Very high TA and pH

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DMS2014

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Jun 22, 2014
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Houston, Texas
Good morning, experts. I started a new thread bc I got my chlorine under control. Not sure what else can break on a pool, but I think the list is shrinking....who goes through 3 pumps and a SWG ????

Anyway, For the last month, our TA has been HIGH. It's never ever ever ever ever ever been 140 to 160. We have been fighting a pH problem for years, of which no one here seems to know why that is, but never the TA problem THIS BAD. We can't seem to keep the pH down. the TFP calculator I use is never enough, it seems. if I put in what it recommends for anything, I always have to add more, it seems. and FINALLY the app has quit asking me to renew over and over too. yay. small things....

Today's test results:
FC 4.5 (steady from last night's 128oz cl infusion)
CH 525 (husband overshot this about a month ago...sigh)
CYA 60
pH 8+ (very pink)
TA 140 (pale pink)
water temp is 86 at 8:00 a.m. These results mirror what I have been getting regularly

Any help/advice here?
 
So let's review a few items you noted above:
1 - TA should only change (typically go up) from fill water. If you have locally high TA and/or fill often (i.e. autofill) your TA can rise. Of course if someone added baking soda that will do it too.
2 - PH testing should go from a light yellow/orange (when it's low) to a very deep burgundy (when it's high). Be sure you are using the R-0014 red reagent drops (5ea).
3 - The TA test should go from clear to the bright Barbie Pink when complete. 25 ML water sample with 2 drops of #7, 5 drops of #8, then count #9 drops until bright pink (x 10).

If you confirm the TA is indeed in that 150 range, it's elevated but not devastating to the chemistry. Some people have a TA of 450+, so you can bring it down. To do so, once the pH hits 8.0, use enough acid to lower the pH to about 7.0-7.2. Then monitor. Once the pH floats up again, repeat with the acid (8.0 down to about 7.0-7.2). It will take a chunk out of the TA each time. Once you get to a point where the pH remains fairly stable, you can stop trying to force the TA any lower and just resume normal pH management.

It goes without saying no more calcium. Most water in our areas is fairly hard, so whenever get some big storms up from the gulf that would be a good time to lower the pool water level in advance and fil it up with fresh stuff for free.
 
Texas Splash said:
So let's review a few items you noted above:
1 - TA should only change (typically go up) from fill water. If you have locally high TA and/or fill often (i.e. autofill) your TA can rise. Of course if someone added baking soda that will do it too.
2 - PH testing should go from a light yellow/orange (when it's low) to a very deep burgundy (when it's high). Be sure you are using the R-0014 red reagent drops (5ea).
3 - The TA test should go from clear to the bright Barbie Pink when complete. 25 ML water sample with 2 drops of #7, 5 drops of #8, then count #9 drops until bright pink (x 10).

If you confirm the TA is indeed in that 150 range, it's elevated but not devastating to the chemistry. Some people have a TA of 450+, so you can bring it down. To do so, once the pH hits 8.0, use enough acid to lower the pH to about 7.0-7.2. Then monitor. Once the pH floats up again, repeat with the acid (8.0 down to about 7.0-7.2). It will take a chunk out of the TA each time. Once you get to a point where the pH remains fairly stable, you can stop trying to force the TA any lower and just resume normal pH management.

It goes without saying no more calcium. Most water in our areas is fairly hard, so whenever get some big storms up from the gulf that would be a good time to lower the pool water level in advance and fil it up with fresh stuff for free.
Click to expand...
well, I do have the pro kit and follow the same steps each time.
1. no one has added baking soda.
2. What's light yellow - Never seen that on a test ever LOL
3. so if you are saying bright pink, then my TA is 160 not 140

Okay. I will use the app and see how much acid I need to put in and see what happens.
tanks
 
Definitely bright Barbie pink. But the acid routine I noted above should help get your TA down to where it helps to prevent your pH from rising too quickly. You might use that method until the TA falls to about 60-70 then monitor. How often you have to add acid just depends on how long it takes for the pH to rise back up to 8.0. Some people force it with aeration (which leaves the TA alone), but that's totally up to you. Speaking of aeration, remember that if you have any (i.e. waterfall, bubblers, etc) they cause the pH to rise as well.
 
Total Alkalinity Test has reference to presence of high chlorine may go to Blue and shift to Yellow instead of Red.
 
Last night pH down to 7.5. FC 4.5
this morning FC 2.5 , TA 110 and pH back up to 8....sigh....added bleach. THEN checked the SWG. it said the salt was 2100. lie. also said check cell but husband just fixed the thing Sunday. I did a salt test and it came up higher than April 10 - said 3800 and it was 3600 then. Maybe did it too soon after adding bleach?????
 
DMS2014 said:
Again today TA is the same as yesterday!
Click to expand...
It'll get better as you bring the TA down. My pool is about the same size as yours, my fill water TA is 150, and it takes a few gallons of 14.5% MA a month to keep things in check.

I let the TA drift back up over the winter, so I've been working on bringing it back down over the last few weeks. Before I started bringing it down, my TA was 100 and it would take 4 days for my pH to rise back to 8 after adding a gallon of MA. Last summer/fall, I got my TA down to 50, and I'd go several weeks between MA additions.

It'll take a fair amount of acid to get your TA down, but once you do, you'll add acid much less frequently.
 

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DMS2014 said:
Again today TA is the same as yesterday! I have gone through a whole bottle of acid. I haven't retested the salt yet but i can't see how it went up when nothing has been added.
Click to expand...

Keep going. Between June and October of last year I put 16 gallons of MA into my pool and I just quit counting after that. Fill water TA is 260.

Salt level "increases" when your pool water evaporates. Fill back up to normal levels and it should return to normal. If you're draining water to compensate for rain, you'll see salt levels drop over time.
 
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