My chemistry was way out of whack and I'm trying to get it back in shape. My TA was up to 180 and I've gotten it down to 95. I used muriatic acid and sacrificed my some of my PH level to do it. My PH is now at about 7.0. I ran my jacuzzi for about 8 hours yesterday and about 5 hours so far today. As shown in the attached photo, it creates quite a bit of turbulence; more than I could accomplish with my pressure washer, leaf blower, or vacuum cleaner blowing out. As far as I can determine with my Taylor test kit, the PH hasn't budged. I read in some of these posts about just turning a return jet toward the surface and PH jumping from 7.2 to 7.6 in days. This should have done a lot more than a simple return jet, but nothing. My pool is about 15,000 gallons. Any thoughts?
Trying to raise PH through aeration
- Thread starter SCRealtor
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,346
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I have been using the chlorine pucks until recently. My CYA is through the roof. I'm giving the Bio-Active product a try, but I'm guessing I'll end up having reverse-osmosis done on the pool. I don't want to drain it since I'm in So Cal (drought).
- May 3, 2014
- 58,346
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
So no pucks in the system now?
What is your CYA? It may be high enough that your carbonate alkalinity is already quite low.
What is your CYA? It may be high enough that your carbonate alkalinity is already quite low.
I used the method you had suggested on an earlier post of mine to measure the CYA because it was over 100 and my Taylor kit only measures to 100. Using a mixture of pool water and fill water, my CYA measured out at about 65. Doubling it would result in a CYA of 130.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,346
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
So Cyanurate alkalinity is about 45 ppm. If your measured TA is now 100, that leaves ~55 carbonate alkalinity. You are about at the point the pH will not rise any more unless you add carbonate alkalinity back.
So, by reducing my TA down to 95 from 180, I've actually messed up my carbonate alkalinity?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,346
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Not messed it up, just gotten it to the point your pH is pretty stable. It will rise slowly, but forcing it with aeration does not have much effect.
If you were to continue to use trichlor, the TA and pH would crash, and you would have a problem.
That is why pool stores tell you to keep your TA at 120 ppm or above.
If you were to continue to use trichlor, the TA and pH would crash, and you would have a problem.
That is why pool stores tell you to keep your TA at 120 ppm or above.
drsipe
Gold Supporter
- Jul 24, 2020
- 384
- Pool Size
- 24500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I'm curious, in SCRealtor's situation, you stated that aeration will not raise the PH because his carbonate alkalinity is 55.
Would the next step be to perform a partial drain & for refill to reduce the CYA levels?
Last edited:
- May 3, 2014
- 58,346
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Too low is not good as the pH will become unstable. As we say 50 ppm TA with a normal CYA level, about 30 ppm or so of carbonate alkalinity is as low as it should be.
I'm giving Bio-Active a try at lowering my CYA since I already purchased the product. If that doesn't work, my next step is a company that recycles the water through reverse osmosis. I live in So Cal where we are again in a drought so I don't want to waste all that water. I received a quote of $650 from a local company to filter the pool. I'll look around and see if that is a good price if Bio-Active doesn't work.