A Theory About Rising pH in SWG Pools

[waterbear]

You all might be interested with the thread I started in the china shop called "the great tetraborate experiment". I have a SWG, many water features, and since I have added 50 ppm borates to my water I have been exerpiencing less problems with pH rising as quickly. The experiment is only in it's third week but so far has indicated that the extra buffering system introduced into the water by the borax does help stabilize the pH and might require less acid over the long haul.

[chem geek]

The experiment is only in it's third week but so far has indicated that the extra buffering system introduced into the water by the borax does help stabilize the pH and might require less acid over the long haul.

Evan (waterbear),

I agree that the borax helps stabilize the pH, but it won't change how much acid you need to add. Only finding the source of the "extra base" and reducing that reaction will reduce the amount of acid you need to add. We just don't know yet how much is due to carbon dioxide outgassing (which causes TA to drop when you add acid to maintain pH) and how much is due to inefficient SWCG production with outgassing of chlorine gas or some other process.

Anyway, we'll eventually sort this all out -- or not!

Richard