If, after going through these processes, your pool alkalinity is still depleted, you can repeat the process and retest until the alkaline level becomes stable. As the amount of hydrogen ions goes up, pH goes down, and vice versa. That means the total alkalinity is an absolute measure of the concentration of all alkaline substances in a solution. However, there is a way around this. Striking the proper pH balance in your pool water is critical for safe and enjoyable swimming which is why many pool owners may find the need to use an alkalinity increaser from time to time. A balanced alkaline level leads to a good swimming pool. Sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, is one of the most useful compounds in the pool industry. Failure to test your pool alkalinity levels can and will result in the water chemistry of your swimming pools and spas becoming unbalanced. In other words, total alkalinity is a measure of how strongly your pool water can resist changes to pH. The granulated formula is simple to apply and dissolves fast. Buying from a retail shop, you may not be given such instructions. Water chemistry is a delicate subject and must be strictly adhered to, to keep your pool healthy during peak swimming seasons and beyond. Proper Alkalinity and pH balance is key to maintaining healthy pool or spa water. the total alkalinity of a swimming pool or spa must be tested regularly on a daily basis. If you need to increase the alkalinity, add an increaser. It is not a measure of pH, or how alkaline the water is. pH has a strong influence on how effective your chlorine is. All Rights Reserved. You can get sodium bicarb from a retail store or a pool supplier – it is the same compound. Privacy Policy. Essentially your pools alkalinity is a measure of resistance, or rather how difficult it is to make changes to your pools pH. And to save money, you can easily buy regular baking soda for when you need to increase the alkalinity to the recommended levels of 80-120 ppm. These are alkaline substances that measure at least seven on a pH scale. Another point of confusion is the term alkalinity. We know that the pH scale measure how acidic or alkaline (a.k.a basic) a substance is. This will disturb the surface of the water. Total alkalinity is the measure of your pool’s sensitivity to pH change. However, another measure, total alkalinity, is also critical to keeping your pool water balanced. These chemicals, although useful in treating swimming pool water, are notorious for reducing pH concentration in water. High Total Alkalinity This is not surprising, because pH and alkalinity are closely related and affect each other. We take the worry and work out of pool maintenance, so all you have to do is enjoy your pool. It would then it will take 243.9 oz., or 15.24 pounds, to raise pH from 7.4 to 7.6, increasing the total alkalinity further from 101 ppm to 208.7 ppm. It is important to note that total alkalinity is a measure of how much alkaline substance is in the water. Safe to use with all pool linings; Hy-Clor Alkalinity Increaser (pH Buffer) raises alkalinity in pool water and helps control fluctuating pH levels so overall chlorine efficiency is improved. Application Instructions: FOR BEST RESULTS: Keep the total alkalinity at 80-120 parts per million (ppm). The issue is, it is hard to know the alkaline level of your swimming pool water in one glance. If you are using a high pH chlorine, you want to keep your total alkalinity lower, closer to 80-100ppm. For those who haven't seen the inside of a chemistry class in a few years, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate is also called NaHCO3 and is also called Baking Soda. If you are using a low pH chlorine like Trichlor, you should keep your total alkalinity closer to 120ppm to counteract the strong acidity of the chlorine. What is Alkalinity? Alkaline sounds a lot like alkalinity, so it’s no wonder people get them confused. 2. Most pool experts will tell you to use a product branded as “alkalinity up” or “alkalinity increaser”, but these all contain baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which is readily available as a cheaper, standalone product. The pH depends on TA. Generally speaking, you'll need to increase pool alkalinity whenever the pH drops below 7.4 or when alkalinity levels drop below 80ppm. Your swimming pool type also determines the healthy ppm range for the water. You can measure your pool’s alkalinity using most of the pool testing kits on the market today in parts per million (PPM). These alkaline substances are important because of their effect on pH. You should test alkalinity first because it will buffer pH. Even the slightest alterations on pool water chemical composition can cause severe fluctuations in the pH levels. To lower it, you’ll add a sodium bisulfate. If you have concrete, glass, gunite, vinyl, or shotcrete pool surfaces, then a ppm of 100 – 120 would be healthy enough. Your swimming pool can come to immeasurable harm if it contains water with low alkalinity. As such, always make sure you watch your alkalinity levels closely and use the right chemical to raise alkalinity … Total alkalinity, on the other hand, is measured in parts per million (ppm). When the pH level becomes unbalanced, the phenomenon is called pH bounce and can cause low alkalinity in the pool, as the case may be. This means you buy more chlorine and waste more time trying to get to an adequate concentration level with the substance. Ideally, your pool should be between 80-120 parts per million. Once the alkalinity is correct, you need to raise your pH without raising your alkalinity. If you have high alkalinity levels in your pool, your pH will rise because TA acts as a pH buffer. The deal is finding the ones that are made of sodium bicarbonate. They act as buffers, keeping pH from rising or falling. Repairs & Special Services