Up Drifting pH in new pool - what's appropriate TA?

[johnjmattingly]

Hi Everyone,

As a new pool owner - in ground plaster approx 27K gallons, completed construction and opened last week of March 2021 - I've been learning so much from this forum. Thus far everything is going well. Using Pool Math, testing w/ Taylor kit, etc.

While my numbers appear to be lining up well with the thresholds in Pool Math and described on this site/forum, one lingering issue I'm seeing is my pH continually drifting up. Every 4 days or so I find myself adding acid to bring pH back in line. I had to add acid today after taking the numbers and finding pH had again drifted up to 8 or slightly above. My numbers for today were:

FC - 4.2
pH - 8+
CC - 0
TA - 90
CH - 280
CYA - 35

My question is related to TA and what I've read on this forum. If I understand correctly, my TA is what should be holding my pH relatively in place. This site says too low and it will move around wildly, too high and it will drift upwards. However, my TA is typically testing at 80, which is in threshold based on Pool Math and recommendations I've read here. So, is TA of 80/90 so high as to cause my pH to drift up? Or, since this is a new pool and plaster, is this drifting pH to be expected and I should just give it a bit more time to stabilize? Is there perhaps something else going on here?

Any help for a newbie appreciated, and thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Or, since this is a new pool and plaster, is this drifting pH to be expected and I should just give it a bit more time to stabilize? Is there perhaps something else going on here?

Welcome to the forum!
New plaster will have rising pH for the better part of a year. So get used to testing pH every few days, adding acid, and monitoring TA. When the pH gets to 8, lower it to 7.6.
Do you have any water features that run a lot? Please fill out your signature.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[johnjmattingly]

Welcome to the forum!
New plaster will have rising pH for the better part of a year. So get used to testing pH every few days, adding acid, and monitoring TA. When the pH gets to 8, lower it to 7.6.
Do you have any water features that run a lot? Please fill out your signature.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

Thanks for the quick response! Will fill out signature shortly.

No water features. The only aeration that I have is a paramount pv3 jet on the top step in the corner that provides some small bit of aeration when the jet is positioned to shoot at the corner. Also have CoverPools automated pool cover, so the pool remains covered whenever we're not swimming for safety and to keep debris out (we have lots of live oaks in the back).

Thanks again for the quick response. Will keep TA levels where they are and continue monitoring pH.

 

[mknauss]

With the cover closed wind will not be affecting the water surface so your pH rise should slow down soon. But you will still need to address the pH rise for quite some time. Also your fill water no doubt is higher in TA which pushes pH up.

 

[red-beard]

Don't feel too bad. My pH rises from 7.6 to 8 over a week. 1/4 Gallon of Muriatic Acid cures it. And my pool is 14 years old...

 

[johnjmattingly]

Thanks all for continued replies. Signature filled for context.

I have scoured the ABC's of pool chem several times and hit up other resources on pool chem as well. I've found that every resource related to pool chemistry seems to have their own tolerances or prefs for what's correct for an IG plaster pool. They vary wildly. So, as a newbie, it's been tricky to know exactly what to do or which resources to trust. Any thoughts on why that is?

This forum is for sure one of the best resources I've found. Thanks, and appreciate the feedback.

 

[red-beard]

I've found that every resource related to pool chemistry seems to have their own tolerances or prefs for what's correct for an IG plaster pool. They vary wildly. So, as a newbie, it's been tricky to know exactly what to do or which resources to trust. Any thoughts on why that is?

Honestly, industry inertia. I ran pools in the 1980's as a lifeguard. You just need to do "X" and "Y" and everything will be fine. At least with those pools, we used liquid chlorine and it was automatically injected.

When I installed my pool, I listened to the builder and the pool stores. Surely they were experts. Hardly.

This site has one of the best collections of owners and several experts. But it has one other thing. A system that is easy and works. And the best part, is far less expensive and is simple. And it is based on the real chemistry. And it looks like the regulators are finally accepting the hard work by the experts here.

The hardest thing to see is someone go through a long SLAM. A bunch of weirdos keep telling them they have to wait. Keep doing it. It will work. And then the joy when the pool finally comes together. Crystal clear.

My only advice on some of these horrible green adventures, it might have been better to give the advice to drain, clean and refill. That was my final method to move to the TFP methods.

 

[KJB1]

As a newer pool owner I was concerned about having to add acid all the time. Just get used to it. Add 1 quart when it gets to 8.0. You will eventually get pretty confident on you color match readings. Until you get used to what a quart is, get an empty jug and measure out a quart and mark on the gallon jug in marker, 2qt, 3qt. Then you can measure with a tape or ruler and mark the new gallons of acid and measure out a near perfect quart with no additional handling or risk spills