PH rising .5 in a week and Calcium scaling (?)

[zu1uuu]

Hi forum,
I'm still kind of new to the TFP method. Last weekend my test PH/TA test results were high so I went ahead to lower with muriatic acid for the first time which went well as I was able to get into ranges indicated ideal per the recommended levels for my setup. Separately to that I'm also seeing some white-ish spots on the ground of the pool that I believe are calcium scaling (due to the high PH?).

Today morning I tested again only to find both PH and TA up again. We barely at all used the pool in the past week and neither had any other aeration going on.

I don't want to add a new round of MA every weekend . Do you have a recommendation how I can keep the PH more balanced without constant addition of MA? Is my SWG the culprit for the PH rise? Are the spots I'm seeing likely from Calcium scaling?

Thank you!!

7/27 Test results before adding MA:
PH: 8+ (beyond test kit scale)
TA: 115

7/28 Test results after 2 rounds of adding MA and aerating over night:
PH: 7.6
TA: 80

8/3 Test resuls:
FC: 6.5
CC: 0
PH: 8
TA: 100
CH: 525
CYA: 70

 

[PoolStored]

I don't want to add a new round of MA every weekend . Do you have a recommendation how I can keep the PH more balanced without constant addition of MA? Is my SWG the culprit for the PH rise? Are the spots I'm seeing likely from Calcium scaling?

Do you have pool math? Link-->PoolMath
Get it, Turn on track CSI and Track temperature.
I have your CSI at .4 That is pretty high. A pH of 7.4 gets you slightly negative CSI.
To avoid scale, you want your CSI -.3-0.
You have some controls:
I would continue to lower pH, I would lower it to 7.2, this should also lower TA. pH will rise on its own. When it gets to 8.0, lower to 7,2 again. Do it in .4 increments and test and add more 30 minutes later until it gets to 7.2.
When your TA is down to around 60-80, pH should be fairly stable around 7.8.
Same chemical results as above, but TA 60 and pH 7.8 your CSI would be -.110, and that will help avoid scaling.

You can also reduce your CSI by replacing water and lowering CH. In the short term, you can manage CSI with TA and pH

 

[Bperry]

Hi forum,
I'm still kind of new to the TFP method. Last weekend my test PH/TA test results were high so I went ahead to lower with muriatic acid for the first time which went well as I was able to get into ranges indicated ideal per the recommended levels for my setup. Separately to that I'm also seeing some white-ish spots on the ground of the pool that I believe are calcium scaling (due to the high PH?).

Today morning I tested again only to find both PH and TA up again. We barely at all used the pool in the past week and neither had any other aeration going on.

I don't want to add a new round of MA every weekend . Do you have a recommendation how I can keep the PH more balanced without constant addition of MA? Is my SWG the culprit for the PH rise? Are the spots I'm seeing likely from Calcium scaling?

Thank you!!

7/27 Test results before adding MA:
PH: 8+ (beyond test kit scale)
TA: 115

7/28 Test results after 2 rounds of adding MA and aerating over night:
PH: 7.6
TA: 80

8/3 Test resuls:
FC: 6.5
CC: 0
PH: 8
TA: 100
CH: 525
CYA: 70

How are you getting those test results? TA wont go up after adding acid. You’ll need to keep adding acid to keep the pH lower than 8.2.

 

[ajw22]

Separately to that I'm also seeing some white-ish spots on the ground of the pool that I believe are calcium scaling (due to the high PH?).

Scale does not form that way as individual spots. It broadly forms over a pool surface.

Scale also takes weeks or months to form on plaster. The water needs to be high pH for a long time to et scale.

Calcium Scale - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Is the white spot smooth or rough?

It could be a calcium nodule or a a white spot in the plaster color.

Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

White Spotting of New Plaster Pools

The problem of plaster spotting has been an ongoing puzzle and controversy in the swimming pool industry for over three decades. The generally round, smooth-yet-unsightly white soft spots in new plaster pools have long been a source of contention among pool plasterers, and pool chemical service...

www.troublefreepool.com

Calcium Nodules in pools

What are calcium nodules? In swimming pools and spas, they are small mounds, bumps, deposits, or “slag” piles of calcium carbonate which are formed from material that has been released from the plaster. The small calcium nodules are rough to the touch, hard, and generally gritty. Nodules may...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[zu1uuu]

Thank you for the responses.

I'll try to get my TA to 60-70 to see if that'll help avoid the PH to rise quickly going forward.

From taking another close look under water I'm dealing with a mix of Calcium Nodules and white spots in the plaster color. What's not entirely clear to me from the linked Calcium Nodules thread is how much I should be worried about removing them. I don't know if I mind them enough from an esthetical point of view. Do I have to assume that I have some slow leakage through these things?

How are you getting those test results?

I tested with a Taylor K2006-C

 

[ajw22]

From taking another close look under water I'm dealing with a mix of Calcium Nodules and white spots in the plaster color. What's not entirely clear to me from the linked Calcium Nodules thread is how much I should be worried about removing them. I don't know if I mind them enough from an esthetical point of view. Do I have to assume that I have some slow leakage through these things?

White spotting and calcium nodules are both cosmetic to the palster.

It is not a sign of a leak.