I needed more acid so just for kicks I bought a water sample in to the pool store to have it tested since they do it for free if you buy something. She tells me that the alkalinity is too high (I knew this already) and printed out some directions that says to add 2 cups of acid per day for 5 days. I'm just wondering, if I need that much acid, then why can't I add it all at one time? Does it not work as well as if you add a little bit every day?
Why would pool store tell me to add 2 cups of acid for 5 days?
- Thread starter RobinArc
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,833
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Sounds like a blind Lowering TA process ( see Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity)
Pretty dangerous. Your pH could go very low without alot of aeration each day to drive the pH back up.
Use the process in the link provided, if necessary.
dkimble
0
- Jun 22, 2013
- 352
That's it, just adding the acid, or did they say to aerate the water too?
Surprisingly close! I don't have the paper from them with me right now but chlorine and TA were the same as what I got. I got 40 for CYA and they got 50. Could be correct since I trouble seeing the black dot. She said it all looked perfect except for ph and TA. Only sold me the acid and didn't try to convince me to buy anything else.
Don't do it until you have correct levels from a decent test kit
You could be lowering your pH to much
Muriatic acid lowers TA and pH
Raise your pH higher 7.8 by aeration then lower it to 7.0 with acid which lowers TA as well
Then repeat till you get the desired level
You could be lowering your pH to much
Muriatic acid lowers TA and pH
Raise your pH higher 7.8 by aeration then lower it to 7.0 with acid which lowers TA as well
Then repeat till you get the desired level
She knows we use the sprinkler/fountain to keep the pool cool and said that would raise the ph back up to where it needed to be.
Potentially not horrible advice, at least compared to normal TA lowering advice. To lower TA properly you want to bring your pH down to 7.2 and allow it to rise back up (aeration speeds up the process) then dose again. That sounds like basically what they were suggesting, though any plan that doesn't involve testing before dosing can lead to problems. That goes doubly when dealing with acid.
Usually old-timers in the industry will suggest that pouring acid in a certain way will lower TA but not pH. Complete hogwash. Nor should you be dropping your pH lower than 7.2, so don't just go adding 10 cups at once in an attempt to lower your TA. High TA is a very low-priority problem. I have very high TA in my fill water and never actively attempt to lower it, I just add acid as needed.
Usually old-timers in the industry will suggest that pouring acid in a certain way will lower TA but not pH. Complete hogwash. Nor should you be dropping your pH lower than 7.2, so don't just go adding 10 cups at once in an attempt to lower your TA. High TA is a very low-priority problem. I have very high TA in my fill water and never actively attempt to lower it, I just add acid as needed.
DUH! I get it now. Had a moment. Sorry. I test TA every other day and add acid like it says. Was at 320 TA when I started and got it into the the mid 100's now. The ph is just so danged finicky. Could that be because we fun the fountain every night to cool the pool off?
