Thinking about adding borates before i buy the stuff, worth it

Started by swamp_tyler · · 4 replies
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#1
been reading up on borates for algae prevention since my swamp saga this summer, some threads on here make it sound like a game changer for keeping stuff from coming back. anyone actually run this in a 13k gallon inground thats worth chiming in?

my plan was borax plus some acid to dial in pH after, test with my K-2006 since it doesnt actually test borates but ive seen strips for it. before i drop money on this, is it actually noticeable or just another thing to babysit. also curious if it messes with pH stability since mine already swings a little more than id like.

dont wanna throw money at another thing that ends up sitting in the garage like my old suction cleaner. anyone regret doing it or wish they started sooner

4 Replies

#2
Haven't run borates myself so can't speak to the algae side, but on the pH swing thing, borates actually act as a mild buffer so anecdotally it should calm your swings down not make them worse. Worth checking your TA first though, if that's low that's probably your actual pH stability problem, not something borax fixes.
#3
Priya's right about the buffer effect, mine's been steadier since I added it, not dramatic but noticeable. Test strips for borates are junk though, they fade out fast in this sun, I just dose once and don't bother retesting all year.
#4
Priya's onto something with the TA point, I'd sort that first, borates aren't going to fix a swing that's really a TA problem in disguise.

That said I run borates around 30-50ppm and yeah it's a real buffer, pH just moves slower and lazier than it used to, not a night and day algae shield though, more like one less variable to fight. And skip the strips, Ray's right, they're not reliable enough to bother, I just dose once with the borax and a little muriatic to bring pH back down after, then leave it alone all season.
#5
My TA sat at 80 all summer and my pH still crept from 7.6 up toward 7.9 within a week of adjusting, so in my case the swing wasn't a TA problem at all, it was just CYA and heat doing their thing (CYA's at 45 right now, tracked the whole trend in my spreadsheet). So if your TA already checks out fine, don't assume borates will fix a swing that might actually be something else entirely, worth ruling that out before you spend on borax.