Alkilinity Lowering

[Mike]

Hi this is my first pool , I need to lower the alkilinity in my pool , I know how much acid to add , but not sure if I can add this all at once or should I add in treatments . Any info will help thanks .

[John B.]

Hi Mike,

Muriatic acid usually comes in 1 gallon bottles. You can add the whole gallon at one time but you should mix it in a bucket of pool water first (in two or three divided treatments). Some "experts" believe that adding the acid to a quiet area of the pool has less effect on the pH than pouring while walking around the pool. Also, you may want to add half the gallon, wait about 4-6 hours and re-check the TA. I was surprised... I added about 3/4 gallon and that amount dropped the TA 40 points (I have a 22,000 gallon pool). Also a surprise... that amount only lowered the pH from 7.6 to 7.2. I thought that I was going to have to chase the pH but ; not so. I hope this helps and be very careful with the acid. It will fume the second you open the bottle. Good luck!

John

[Colin R]

My father's pool has a slightly unique problem in my experience. The total alkalinity is showing as way too high (300 ppm for a 9,000 gallon fibreglass pool) but the PH is still showing as marginally too low (about 6.7 to 6.. Logically I want to correct the PH balance by putting PH increaser in, but surely this will worsen the total alkalinity imbalance. Equally, if I put in total alkalinity reducer this will surely hurt the PH balance?

Whether it is connected or not, I am unsure, but he also seems to "grow" small purple fuzz in the pool, that when it dries out looks slightly like powedery crystals.

I am tempted just to drain and refill the pool, but I wondered if anyone else had come across anything similar?