Is there a certain window of time

[Rangeball]

Thanks Evan. I think I finally have my head wrapped around this.

I'm 100% certain my difficulties have been from aerating WHILE trying to lower PH. Doesn't work, for me.

Now that I made progress and can live with the result, I noticed I'm down about an inch of water from evaporation (and probably my splash out from the cannon balls), and dread having to refill soon.

The guy that runs our town's water plant was in my office a few days ago. I asked him if our alkalinity always runs high (320 when I tested, with a PH of 7.2). He said yes

I have a vinyl lined pool. If I followed Ben's "Run a high PH" page, I'll end up over 8 with an alk in the mid 250s.

Is this a problem at all if I just let the pool do what it wants? What would I be risking?

[Rangeball]

Tested again this noon just to see where I'm at. Haven't aerated since yesterday morning.

PH was 7.2.
Alk was between 130-40. I didn't wait long enough between the drops, and the 130 drop may have been enough. I'll call it 135

Since I'm this close to a good alk goal, the PH is still low and all my air leak issues seem resolved, I may go ahead and lower my ALK some more as I'm anticipating adding water again in a week or so. That way when I do hopefully I can keep alk under 200 and not worry about this much.

I'm out of acid. I guess the deciding factor will be how soon I go get some

[Rangeball]

We had a good rain a few days ago. Apparantly rain provides good aeration, as my PH is back up to 7.6

My youngest daughter and I got in last night, and I was suprised at the amount of carbon dioxide still being released (you can see it if you wash the air bubble release after a dive or jump in). Apparantly, 7.6 is still low enough that carbon dioxide does not reconvert to carbonic acid.

I'm about 2.5" low on my water level now (we didn't get that much rain, and desperately need it ), so I may be forced to fight this battle again soon.

[waterbear]

We had a good rain a few days ago. Apparantly rain provides good aeration, as my PH is back up to 7.6

My youngest daughter and I got in last night, and I was suprised at the amount of carbon dioxide still being released (you can see it if you wash the air bubble release after a dive or jump in). Apparantly, 7.6 is still low enough that carbon dioxide does not reconvert to carbonic acid.
Just to claify...carbonic acid is carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. You alway have carbonic acid/carbonates/bicarbonates in the water...the pH just changes the proportions of each.
I'm about 2.5" low on my water level now (we didn't get that much rain, and desperately need it ), so I may be forced to fight this battle again soon.

hope this is helpful.

[Rangeball]

Thanks, it was.

I was confusing CA, ie carbonic alkalinity with Carbonic Acid, ie carbon dioxide.

Since they both are CA it confused me

[waterbear]

Thanks, it was.

I was confusing CA, ie carbonic alkalinity with Carbonic Acid, ie carbon dioxide.

Since they both are CA it confused me

The proper abreviation is kH for carbonate hardness (the German form is used so it is not confused with calcium hardness)! NOt used much in the pool industry however.