More Test Results!

[mkfmedic]

Hi Again Everyone,

Thank you for your continued patience. I have had my test kit for approximately three weeks, and while I continue to hone my skills and confidence, I am extremely pleased with this kit! I am using the entire test kit once a week, and testing the chlorine and pH daily.

The weather continues to be beautiful here in Huntington Beach, CA. Our pool water is 85 F without the use of our heater. As a reminder, we have a NEW (Still waiting on the Final), small pool which holds somewhere between 10 - 11,000 gallons. It is sanitized using SWCG and Del Ozone system. We also have a navigator pool sweep. The surface is Pebble Sheen, and if it matters we have a 6' of sheer descents that are on throughout the day. The water remains clear, although I noticed the other day some sort of "film" floating on top of the water. Not on the entire surface, just a small portion. Could this be from the ozone system?

The tile is clean, rock work is clean, and we seem to have no problems. But as always, I manage to have a question or two. [IMG][/IMG]

Today's Results

FC 5
CC 0
TC 5

pH 7.8 (I have the hardest time reading the colors, and although initially it looks like 8.2, I am fairly confident it is still 7.8)

Is it possible that my pH just wants to stay at 7.8? When I add acid, it will lower the pH for a couple of days, but then it migrates back to 7.8. Should I even worry about adding acid if it stays at this number?

Alk 90
Cal 350
Cya 50

Here are a couple of pictures of our pool!
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ofIMG_0060.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h/IMG_0003.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...h/IMG_0017.jpg

Thanks again for reading, as I mentioned, it seems as though everything is under control, but I am constantly worried about the pH, whether I should be or not. I truly appreciate everyone's input, advice and patience.

Regards,

Mike

[Watermom]

I can't comment on the film on top of your water. Sorry. But, about the ph --- if your pool wants to stay at 7.8, I wouldn't fight it. 7.8 is within the acceptable range of 7.2-7.8. That will be just fine. If it goes to 8.0 or higher, however, you will need to add acid. But, if it likes to live at 7.8, so be it.

By the way, your pool is beautiful!

[aylad]

It's apparently not uncommon for pools to have a preferred pH that it tends to equalize at...mine likes to stay at around 7.8, as well, and over the years I've learned to just quit fighting it and let it stay.....it doesn't hurt anything, and it sure saves me a fortune in acid!!

Love your pool....

Janet

[chem geek]

Is it possible that my pH just wants to stay at 7.8? When I add acid, it will lower the pH for a couple of days, but then it migrates back to 7.8. Should I even worry about adding acid if it stays at this number?

Alk 90
Cal 350
Cya 50

I noticed that you have significant waterfall features and these contribute a lot to aeration of your water. Also, you have an SWCG system and that also contributes to aeration through the tiny hydrogen gas bubbles it produces (you might only be able to see them at night if you shine a light in your pool).

It is certainly possible that your signficant aeration is contributing to your tendency to rise in pH. Also, your pool is new and though it is Pebble Sheen, I believe that is just rock plus cement so the cement will likely be curing and this will tend to make your pH rise. Eventually, over the next months and probably stopping within 6 months to 1 year, this curing will be complete. However, the significant aeration in your pool will likely still have you fight a rise in pH.

Check back in with this forum after 6 months or so when the curing should have slowed down signficantly and if you are still experiencing a pH rise, then we may have some more advice for you regarding lowering TA and/or using Borates for your pool (obviously check in with us before then on other issues -- we'd love to hear from you!). The low TA and borates are a couple of experiments some users are doing currently and so far appears to be very positive, but since your pool is new and still curing I would wait a bit before doing anything experimental except turning off your water features (waterfalls) and seeing if that slows down the pH rise.

Congratulations on your new pool -- the pictures look great!

Richard

[EDIT] P.S. I agree with Janet (who wrote her post while I was writing mine) that there is nothing wrong with keeping your pH at 7.8 [END-EDIT]

[Simmons99]

We have a new pool as well and ours tends to want to sit around 7.8-8.2. We were told by the pool builder that a salt pool increases the chance of scale - I don't know if that is true - but for our warranty we need to keep the PH between 7.2-7.4. I add about 1/2 gallon of acid a week to keep it within the range.

[chem geek]

We were told by the pool builder that a salt pool increases the chance of scale - I don't know if that is true - but for our warranty we need to keep the PH between 7.2-7.4.

A salt pool is actually more corrosive and less likely to scale than a non-salt pool, all else equal (though the difference between the two is not large). However, an SWCG pool (which you have) tends to increase in pH and it is true that higher pH increases the liklihood of scaling (all else equal) so perhaps that is what he is talking about. In any event, for the normal ranges you are talking about, I think he is being overly conservative (as well as wrong about salt and scaling), but a warranty is a warranty so you've got to follow its requirements, at least until the warranty runs out.

Richard