Thinking about adding borates to steady my pH, anybody done it

Started by Earl Simmons · · 2 replies
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#1
Been reading on here about folks running borates in their water to keep pH from creeping, some kind of boric acid or borax addition. Thirty years I've just added acid every couple weeks when it drifts up and never thought twice about it. My water's always been clear doing it the simple way with trichlor and a weekly shock.

But I keep seeing claims it makes the water feel softer and cuts down on algae too. Sounds like one more thing to measure and keep track of though, and I'm already juggling my cyanuric acid levels from the tabs.

Anybody running borates long term, is it worth the hassle or just another bottle to buy that doesn't do much. Not looking to fix something that ain't broke but curious what you all have seen.

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#2
Haven't added them myself, Earl, honestly with trichlor already pushing my CYA up every season I didn't want another input to track and correct for. If your pH drift is manageable with an acid dose every couple weeks like you said, I'd leave it alone, mine's stable enough at 7.6 that borates wouldn't buy me much.
#3
Priya that 7.6 is about where mine sits most weeks too before I dose, acid every couple weeks keeps it from ever running off on me so I never felt the pull to add another bottle to the shelf.