New Salt System, algae is recurring regularly

[SunnyOptimism]

Gentlemen,

It's hydrogen gas bubbles. They are produced in the cell. One electrode produces Cl which mostly dissolves as hypochlorite/hypochlorous acid and the other electrode evolves H2 gas which is not as soluable in water

Definitive ChemGeek thread is here

The pH rise is both due to aeration/CO2 out gassing and the production of hypochlorite which is alkaline.

[kelemvor]

Yup, there ya go. That's the thread I was thinking of. I didn't realize it was on the other forum.

[SunnyOptimism]

Just remember, for fire safety, no lighting matches near your returns

[JimK]

Mine produces visible bubbles at the returns as well. I use to have rising pH, but since lowering TA to about 80 (I use to keep it around 100) the pH rise has pretty much stopped. It's been 2 full seasons since I've added acid.

[SunnyOptimism]

Mine produces visible bubbles at the returns as well. I use to have rising pH, but since lowering TA to about 80 (I use to keep it around 100) the pH rise has pretty much stopped. It's been 2 full seasons since I've added acid.

Agreed!

I keep my TA at 70-80ppm and borates at 50ppm. Since adding the borates to my water in August, my MA additions went from almost every other day to once every 5 days. In fact, I just had a recent dilution to my pool water and I need to add about 8 lbs of boric acid to get my Borate levels back up. I like to use boric acid instead of borax as the pH rise from borax is too worrisome to me. I'd need to add MA along with it or else I'll get cloudy water from calcium. Boric acid has the added benefit of bumping my pH down a bit on addition so no need to worry about calcium issues.

But even with all that, I always know when the cell is running by the little bubbles coming out of the returns.

[JimK]

Agreed!

I keep my TA at 70-80ppm and borates at 50ppm. Since adding the borates to my water in August, my MA additions went from almost every other day to once every 5 days. In fact, I just had a recent dilution to my pool water and I need to add about 8 lbs of boric acid to get my Borate levels back up. I like to use boric acid instead of borax as the pH rise from borax is too worrisome to me. I'd need to add MA along with it or else I'll get cloudy water from calcium. Boric acid has the added benefit of bumping my pH down a bit on addition so no need to worry about calcium issues.

But even with all that, I always know when the cell is running by the little bubbles coming out of the returns.

Yeah, I also keep borates at about 60 and use boric acid so I don't have to add acid with it.

I did use borax at spring opening when pH was a little low.

I like seeing the bubbles as it lets me know the cell is still working.

[SunnyOptimism]

Yeah, I also keep borates at about 60 and use boric acid so I don't have to add acid with it.

I did use borax at spring opening when pH was a little low.

I like seeing the bubbles as it lets me know the cell is still working.

Me too. I like to tell my little kids that the pool is farting, makes them laugh like crazy. I also do the TA and FC tests in front of them and when the TA test goes from green to red, I tell them that someone pee'd in the pool. They all go wide-eyed and start blaming each other. It's totally hilarious!

[CarlD]

Mine produces visible bubbles at the returns as well. I use to have rising pH, but since lowering TA to about 80 (I use to keep it around 100) the pH rise has pretty much stopped. It's been 2 full seasons since I've added acid.

I've kept my TA between 60 and 80 for the last several seasons, and only have the SWCG for the last two, so that may be why I've never had a rising pH problem. I haven't pushed borates, hasn't been necessary so far.

[SunnyOptimism]

I've kept my TA between 60 and 80 for the last several seasons, and only have the SWCG for the last two, so that may be why I've never had a rising pH problem. I haven't pushed borates, hasn't been necessary so far.

I believe there are also some other @chemgeek posts which show that low TA is desirable in an SWCG in order to minimize calcium scaling as the local environment inside the cell is so alkaline that the CSI is very positive relative to the bulk pool water. Also borates help to reduce scaling inside the cell as well because calcium borate does not or can not form.

You might give borates a try someday after you get bored with solving the world's problems I was quite impressed with the changes to my pool water chemistry. Plus, it adds a little extra algae-death insurance to the water.

[CarlD]

I believe there are also some other @chemgeek posts which show that low TA is desirable in an SWCG in order to minimize calcium scaling as the local environment inside the cell is so alkaline that the CSI is very positive relative to the bulk pool water. Also borates help to reduce scaling inside the cell as well because calcium borate does not or can not form.

You might give borates a try someday after you get bored with solving the world's problems I was quite impressed with the changes to my pool water chemistry. Plus, it adds a little extra algae-death insurance to the water.

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