter tolerances. As JamesW said, it should start to balance as your TA is lowered.
May need to test pH and dose with acid more often to manage the pH to tighter tolerances. As JamesW said, it should start to balance as your TA is lowered.
Once liquid acid has mixed in, there is no acid left. It all gets used up changing the pH. Typically, 30 minutes is plenty of time to wait if the pool pump is on. Brushing the pool helps mix in chemicals fast.
Pouring into a return stream helps mix acid in fast.
I would lower the pH to 7.2 until the TA gets to 80. Then to 7.5 until the TA hits 60 then maintain pH at 7.8.
Eye irritation is usually pH way out of balance or chloramines.
As long as the pH is in the 7.2 to 7.8 range, you're good.
High TA has no effect on eyes or skin.
Are you getting CCs?
What are your fc and CYA?
Pouring into a return stream helps mix acid in fast.
I would lower the pH to 7.2 until the TA gets to 80. Then to 7.5 until the TA hits 60 then maintain pH at 7.8.
Eye irritation is usually pH way out of balance or chloramines.
As long as the pH is in the 7.2 to 7.8 range, you're good.
High TA has no effect on eyes or skin.
Are you getting CCs?
What are your fc and CYA?
FC 4
Ph 7.8
TA 130
Ch 100
Cya 40
Cc I came up with .5 but I don't know if I did that right
Ph 7.8
TA 130
Ch 100
Cya 40
Cc I came up with .5 but I don't know if I did that right
I think it might be safer to be at or above the target FC at the end of the day.
I also think you've made huge progress in a short time with your TA.
I also think you've made huge progress in a short time with your TA.
I used the following method to lower TA and it worked pretty quickly. Just don't forget to aerate between muriatic acid applications to keep the Ph normal.
Adding Muriatic Acid To Your Pool (For High Alkalinity) | By Waterdrop Pools of Naples Florida - YouTube
Mike.
Adding Muriatic Acid To Your Pool (For High Alkalinity) | By Waterdrop Pools of Naples Florida - YouTube
Mike.
In the link above, that method of lowering alkalinity is simply bogus and has NO basis in science. TFP encourages everyone to manage your pool your own way if it suits you but it does not encourage the distribution of disinformation.
1. The method by which you add muriatic acid to a pool has ABSOLUTELY NO effect on the chemistry results.
2. Spreading acid by walking around a pool encourages splashing and getting muriatic on your clothes...TFP does not recommend that.
3. Adding acid by the "slug" method (pouring continuously in one spot) has been debunked for more than a decade. It can easily be harmful to a vinyl liner pool and has no basis in chemistry whatsoever. TFP does not recommend that, either.
4. By far the safest most consistent way to add muriatic acid to a pool is to pour it gently in front of a working return. Hold the jug low to the surface of the water and you will get no splashing and the acid will be distributed quickly and evenly throughout the pool.
Last, if you want to permanently lower the TA in your pool, please follow the very specific procedure outlined in Pool School. The video above involves careless practices and bad science.
1. The method by which you add muriatic acid to a pool has ABSOLUTELY NO effect on the chemistry results.
2. Spreading acid by walking around a pool encourages splashing and getting muriatic on your clothes...TFP does not recommend that.
3. Adding acid by the "slug" method (pouring continuously in one spot) has been debunked for more than a decade. It can easily be harmful to a vinyl liner pool and has no basis in chemistry whatsoever. TFP does not recommend that, either.
4. By far the safest most consistent way to add muriatic acid to a pool is to pour it gently in front of a working return. Hold the jug low to the surface of the water and you will get no splashing and the acid will be distributed quickly and evenly throughout the pool.
Last, if you want to permanently lower the TA in your pool, please follow the very specific procedure outlined in Pool School. The video above involves careless practices and bad science.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,945
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Please do not follow this method. It is dangerous to the surface of your pool and not recommended by TFP
See this The Myth of Adding Acid
- May 3, 2007
- 17,086
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
If you rely pretty heavily on this fill water, you might be a good candidate for an acid dosing system. This is the same situation that I am in right now. I found it was a futile effort to continually try and reduce TA that I was constantly adding to the pool. The only real solution was to add an acid dosing system to combat the high TA fill water.