ADD and/or Other Pool Experts: PH & TA?

300sniper

300sniper

Gun Plumber
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
695
Messages
483
Loc
Greenwood, CA
I’m having trouble with my ph and total alkalinity in my hillbilly swimmin’ trough. My ph keeps dropping and my TA is high. Raising the ph with “ph UP” (sodium carbonate) is making the TA creep up.

The water right out of my well has a ph of 7.2 and a TA around 160 (was 140 a few weeks ago?)

My swimmin’ trough keeps wanting to drop under 7.2 ph and is now about 190 TA. I can get it up to 7.6 easy enough, but if I don’t check/adjust daily, by the second day it’ll drop below 7 and start etching the MonstaLiner coating.

I’ve now raised my return well above the waterline to aide in aeration, but I’m at a loss at what to do. Internet is leading me to believe I need to get the TA in check, but doing that without getting the ph dangerously low seems tough.

51C63336-CEBB-4951-9FE0-01D3505E7E08.jpeg
 
How new is the water? It often will stabilize after its been in the pool for awhile. How often do you have to add more? The smaller the pool the harder it is to maintain. If you are constantly adding water, you have to constantly mess with it.
 
I add maybe 25-30 gallons a week, depending on the temp. The first batch of water has been in there since May 1st. I drained about half of it and refilled a couple weeks ago because a few days over 100 got the water to 93 degrees.... But I've had this issue consistently. I am sure the small size makes it more difficult, but if peeps can keep hot tubs and fish tanks in check, I'd think I could get this.
 
Give me a few hrs and I'll report back. Just got a text about this thread. I'll read through and post up tonight after work
 
Chlorine tablets have a pH of 2. So that's what is dropping your level. Pull the floater for a week and use liquid chlorine which has a pH of 11.


But yes you always want to adjust your alkalinity first, then the pH. And dropping you pH into the mid 6 range for a week is not going to hurt anything
 
Add said:
Chlorine tablets have a pH of 2. So that's what is dropping your level. Pull the floater for a week and use liquid chlorine which has a pH of 11.


But yes you always want to adjust your alkalinity first, then the pH. And dropping you pH into the mid 6 range for a week is not going to hurt anything
Click to expand...
I didn't believe you so I looked it up....sure as ****...


"Website"
Pool Chlorine Tablets

Many will tell you that swimming pool chlorine tablets are essentially the solid version of liquid chlorine sanitizers, and these folks sure are not far from the truth. Unlike liquid chlorine solutions that are nothing more than chlorine mixed into water, chlorine tablets are typically composed of chlorine and a stabilizing component which is usually cyanuric acid or CYA. The tablets can be quite acidic at 2.5 pH, but they tend to lower the pool's pH level as they introduce chlorine into the water.
 
RunningProblem said:
I didn't believe you so I looked it up....sure as ****...


"Website"
Pool Chlorine Tablets

Many will tell you that swimming pool chlorine tablets are essentially the solid version of liquid chlorine sanitizers, and these folks sure are not far from the truth. Unlike liquid chlorine solutions that are nothing more than chlorine mixed into water, chlorine tablets are typically composed of chlorine and a stabilizing component which is usually cyanuric acid or CYA. The tablets can be quite acidic at 2.5 pH, but they tend to lower the pool's pH level as they introduce chlorine into the water.
Click to expand...
Why would you ever question me about pool ****.....? Ever?
 
I want to install a "plunge/spa pool" later this year. Since it is a small pool, what would be the system of choice? Salt vs Chlorine the pro's and con's please. :stirthepot:
 
billdacat said:
I want to install a "plunge/spa pool" later this year. Since it is a small pool, what would be the system of choice? Salt vs Chlorine the pro's and con's please. :stirthepot:
Click to expand...
Salt is still chlorine. For a plunge pool salt would be silly, as even a cheap decent salt setup will run you 600-800.

If it were mine, I would float 1" tablets (not the big 3" like op is doing)
 
OK, I got rid of the rubber ducky chlorine tablet dispenser, added acid to drop the ph, and it comes right back up to where it needs to be with the return line above the surface/aerating the water, and has my TA closer to 100. Problem now is I can not keep chlorine in it using liquid. Even adding it at night in large amounts, it's below 1ppm by morning. How's that work?
 
How is your cya level? The cya (cyanuric acid) is what protects your chlorine from the sun. Tablets have it built in, but liquid does not.

You will have to add it in separately
 
Add said:
How is your cya level? The cya (cyanuric acid) is what protects your chlorine from the sun. Tablets have it built in, but liquid does not.

You will have to add it in separately
Click to expand...
Don't think my test kit or test strips check for that?
 
How important is ph? I have never bothered to check. I toss a 3 inch tablet in the floater and let it rip. My water is always crystal clear.
 
Aisin said:
How important is ph? I have never bothered to check. I toss a 3 inch tablet in the floater and let it rip. My water is always crystal clear.
Click to expand...
pH is probably the most important as far as the longevity of your pool is concerned.

I've seen a 5 year old pool, look 30 years old because the homeowner just "poured some bleach in when it turns green" and calls it good
 
Low pH (over time) will eat your pool surface like cancer.

High pH (over time) will scale it all to hell
 
This is a $1000 Intex pool on its 3rd summer in Las Vegas. If I get another year or 2 out of the liner there are zero ****s given.
 
Aisin said:
This is a $1000 Intex pool on its 3rd summer in Las Vegas. If I get another year or 2 out of the liner there are zero ****s given.
Click to expand...
Oh, then yeah...I wouldn't worry about it either.

I thought maybe you had an inground
 
Aisin said:
How important is ph? I have never bothered to check. I toss a 3 inch tablet in the floater and let it rip. My water is always crystal clear.
Click to expand...
I have the same setup as the OP minus the painted interior on the stock tank and all I do is float a 3" tablet with the "vent" on the float all the way closed. I haven't developed any weird medical problems and my beer still tastes fine so it cant be that important. :flipoff2:
 
Toreadorranger said:
I have the same setup as the OP minus the painted interior on the stock tank and all I do is float a 3" tablet with the "vent" on the float all the way closed. I haven't developed any weird medical problems and my beer still tastes fine so it cant be that important. :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
It's gonna melt your **** off:lmao::flipoff2:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh