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Whenever you add PH increaser you need to wait to test - 10 minutes is not enough - you need to wait hours.Also there are chems that adjust PH more than alkalinity and vice versa. If you were looking to adjust PH then soda ash is the thing to use, it adjusts PH without adjusting alkalinity too much. Alkalinity is there to keep the PH locked in, as it goes higher it gets more dificult to change PH.
Vinny,Is there another name for the soda ash (where can it be found??)? As per another board I tried Borax as I have the problem with ph/alk but it did not seem to so anything. I had the same problem where my ph was 6.8 and alk was 100. I added 3 tsp over a couple of days and now my ph is 7.2 and my alk is 160.Thanks!
Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda...100% sodium carbonate aka soda ash...available at your grocery store.
Borax can raise your PH - I use it in the pool and it does work and I've used it in the spa once in a pinch and it worked there as well. The problem is the high alkalinity, it is keeping your PH stabile which is what it does.Adding 3 tsp - not sure if its teaspoons or tablespoons may not be enough to raise the PH with that high of alkalinity. I only use baking soda in my spa to raise both but I know that the alkalinity and PH rise and fall together when I use that.As far as soda ash - you need to read the label - it is generally something like PH increaser. Something I want to say about chemcals - What is being said on some websites can (does) work but I've questioned them about warranties. The amounts of chemicals we use in a spa is so little the use of grocery store bought chemicals is questionable except for baking soda. If you have a problem and the dealer asks to see the chemicals you used and you whip out bleach, borax and whatever your warranty may be voided - remember I said may be. I do use bleach, borax and in my pool but not in my spa yet. I do plan on trying the bleach in a few months when my warranty is over.Getting back to your question - you may need more of whatever to get over the alkalinity. I have read people with low PH and high alkainity drop the alkalinity first with acid then bring both up with baking soda ... maybe you need to do that.
Was suppose to be 3 tbs. I've always used the chems from my dealer. But it seems when I get to 3 months on my water my ph hangs around 6.8 with my alk around 90-100. So I add some ph up and the alk shoots to 140-150 and my ph hardly rises, maybe to 6.9-7. I never even added alk up as out of my tapalk is around 80-90 with ph at 7.5 (I also use diclor and shock with mps). I was hoping to go another month to make it to spring. I'm tring to get the alk down now with spa down, I guess I'll try the baking soda when I get there. Thanks.
When water hits three months, everything that has been added for that time period starts to affect the maintenace of water. This is what everyone calls TDS getting high and indicates your water is nearing the end of its useful life and needs changing. You can probably stretch out another month.
So what is TDS?
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Topic: Sudden chemical imbalance, newbie... (Read 6578 times)
