Ph v ta

[clueless at times]

I have what might sound like a stupid question. My PH tends to hold pretty well. But my TA tends to run high, around 160. When I add acid to lower TA, it drives my PH down also. Is there a way to lower TA without changing my PH? Which is more important to worry about. I have a plaster pool which I just re-filled to lower CYA. It looks fantastic right now. Chlorine level is steady and the water is very clear. I have checked it several times a day and all is good except the TA is high.

[CarlD]

You said you have a plaster pool? That changes things.

You need to start lowering your T/A to 120-125 as your upper limit. For a vinyl pool 180 seems to be the safe upper end.

Look up our thread on lowering T/A via the ratchet method (you "ratchet" it down).

You lower pH with acid, which brings T/A down with it. Then you aerate to raise pH without T/A rising again.
Now you "ratchet" T/A down by lowering pH again, then aerating to raise it.

I'd aim for 100 as my target if I were you.

[clueless at times]

OK...I add acid to lower PH which lowers TA. That much I understand. I do it in stages so as not to go to far.But how do I "aerate" the pool. I have never done that and am not sure what that means.

[clueless at times]

waskydiver, not so interested in perfect numbers as much as I am concerned that with the plaster pool, the high TA could cause problems.

[Watermom]

To aerate, you can turn your return jet eyeballs upward to create rippling/bubbling on the surface. Or throw in a bunch of kids to play around. Anything that causes splashing will aerate.

[wposton84]

I've never heard of aeration before, does anyone have an idea how it raises pH??