ph too high and it won't come down

[goingwarp]

Hi everyone, I am using nature2, I have been having a problem for about a month now, my ph and alk keep on reading over the test strips, over the past month I have emptied out about 8oz of ph down and it still looks too high, I took a water sample into my dealer to see if it was maybe the test strips bad but the water was really this far off, any ideas on what could be causing this

[tonyp]

Hard water.  Haven't found a good way to get them down quickly - it just takes time.

[Chas]

Add enough spa down (two ounces at a time) to get it were it belongs. Don't delay, and high pH and TA can start a nasty buildup of calcium. You don't want to go there.

Go toss in two ounces. Wait three or four hours, test, and dose it again until it reads in range of 7.4

[brian_tr]

I have the same trouble only my water is very soft.  I started using Muriatic Acid when I do a water change.  After filling the tub I shut the tub off and add acid to middle of tub.  Let sit for about ten minutes and then turn tub back on and run pumps.  It takes 2 to 3 days for my ph to settle.  It goes low for a couple of days but then comes back to where it needs to be.  I do not take a ph reading for at least 3 days after adding acid.  I have gotten to the point where I get the ph right first try now.  Used to take me a month using ph down.  

[J._McD]

"any ideas on what could be causing this"

Yeah, the water.  It is not unusual in some cases to use a whole bottle of pH decreaser and even more.  Patience and persistence will be your main ingredients to acheive success.

Brian, "I started using Muriatic Acid ", I don't mean to be too direct on this point and you can take it for what it's worth, NO, NO, NO, NEVER use muriatic acid in a Hot Tub, yes it will VOID your warranty, so don't be scratching your head when your trying to tell the technician and the dealer, you don't know why or how your shell got damaged but it should certainly be covered under that great warranty you told me about.  That is when your going to get upset, so don't say nobody told you so.

[stuart]

Are you on a well?

If you are sometimes the only thing that will work is PH magic or Perfect PH.

If you use it be sure to pull your filters when you first add it.

[goingwarp]

hey guys thanks for the info, chas when the problem started I was putting in 1 oz at a time and it did not make a difference on the strips (it was still reading high) so I started 4oz at a time still reading high. Now in the mean time my n2 cartrage is ready for replacement as well as the water so I hopfully will not have this problem after a new n2 and the new water.
Some other info, I am on township water and it does read too soft

[Steve]

For people on a well and/or with very high alkalinity readings  600+ppm, the use of muriatic acid works wonders and will not void warranty's in most cases. pH down is granular acid and muriatic is a concentrated liquid form of that.

You can go through 4 bottles of pH down to lower your alkalinity, or 2-3 cups of muriatic acid.

Check with your manufacturer as J._McD pointed out that some might frown upon this method but it works. In all my years I have never met anyone using this product to report a damaged shell or acrylic.

I could give better suggestions if I knew what your alk reading was and what the top reading on your strips were. This is not uncommon and neither is the use of muriatic acid when instructed how to properly lower alk.
The other huge benefit is that it's inexpensive and will not increase your TDS as quickly as adding buckets of granular acid (pH down).

Your first step is to get your alk down to where you want it (80-120ppm) and leave it for a couple of days to allow your pH to stabilize. Then adjust pH as needed.

Adding 1 or 2 ounces at a time of a granular pH down should only take you about 3 weeks to get the alk where you want it! Book your holidays now if you haven't already!

Steve

[goingwarp]

Steve thats interesting , I thought if I brought down the ph the alk would follow and automatically go down, is this true?  I am just wondering at this point I picked up my new n2 and will be saying goodby to the old water really soon, by the way while on the topic of dumping the old water any suggestions for cleaning off the tub (elbow greese)

[brian_tr]

I have been thinking about this for the last couple of weeks.  The technician and salesman are the ones who told me to us Muriatic Acid.  Our alkalinity here is very high.  Was taking me about 3 lbs ph down to get water balanced.  The service tech said he has been using it in his tub for years.  He said it dilutes very quickly in the water and should not harm anything.  I have been using it for about 18 months and have not noticed any problems.  That is not to say it won't in the long run.  I hate to give it up.  It is so nice to get the water balanced in a couple of days but  I may have to re-think this.  How much PH down can you add at once?  I will have to add around 3lbs total.  






Brian, "I started using Muriatic Acid ", I don't mean to be too direct on this point and you can take it for what it's worth, NO, NO, NO, NEVER use muriatic acid in a Hot Tub, yes it will VOID your warranty, so don't be scratching your head when your trying to tell the technician and the dealer, you don't know why or how your shell got damaged but it should certainly be covered under that great warranty you told me about.  That is when your going to get upset, so don't say nobody told you so.

[Soakin]

...over the past month I have emptied out about 8oz of ph down and it still looks too high...

My water reads off the scale high for pH and TA after a change.  It takes 22 oz of dry acid (sodium bisulfate) to get it down.  Now that I know how much it takes, I do it in big doses for the first couple of days (4 oz, twice a day), and then 2 oz, and finally an ounce at a time to make sure I don't over-shoot.  Be sure to add the acid with the pumps off until the acid diffuses.  If you have an aerator, use that to stir the water up.  pH takes time to stabilize after treatment--add a dose, and then wait at least 12 hours before checking the reading.  If you do get too low, baking soda will bring pH and TA back up, soda ash for just pH.