Content

• Steps
• Advice

A low pool pH can be caused by rainwater or other foreign material entering the pool water. Corrosive metal jewelry, stinging nose and eyes, and itchy skin are all signs that pool water has a low pH. Regularly checking and chemical treatment of the water will help maintain the pH of the tank. One of the most common ways to increase pH is by using soda powder (also known as soda ash or sodium carbonate).

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Checking the pH in the tank

1. 

   Use a pH test strip. You can buy the test strips at swimming pool stores, department stores, or online. Follow the instructions for use, usually you will dip one end of the test stick in water, then compare with the color chart to read the results on the product.
   • For some other testers, you will need to take pool water into a tube, then add a few drops of chemicals, which change color based on the pH of the water.

2. 

   
   
   Check chemical concentrations once to twice a week. You should record the pH in a small notebook to keep track of the changes over time. The pH of your tank will change for many reasons, so it is important to check it regularly.

3. 

   Maintain the pH between 7.4 and 7.8. The pH probe will change color when immersed in water. These colors reflect their respective pH. Compare the test strip with the color chart reading on the product to see the current pH of your water. The ideal pH for swimming pools is between 7.4 and 7.8. Then you need to determine how much more pH increase is needed.
   • For example, if the test strip shows a yellow color like a banana peel, when compared to the color palette, the corresponding pH would be 7.2. This means that you need to increase the pH to at least 0.2 and as much as 0.6.
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Part 2 of 3: Calculating the amount of soda powder to use

1. 

   
   
   Calculate the amount of water in the tank. If you already know the volume of your tank then use that number to calculate. If you do not know, you can use a tape measure to measure and calculate volume based on the shape of the tank.
   • For rectangular pools, the formula for volume will be length x width x average depth x 7.5. If your tank has one deep end and one shallow end, measure the depth at each end and then add it by 2 to get the average depth.
   • For a circular swimming pool, the formula will be diameter x diameter x mean depth x 5.9. If the pool has a deeper section, you would add up the depths in both shallow and deep areas, then divide by 2 to get the average depth.
   • For swimming pools of other shapes, you can adjust the above formulas to calculate the volume of each part of the tank, or have a specialist estimate the volume of the water in the tank.

2. 

   
   
   Calculate the amount of soda powder needed. You need about 170 g of soda powder to increase the pH by 0.2 to 37,850 L of water. Use this number as a mold and add more soda if you need to increase the pH more.
   • For example, the result of 7.2 when testing the pH of water is 7.2. If you want to increase this concentration to 7.6 and the correct volume of water in the tank is 37,850 L, you need to use 340g of soda powder for the first treatment.

3. 

   Buy soda powder from a pool store or order it online. There are many different brands of soda powder on the market, you need to carefully look at the ingredients section and choose a product with mainly sodium carbonate. If you are not sure, ask the salesperson if the product contains soda ash.
   • If you are not near a pool store, you can try to find one at a water treatment store, supermarket, or department store like Walmart.
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Part 3 of 3: Put soda powder in swimming pool

1. 

   Run a water filter when adding soda powder to the tank. Soda powder works best when it circulates well in the tank. To ensure this, it is recommended to run the filter in normal mode. If you turned off the filter to clear the tank, be sure to turn it on again.

2. 

   Fill a 19L bucket with water. You should not pour soda powder directly into the pool to avoid dissolving unevenly. Instead, dissolve the soda powder in a bucket of water, then pour it into the tank. If you don't have a 19 L bucket you can use any other bucket. Mix soda powder in at least 3.8 L of water.
   • You should put the water in the bucket first then pour the soda powder later.

3. 

   Take the necessary amount of soda powder to dissolve it into the bucket of water. Use the quantity described above to get the amount of soda powder you need. You can use a measuring cup or use a scale to weigh and then pour soda powder into the water.
   • Remember not to pour soda powder into the bucket before adding water.

4. 

   Pour soda water around the pool. With the pool deep in the ground, you can walk around and slowly pour the water from the bucket into the pool. For a swimming pool that is built higher than the ground level, try to fill the pool with soda water with water.
   • If you want, you can use an old plastic ladle to scoop up the water from the bucket and pour each bucket into the pool.

5. 

   Wait a while for the soda powder to circulate in the tank and change the pH of the water. After an hour, take another test strip, dip it in water and check if the pH has reached the desired level.

6. 

   Add soda powder if needed. In general, you should use no more than 455 g of soda powder per 37,850 L of water. If you add more than this amount, the water will gradually become cloudy.
   • If the pH has not reached the desired level, check again after a day or two and add more soda with the amount calculated above.
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Advice

• The test strip also helps determine the chlorine concentration, alkalinity and calcium hardness of the water. Maintaining all of the above chemicals at the right concentration will help keep swimming pool water clean, hygienic and safe.