pH and Alkalinity Revisited

[neocacher]

I can't help but shake my head when I hear everyone say to balance Alkalinity first, then pH.  

That is SO impossible if the water from your source is very high in pH to start with and very low in Alkalinity, like my water is.

Trust me me, I tried it the book way and it didnt work.  I had to drop in a lot of acid to even get the pH to budge downward because I had nice normal alkalinity.
All I was doing was wasting chemicals.

I say get your pH down, then worry about alkalinity. As long as  In my case I have to settle for low alkalinity if I want a normal pH.  But my pH is fairly stable, so I don't care about alkalinity much.

Of course if you have low pH and low Alkalinity to start, it is a different situation, since baking soda raises both.

Before giving advice make sure you know what the starting parameters are.

Neo

[Chad]

Both of mine are high out the tap, so no advice here. Sorry.

[tony]

I can't help but shake my head when I hear everyone say to balance Alkalinity first, then pH.  

That is SO impossible if the water from your source is very high in pH to start with and very low in Alkalinity, like my water is.

Trust me me, I tried it the book way and it didnt work.  I had to drop in a lot of acid to even get the pH to budge downward because I had nice normal alkalinity.
All I was doing was wasting chemicals.

I say get your pH down, then worry about alkalinity. As long as  In my case I have to settle for low alkalinity if I want a normal pH.  But my pH is fairly stable, so I don't care about alkalinity much.

Of course if you have low pH and low Alkalinity to start, it is a different situation, since baking soda raises both.

Before giving advice make sure you know what the starting parameters are.

Neo

If that is what works for your water, then that is correct.  You don't say how low your TA is, but my water works well with TA at the low end of normal (around 80).  Any higher and my pH starts to climb.

[barshnik]

If you need to raise both you TA and PH, I could send you a couple of gallons of Las Vegas tap water.  I personally don't worry about either one, although they are on the high side, if I drink it, I can surely sit in it...

John F
LV, NV