The health of the water in your swimming pool is dependent upon having a health pool pH.
Not only does making sure that your pH levels are properly balanced make sure that the walls and fittings surrounding your pool are protected, but it prevents the pool water from burning your skin when you go swimming!
In terms of a healthy range that you should aim for, healthy swimming pool water should have a pH level of 7.4 to 7.8.
What happens if you’ve tested your pool water and you’ve discovered that the pH levels are too low? Don’t worry, we’ve come up with a complete guide to show you how to raise your pool pH levels!
Let’s get started!
How to Raise Your Pool pH Levels
The first thing you should do before adding any sort of chemical into your pool’s water is to test the pH levels. Testing kits should be replaced once a year (usually at the beginning of pool season). If you haven’t replaced your kit yet this year, try purchasing a new one to use to test your pool water!
Add in Soda Ash
You bought your new kit, tested the pool water, and your pH levels are still low. What do you do now?
To raise your pool pH levels, try adding in sodium carbonate (AKA soda ash). Make sure that you don’t add any more than two pounds of soda ash per 10,000 gallons of water per treatment.
When adding in the soda ash, start adding from the deep end of your pool and work your way up to the shallow end. After adding in the soda ash, keep your pool’s filter running to make sure that the soda ash is evenly distributed throughout your pool.
Expect your pool water to cloud up after you’ve added in the soda ask. However, your water will turn clear after a day or two!
Keep an Eye on Alkalinity
Are your pH levels still too low after adding in the soda ash? Try testing the alkalinity of your water!
If the pool water’s alkalinity is too low, the pH of your pool water will fluctuate. Your water’s alkalinity should be between 80 ppm and 150 ppm!
Once you’ve discovered that your pool’s alkalinity is too low, add in 1.4 pounds of baking soda for every 10,000 gallons of water in your pool.
Let the baking soda circulate through your pool with the pump turned on for around one hour before you test the alkalinity again. Not only does baking soda increase the alkalinity of your pool water, but it also raises the pH levels!
However, be aware that you’re not adding too much baking soda into your pool’s water. If you’re adding in baking soda after you’ve added in soda ash, know that soda ash also increases the alkalinity in your pool. It’s much harder to lower your alkalinity levels than it is to raise them!
Enjoy Your Pool!
Thankfully, it doesn’t take a lot of work to raise the pH level of your pool water. However, the easiest way to save yourself the effort and time is to stay on top of maintaining your pool water and your pool’s pH!
Are you looking for someone to take care of your pool while you’re out of town? Contact us today!