Think there's any borate left in my pool after 10 years?

[TroubleFreePat]

When I first opened my pool 10ish years ago and read about adding borates to the water, I went ahead with it and following instructions to get it to 50ppm. Of course, I bought the test strips, which I could never differentiate.

I see we can now do a drop test, but seriously - I'm going to do it once and then basically throw all those reagents away as they're not going to last.

It's been 10 years. I never added borates since. I'm figuring it's simply at 0 and should be able to go about adding enough borax and acid to get it back to 50ppm.

Agreed? I would never add chemicals blindly, but I'm feeling like in this case. . .

 

[Bperry]

When I first opened my pool 10ish years ago and read about adding borates to the water, I went ahead with it and following instructions to get it to 50ppm. Of course, I bought the test strips, which I could never differentiate.

I see we can now do a drop test, but seriously - I'm going to do it once and then basically throw all those reagents away as they're not going to last.

It's been 10 years. I never added borates since. I'm figuring it's simply at 0 and should be able to go about adding enough borax and acid to get it back to 50ppm.

Agreed? I would never add chemicals blindly, but I'm feeling like in this case. . .

Why do you want to add them now?

 

[TroubleFreePat]

Lots of benefits, so really no reason I can think not to.

 

[Bperry]

Lots of benefits, so really no reason I can think not to.

I was hoping to hear what benefits you think those are? Some people think it’s a magic pill to stop pH from rising when really the TA is a much bigger contributor.

 

[duraleigh]

I you haven't monitored it for 10 years, I guess I can't figure out why you want to know it now??

 

[TroubleFreePat]

This was the post I always went by re: benefits and such. No longer accurate? - So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How

As for why now and not monitoring it - I knew it wasn't a critical chemical to monitor. And I knew I couldn't accurately monitor it with test strips. I see we now have a way to monitor it accurately with drops (First I was aware of it.) But I also know I won't need to do it regularly. Probably once a season. I like to know what's in the water before I add a chemical, but in this case since it's been 10 years, I'm assuming it's zero. Just wanted to get others' thoughts, especially before I potentially buy reagents I'll use once and toss.

 

[ajw22]

I did the same thing. Added borates as boric acid a few years ago and just let it ride.

I am adding borates again this year since I have started seeing some high pH and scaling at Spring opening which I did not used to see...

The Borate Pool Opening in Aqua Magazine discusses how borates can limit pH rise while a pool is closed for the winter. High pH while a pool is closed can cause scaling. For those that find their pools with very high pH at Spring opening borates may benefit with the pool open or closed.

 

[duraleigh]

Well, that's a good find.

That article was written 16 years ago, not long after the forum was founded.

Repeated anecdotal information over the years has given us mixed results on borates. Generally, TFP no longer advocates their use.

Harmless enough, there just wasn't the positive reporting we expected from pool owners

 

[ajw22]

That article was written 16 years ago, not long after the forum was founded.

Looks to me like the article is recent from a year ago...

Repeated anecdotal information over the years has given us mixed results on borates. Generally, TFP no longer advocates their use.

Harmless enough, there just wasn't the positive reporting we expected from pool owners

I felt the same way which is why I have not monitored or added borates since I added them.

However I have been seeing pH in the high 8's to low 9's at Spring opening. One year my 35,000 gallon pool took 4 gallons of 34% MA to get pH into the 7's. This year it took two gallons. And that is with a TA at closing of 50-60.

I have had to melt off some light scaling after opening by running a very negative CSI for a few weeks.

Reading this article connected the dots on not having high pH at opening the years when borates were in the pool and now they have lowered to a level where it is happening.

I have 110lbs of boric acid in my garage that will be going into my pool and I will see what effect it has on the pH at my opening in April 2025.

 

[Newdude]

Looks to me like the article is recent from a year ago...

OP refrenced a 2007 thread where Waterbear (and several others) were of mind that borates were strongly advised. Things have cooled off since then, as Dave replied. The thread went for years but the conversation has continued for almost 10 years since the thread stopped.

So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How

A few folks asked for a sticky on this so here it is. If you just want to jump to how without the why look for the blue part of this post below! :wink: Several companies are selling sodium tetraborate pentahydrate as a pool additive under such names as Proteam's Supreme, Bioguard's Optimizer...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[TroubleFreePat]

Okay, thanks for the details gang. Sounds like for the most part, putting the money in is simply not worth it. Good enough for me!