Robert3688 Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 This is my first year with a pool, I am having a hard time regulating the ph, it stays around 7.8. any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quantumchromodynamics Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Can you provide more information including all chemical readings and what chemicals you have added? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert3688 Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 This is my first year with a pool, I am having a hard time regulating the ph, it stays around 7.8. any help is appreciated. first, the pool is a salt i have not added any thing except muric acid in the last two weeks, prior to that just salt since a good test from pool warehouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quantumchromodynamics Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 A pH of 7.8 is fine, what is your concern? What are all of your chemical readings? Free Chlorine Combined Chlorine pH (Current and average) Total Alkalinity Calcium Hardness Cyanuric acid Salt Temperature What is the pool surface: vinyl liner, fiberglass, tile or plaster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert3688 Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 A pH of 7.8 is fine, what is your concern? What are all of your chemical readings? Free Chlorine Combined Chlorine pH (Current and average) Total Alkalinity Calcium Hardness Cyanuric acid Salt Temperature What is the pool surface: vinyl liner, fiberglass, tile or plaster? quartz, 92 degrees and i will get another test tomorrow. I use a 4 test kit, the last test was ok except salt was high, my controll pannel said salt was 3100 ppm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkusmier Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Post your levels as requested by quantumchromodynamics. HIGHLY recommend you buy a good kit and start testing your own water - you'll get more accurate results. It is perfectly normal for salt pools to exhibit "pH creep", which is the result of one of the byproducts of the reaction taking place in the generator cell (hydrogen gas). Don some goggles, jump in and look for millions of tiny bubbles clinging to the sides (they're easier to spot at night w/ the pool light on) - that's hydrogen gas. You'll have to add a bit of acid once every week or so, depending upon your cell's output setting and pump run time. I generally add acid once the pH reaches 7.8, and aim for a pH of 7.2. Use the pool calculator to precisely determine the amount of muriatic acid or dry acid (sodium bisulfate, usually labeled as "pH minus") needed to reduce pH from a given level (e.g. 7.8) to a desired level (e.g. 7.2). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert3688 Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Post your levels as requested by quantumchromodynamics. HIGHLY recommend you buy a good kit and start testing your own water - you'll get more accurate results. It is perfectly normal for salt pools to exhibit "pH creep", which is the result of one of the byproducts of the reaction taking place in the generator cell (hydrogen gas). Don some goggles, jump in and look for millions of tiny bubbles clinging to the sides (they're easier to spot at night w/ the pool light on) - that's hydrogen gas. You'll have to add a bit of acid once every week or so, depending upon your cell's output setting and pump run time. I generally add acid once the pH reaches 7.8, and aim for a pH of 7.2. Use the pool calculator to precisely determine the amount of muriatic acid or dry acid (sodium bisulfate, usually labeled as "pH minus") needed to reduce pH from a given level (e.g. 7.8) to a desired level (e.g. 7.2). what would be a good kit to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quantumchromodynamics Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 You're going to have two competing challenges. One is to keep the CSI low enough to prevent scaling in the salt cell and the other is to keep the CSI high enough to protect the plaster. A pH of 7.7 to 8.0 is actually ideal. You can offset the CSI with a lower calcium level to help prevent scaling in the cell. I wouldn't lower the pH below 7.7. You should adjust the Total Alkalinity to where it keeps the pH most stable. It may seem counterintuitive, but a higher pH will help prevent scaling in the cell (as long as the Calcium level is kept lower to compensate.) You can use http://www.thepoolcalculator.com/ to calculate your CSI (Calcite Saturation Index). Recommended Test Kit 3100 ppm for salt is normal for most chlorinators. What model do you have and what salt level does it specify? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codebrown Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Post your levels as requested by quantumchromodynamics. HIGHLY recommend you buy a good kit and start testing your own water - you'll get more accurate results. It is perfectly normal for salt pools to exhibit "pH creep", which is the result of one of the byproducts of the reaction taking place in the generator cell (hydrogen gas). Don some goggles, jump in and look for millions of tiny bubbles clinging to the sides (they're easier to spot at night w/ the pool light on) - that's hydrogen gas. You'll have to add a bit of acid once every week or so, depending upon your cell's output setting and pump run time. I generally add acid once the pH reaches 7.8, and aim for a pH of 7.2. Use the pool calculator to precisely determine the amount of muriatic acid or dry acid (sodium bisulfate, usually labeled as "pH minus") needed to reduce pH from a given level (e.g. 7.8) to a desired level (e.g. 7.2). what would be a good kit to buy I just started tending new a new pool (IG 22K gal hydrazzo) and use the Taylor kit. I cannot imagine not being able to quickly and easily know what my pH, Cl and TA levels are. It's incredibly simple. The idea that a pool store gets anyone to bring in a sample of water to be tested is insane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkusmier Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 You're going to have two competing challenges. One is to keep the CSI low enough to prevent scaling in the salt cell and the other is to keep the CSI high enough to protect the plaster. A pH of 7.7 to 8.0 is actually ideal. You can offset the CSI with a lower calcium level to help prevent scaling in the cell. I wouldn't lower the pH below 7.7. You should adjust the Total Alkalinity to where it keeps the pH most stable. It may seem counterintuitive, but a higher pH will help prevent scaling in the cell (as long as the Calcium level is kept lower to compensate.) You can use http://www.thepoolcalculator.com/ to calculate your CSI (Calcite Saturation Index). Recommended Test Kit 3100 ppm for salt is normal for most chlorinators. What model do you have and what salt level does it specify? You're right, I completely glossed over the fact that it's a gunite pool... Oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFiremanFirst Posted June 25, 2010 Report Share Posted June 25, 2010 A pH of 7.7 - 8.0 is completely unacceptable in my pool!!! Your eye has a pH of 7.5 therefore we shoot for a range of 7.4 to 7.6!!! When your eyes burn in a swimming pool it is far more likely due to acid/base balance than chlorine!!!! The Taylor K-2006 is a good kit, read the manual, apparently no one else does!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quantumchromodynamics Posted June 25, 2010 Report Share Posted June 25, 2010 A pH of up to 8.0 is fine. Most eye irritation occurs due to chloramines, or a pH below about 7.2 or a pH well above 8.0. I will adjust my recommendation for the pH range to be 7.5 to 7.9. This assumes that the calcium can be set to a point where the CSI is not too high. If the calcium is already high, then a lower pH will have to be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted June 25, 2010 Report Share Posted June 25, 2010 A pH of 7.7 - 8.0 is completely unacceptable in my pool!!! Your eye has a pH of 7.5 therefore we shoot for a range of 7.4 to 7.6!!! When your eyes burn in a swimming pool it is far more likely due to acid/base balance than chlorine!!!! This is just plain wrong information, except for the pH of tears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chem geek Posted June 25, 2010 Report Share Posted June 25, 2010 The average pH of tears is 7.5 (see this link or this link), but the rest of the info is wrong. A pH of 7.8 isn't going to cause irritation of the eye. The most common cause for eye irritation is an excessive amount of combined chlorine (CC), especially nitrogen trichloride, though high levels of monochoramine or dichloramine can also be irritating. Water with low TDS will have more water enter into the eye from osmosis creating increased pressure that can be uncomfortable (this is why saltwater chlorine generator pools are easier on the eyes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert3688 Posted June 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2010 The average pH of tears is 7.5 (see this link or this link), but the rest of the info is wrong. A pH of 7.8 isn't going to cause irritation of the eye. The most common cause for eye irritation is an excessive amount of combined chlorine (CC), especially nitrogen trichloride, though high levels of monochoramine or dichloramine can also be irritating. Water with low TDS will have more water enter into the eye from osmosis creating increased pressure that can be uncomfortable (this is why saltwater chlorine generator pools are easier on the eyes). I purchased a taylor K2005 complete high kit we had almost two inches of rain today, i just got off of work,but will use the kit this eavening and post results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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