Adding baking soda when pH is high??

[Henrys514]

I posted below about adding some calcium/alkalinity before going away this weekend. Another issue has arisen. I checked my pH this morning quickly, and it was 7.8-8.0. Is it really a good idea to add 4 lbs of baking soda tonight like I had planned with the pH that high? Won't the baking soda make it go up more?

I was going to add acid and chlorine tomorrow morning before I go. Should I add the acid tonight, then the baking soda and bleach tomorrow morning? Or should I just forgo the baking soda until I get back on Sunday? TA is 60ppm...so it's low, but not THAT low.

I'm going to check the pH again when I get home. The light wasn't that great this morning, and I was in a big hurry when I did the test.

I hope someone can help. Thanks!

[cruzmisl]

Adjust TA then PH. How big is your pool?

Joe

[Henrys514]

Adjust TA then PH. How big is your pool?

Joe

12,000 gals. Actually, it doesn't matter much right now anyway. It's pouring and there is a nasty thunderstorm going on. I think I'll just adjust the TA when I get back...the pool needs a good cleaning first anyways and I don't have time to do that before I go. I'll do what I can before I leave.

But regardless...TA first, then pH? Gotcha.

[duraleigh]

I would suggest adjusting pH first. Alk will come down if you move your pH in that direction. Then when you adjust Alk back up, pH will move very little, if any. Either one first is not terribly critical (I think), it just seems a little easier to do the pH first

[Watermom]

I would also say do ph first.

[waste]

I agree with Mom and Dave! My reasoning is that the alk is a buffer for moving the pH and therefore it will be easier to adjust with less buffer present in the water - as a correlary, it seems that with a lower alk, you'd need to use less acid to get the desired drop in pH. (anyone care to comment on my reasoning?)

[cruzmisl]

My Taylor testing and treatment guide states,

"Of equal importance to adjusting these factors is the sequence of such adjustments. Irrespective of the pH or calcium hardness readings, total alkalinity is the FIRST parameter to be corrected. Next in importance is calcium hardness followed by pH."


I am by no means an expert ......

[waterbear]

When pH is high and TA is low if you adjust TA first and then adjust pH downward sometimes you will find that your TA ends up a bit lower than you want it. You can compensate for this by overadjusting the TA slightly. By adjusting the pH first then testing your TA at the correct pH you can determine just how much the TA needs to be raised. It's not 100% but will probably get you closer to where you want to be.

When both TA and pH are low adjust the TA first. (Or use soda ash. This is the one place that soda ash is useful.)

When TA is high and pH is low use borax to raise pH if it's vey low and you need to get it up fast or just start lowering your TA with acid and aeration.

[boscogabby]

My Taylor testing and treatment guide states,

"Of equal importance to adjusting these factors is the sequence of such adjustments. Irrespective of the pH or calcium hardness readings, total alkalinity is the FIRST parameter to be corrected. Next in importance is calcium hardness followed by pH."


I am by no means an expert ......

What should you do if your pool has a vinyl liner where it has been said that calcium hardness is not important or needed?

[waterbear]

What should you do if your pool has a vinyl liner where it has been said that calcium hardness is not important or needed?

Ignore it.