Trying to get PH balanced with TA and Losing...

[rosewoodsteel]

Ok..
I tried.
I got my TA to 120, but the PH was way above 80.
So, I brought the PH down to 7.4.   Now my TA is 30.

Here is what I have:

Taylor Readings         
TA-30
PH 7.4
CH200
Bromide- 2

Test Strip Readings
TA-40
PH- 6.8
CH 250
Bromide- 2

How do I bring the PH down without bringing the TA down as well.
When I started out, the test strip readings were within parameters..

[Topline Mike]

It appears that you just overshot your mark.  You must have added about 9 ounces of dry acid or pH down to get to 30ppm TA. 

You can't bring the pH down without bringing the TA down.  You add acid, aerate for 30 minutes, and then retest.  The aeration will bring the pH back up, and the TA will continue to drop.  You just need to add the acid in small amounts. 

How many gallons of water does your tub hold?  Using the pool calculator, (I guessed your gallons at 400), all you have to add is 3 ounces of baking soda to raise your TA up to around 60, and your pH will only raise a little. 

Right now your saturation index is -.76.  You need to be around 0 for balanced water.  When you add the baking soda, you will be right in there, at -0.17.  Aerate the pool some more if you don't when you go in, and the pH will probably come up some. 

[rosewoodsteel]

Thanks, Mike.  I will pick up some baking soda and give it a try

[chem geek]

The saturation index is irrelevant for an acrylic spa because there is no plaster (or grout in between tile) to protect by saturating the water with calcium carbonate.  Your TA should be set at whatever level results in better pH stability, in particular where it doesn't rise so much.  Where that is depends on the type of sanitizer you are using as most are net acidic.  If you end up with a low TA, such as 50 ppm, then you can use 50 ppm borates (usually from boric acid) for additional pH buffering.  You mentioned a "bromide" reading, but I believe you meant bromine.  If you are using bromine tabs, then you probably don't need a TA above 80 ppm so the TA of 60 ppm suggested by Topline Mike may be fine.

[rosewoodsteel]

Mike and Chem,   Thank you!  I picked up some baking soda last night.

[Tman122]

Make slower adjustments rose. Relax, soak, and work on your balance over weeks going slowly, slowly down or up. Not days, weeks. Your soaks will change it also as you introduce different "stuff" that effects your waters balance.

[rosewoodsteel]

Thanks, Tman and Mike,

I actually took all day Saturday to make the initial adjustments.    I followed the directions on the chem containers and waited 30 minutes between readings, with all pumps running.    Everytime I got the PH right, the TA would go the opposite way.      I was using TA up and PH up/down.   I did not have baking soda at the time.

Where did I go wrong?

[Topline Mike]

Thanks, Tman and Mike,
   I followed the directions on the chem containers and waited 30 minutes between readings, with all pumps running.    Everytime I got the PH right, the TA would go the opposite way.      I was using TA up and PH up/down.   

Where did I go wrong?

What do you mean, "the TA would go the opposite way"?  What pH level were you shooting for? 

I had a very high TA to start, 390ppm.  I used muriatic acid to lower the TA.  Acid, aeration, acid, aeration for 13 cycles and here I am, sitting at a pH of 7.7 with a TA of 60.  I had to top off my tub once with about 2 inches of water, and my pH went up slightly.  I added one more ounce of acid, and that was it.  I added 50ppm boric acid a week or so ago, and my pH and TA are rock solid.  They say the boric acid is a pH buffer, or in layman terms, pH stabilizer.  Now if I lowered my pH down to 7.5, my TA would drop below 50, and that's not good. 

Tmann, I'm going to disagree with you about taking weeks to balance the water.  If done correctly, I would say you can balance the water in one day.  I understand that the additional chemicals you add to sanitize the hot tub will affect the balance, but it should only be slight adjustments here and there. 

Rosewood, I sent you a private message a while ago, did you get it?  Send me your email and I'll send you some great info on balancing your water with laundry isle chemicals.  For instance, look at the label on your TA Up, and then check the label on baking soda.  Sodium bicarbonate is sodium bicarbonate. 

[rosewoodsteel]

Mike,
Sorry, I misspoke about the readings going the opposite way.
I'll send you my email address.

[Tman122]

I was pretty much suggesting you not over manage your water. Worrying about it makes it stressful. You have to work on it but if it's not perfect soak, enjoy and sanitize, revisit. If you using the right stuff it kinda comes to ya where they are acceptable and you can fine tune.

[Topline Mike]

gotcha, Tman. 

[rosewoodsteel]

Understood.    Thanks, Tman.