Chlorine Generator And Soda Ash

[cmarrero]

I am a new to the chlorine generator. I was a baqucil user for years but got tired of spending $$$ and still getting a cloudy pool and that annoying Filter goo from using it. So having a daughter that has sensitive skin I am now going to try this generator.

I have an Intex generator but notice that my chlorine was burning off after a few hours. So I went to purchase some chemicals to fix it. But after getting it I notice that it has cya acid and soda ash. Is soda ash OK to use in this type of pool? My intex manual doesn't mention it.

THANKS!

[chem geek]

Soda Ash raises the pH and the TA so usually you don't add that to a saltwater chlorine generator (SWG) pool since the pH tends to rise in such pools. Normally, you are adding muriatic acid to such pools to keep the pH down.

[imnay]

Soda Ash raises the pH and the TA so usually you don't add that to a saltwater chlorine generator (SWG) pool since the pH tends to rise in such pools. Normally, you are adding muriatic acid to such pools to keep the pH down.

Not trying to argue with an SME but over our 20 yr experience we have always understood (and our test kit instructions agree) that soda ash raises Alkalinity - not PH.

Suggested for raising PH is bicarb of soda - NOT soda ash.

So regardless of whether you get your chlorine from a SWG or from an inline chlorinator via 3 inch tabs you will need to add soda ash to raise Alkalinity and add bicarb-of-soda to raise PH and, of course, muriatic acid to lower them when too high.

Don't take my word for it - just do a simple Google!!

[chem geek]

Can you show me the Google references which are, apparently, clearly wrong regarding using Baking Soda primarily to raise the pH and Soda Ash to raise the TA? I've shown you the BioGuard links to the contrary, and I can link to many MSDS and different products such as GLB I did in another post that also say the same thing. Plus I know the chemistry that is clear that sodium carbonate raises pH much more and is why most pH Up products are sodium carbonate, NOT sodium bicarbonate.

Not that Wikipedia is always right, but look at sodium carbonate here and note that it is a base used to raise pH. It is true that for the sodium bicarbonate entry here they say that it can be used to raise pH, but it does so less efficiently than pH Up and mostly raises the TA which over time will tend to have the pH rise. This is why Wikipedia isn't always the best source. Arm & Hammer here isn't much better since they say to use this product for both pH and alkalinity control. If you wanted to raise the pH more without as much change in TA, then baking soda would NOT be the first choice.

[Iridia]

Suggested for raising PH is bicarb of soda - NOT soda ash.

As chemgeek stated, it's the exact opposite: Soda Ash (a.k.a. Sodium Carbonate) raises pH more than TA. Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) raises TA more than pH.