Rain and pH

I have noted in the last several weeks a quasi relationship between the rain we've been getting and the pH of my pool.

It appears that the pH goes up about .2 for each 1/2" of rain we get. Not sure if this is from the rain itself, or if it is due to the agitation of the surface. When I filled/opened the pool, the TA was at 220, CH at 120. Current TA is 130, and CH at 80. Is it safe to assume it is a combination of both possible causes?

FC seems to want to hold around 4.5 - 5.5 even on what few bright sunny days we've had, so that's where I'll probably maintain it.

CYA is somewhere between 30 - 40....dot starts to disappear at 40 and is gone by 30.

I have yet to see any CC at all.

I am having a problem with dirt in the pool, not sure where that is coming from. I vacuum it all out, the pool floor is clean for a day or two then I'm seeing traces in the few wrinkles I couldn't get out. By day 4, there is a noticeable amount of dirt in the pool.

Water temp is a cool but swimmable 77F, if someone wants to check saturation index.

I goofed when I built the heater. I didn't leave any provisions for cleaning the outside of the tubes. I do have a build-up of creosote on the tubes. I'm thinking that if I reduce the water flow through the exchanger I can burn off some of it with the resulting higher tube temps. There would be a slight risk of getting the solder joints too warm, so it would bear watching.

My ph drops when it rains. However, my fill water has high TA, high ph, so I am happy for rainfall during the summer so I don't have to add tap!

I just had a duh.... moment.

There is no place in my yard where I wouldn't be near a tree or two. Dust collects on tree leaves. Any rain washes said dust off tree leaves. Dust collects in whatever container is under trees, especially a pool. I can surmise that even a small pool is a dust and dirt magnet.

With living in a semi rural farming community, there will be lots of airborne dust, even if all the roads in town are paved (which for the most part they are). My dirt battle will be a constant thing, so I better get used to it.

Another thing.... We have two chocolate labs, who both love water. One of them has learned how to climb the cheap intex pool ladder. Would I be correct in an assumption that the inevitable dog hair in the pool would actually make a cartridge filter a bit more efficient by adding another layer of filter media? Yes, I know that pets swimming in the pool will increase the chlorine demand slightly, along with increasing the dirt load. I just think it's funny/cool that Abby has learned this on her own.

I live in a rural area too and dirt/dust is always settling at the bottom of my pool. Isn't vacuuming sooo much fun?

I think we need to see this ladder climbing dog. I have a couple of neighborhood cats that love to drink out of mine from the deck. And bats love to dive down for a sip in the evenings. Thank goodness for chlorine.

I'll try and get a video of her getting in the pool. It will probably be a few days or more before I can do it, though. Rain and t-storms in the forecast for the next week......as if we needed more! The ground goes "squish" with every step in the yard, and isn't drying out enough to mow.......