High pH High Alkalinity

There are way too many explanations on the internet when it comes to the chemical balance of your swimming pool but the easiest way to explain it is most good and bad things that happen in your pool are a response to pH moving in either direction upsetting that balance. How do you adjust High pH with High Alkalinity?

• Run pool pump-bypass filter
• Test Total Alkalinity
• Calculate Muriatic Acid addition with a Pool Alkalinity Calculator
• Mix Muriatic Acid in a bucket of pool H2O
• Evenly distribute by walking around the perimeter of the pool
• Wait 6-8 hrs
• If TA is 80-130 ppm
• Test pH then Adjust to 7.4-7.6

Adding an acid to a solution will lower the total alkalinity, but it will also lower the pH level Always adjust Alkalinity first then adjust pH.

High pH High Alkalinity

 

Adding an acid to a solution will lower the total alkalinity, but it will also lower the pH level. If the total alkalinity needs lowering without affecting the pH level, an acid is added, and straight after the water is aerated to raise the pH level without affecting the alkalinity

When your pool has high pH and alkalinity levels, it indicates an imbalance in the water chemistry. High pH levels above the recommended range of 7.2 to 7.6 can lead to issues such as skin and eye irritation, as well as reduced effectiveness of chlorine. Similarly, elevated alkalinity levels, typically above 120 ppm, can make it difficult to adjust pH levels and may result in cloudy water. To address this issue, you can use pH decreasers or acid to lower both pH and alkalinity levels, restoring balance to your pool water. Regular testing and maintenance are essential for keeping your pool water clean, clear, and safe for swimming.

How do you adjust High pH with High Alkalinity

 

One way to reduce alkalinity is to add acidic compounds and pH reducers. Generally, the acidic properties of these products react with the carbonated or bicarbonate alkalinity to produce carbon dioxide, expelling the carbon responsible for the high alkalinity in the form of gas.

These come in liquid, powder or tablet formats. Once the alkalinity level begins to stabilise, it will take 48 hours to rebalance the pH levels of the pool. Similarly, hydrochloric acid is highly recommended to reduce pool alkalinity quickly and effectively.

Lower pH makes your swimming pool water acidic. If you let your pool pH get too low, several health and maintenance issues will develop. Your pool experiences deterioration in your tiling, plaster, stone, grout, and concrete.  This will cause etching of vinyl surfaces which will increase its tears and cracks.  It will affect the filter’s efficiency. It can also lead to health issues for swimmers.

Maintaining an optimal pH is important because it can impact the effectiveness and efficiency of the chlorine, which ultimately will lead to unsanitary swimming conditions. The elevated alkalinity may cause your pH level to rise along with it. This affects the pool water and its water chemistry and may lower chlorine residual. Chlorine efficiency is dependent on pH, which can raise it too high or lower it on recommended results on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7.0 being neutral and desirable for chlorine kill.

 

Effects of High Alkalinity and High pH in Pool Water

 

When high alkalinity levels increase in pool water for whatever reason, they will naturally decrease over time on their own. However high total alkalinity levels can increase the chance of other issues, like high pH and ineffective chlorine in pool water which can lead to bacteria and algae taking over in the pool. So it’s often better to address the problem of high alkalinity levels before they can cause more trouble.

High alkalinity and high pH levels in pool water can have several detrimental effects on water quality and swimmer comfort. Firstly, high alkalinity can lead to a phenomenon known as “total alkalinity lock,” making it difficult to adjust pH levels effectively.

This can result in cloudy water and reduce the effectiveness of sanitizers like chlorine. Additionally, elevated pH levels can cause scale buildup on pool surfaces and equipment, leading to potential damage and increased maintenance costs. Furthermore, high pH levels can cause skin and eye irritation for swimmers and may also reduce the efficiency of chlorine in killing bacteria and other contaminants. To maintain optimal water balance and ensure a safe and comfortable swimming environment, it’s crucial to regularly monitor and adjust alkalinity and pH levels as needed.

If your pool alkalinity levels continue to become higher, it will become difficult to change the pH level in the pool water. You’ll know your pH is too high when your pool water is cloudy, there is scale build-up on your pool walls steps, and your chlorine in the pool is no longer successfully sanitizing your pool.  The process of properly re-balancing your pool water alkalinity can take more than one week, so be patient with this one.

• High Chlorine and High pH in Pool

When a pool has high chlorine and high pH levels, it can create a variety of issues that affect both the water quality and the comfort of swimmers. High chlorine levels can lead to strong chemical odors, skin irritation, and bleaching of swimsuits and pool equipment.

On the other hand, high pH levels can cause cloudy water, scaling on pool surfaces, and reduced effectiveness of chlorine. Additionally, the combination of high chlorine and high pH can lead to the formation of chloramines, which are irritating compounds that can cause eye and respiratory irritation. To address this issue, it’s important to balance the pH levels by adding acid to lower them into the optimal range of 7.2 to 7.6, and then adjust the chlorine levels accordingly. Regular testing and maintenance are essential to keep the pool water balanced and safe for swimming.

If the pH level in the pool gets higher than 7.8, the pool water is becoming too alkaline. When water is too alkaline in the pool, it reduces the effectiveness of chlorine, the pool chemical that kills pathogens. Pool water with a pH that’s too high and alkalinity out of range also can cause skin rashes, cloudy water, and scaling on pool equipment.

Having too much chlorine in your pool water can be dangerous. Exposure to high levels of chlorine can cause lung irritation, skin, and eye damage and have adverse effects on asthma. Not only is it bad for your health, but it can be bad for your pool due to the increase in chlorine.

If the pH or alkalinity the elevated alkalinity may cause your pH level to rise, along with it being too high in the pool water, and the disinfection power of your chlorine is affected. You’ll probably add more chlorine to compensate, and the problems with high alkalinity and pH will snowball. The answer:

• Adjust water Alkalinity level 1st
• Adjust higher pH level 2nd
• Once the pool is balanced, adjust the pool water free chlorine level (FC)

 

If the pH is too high in the pool water, the disinfection power of your chlorine is affected. You’ll probably add more chlorine to compensate, and the problem will snowball.

The answer:

• Adjust Alkalinity first
• Adjust pH 2nd
• Once the pool is balanced, adjust the free chlorine level (FC)

 

How do you Fix Low pH With High Alkalinity?

• Recirculate pool with filter pump
• Calculate acid addition
• Add Muriatic acid diluted in a bucket of H2O & broadcast the acid around the pool
• Retest after 6-8 hours
• Once TA is 80-120 ppm
• Aerate the pool with a compressor or pump to mix the contents adding air
• Do this for 24-48 hrs.……………………………………………………………………………………………………Read more

 

What Causes Low Alkalinity in Pools?

• Rain can be acidic
• Increase in swimmer load
• Topping your pool off with H2O that has low alkalinity after backwashing/wasting
• Chlorine-Chlorine is acidic
• High H2O evaporation-losing H2O can dilute TA
• Pool H2O agitation-H2O agitation increases the loss of CO2 affecting TA ……………………………………………………………….. Read more

Lower the Level of High pH and high Pool Alkalinity in the Swimming Pool

*When Mixing Muriatic acid Never Pour Water Into Acid-Always Pour Acid Into Water!

• Start with Total Alkalinity (TA), which is the basis for this water chemistry and pool maintenance 
• Run pool pump on bypass filter- (Some people don’t agree with this and say they should keep the pool water pump off) Others like myself think the pool should be running
• Calculate  doses of Acid addition with a Pool Alkalinity Calculator 
• Mix and add Muriatic Acid in a bucket of pool water- the elevated alkalinity may cause your pH level to rise along with the need to lower There are 2 different strengths-(Use the stronger Muriatic Acid)
• Evenly distribute the doses of acid by walking around the perimeter of the pool, broadcasting the diluted acid doses across the entire pool using gloves and goggles for protection.
• Test pool water pH and Alkalinity test levels every 6-8 hours with a reliable test kit using instructions
• If you have the pool pump off, wait for a little longer to test the pool’s pH levels
• Adjust pool water pH with a pH increaser or use aeration to naturally lower pool alkalinity

Disinfection can be affected when the alkalinity level and chlorine level of water in the pool or spa are high. Regular doses of chlorine tablets and additional lbs of chlorine won’t work the same and hold the chlorine to a lower level.

• If your Total Alkalinity levels are too low (below 80 ppm alkalinity) but pH levels are above 6.8, you will need to add an Alkalinity Increaser (sodium bicarbonate).
• When both Total Alkalinity and pH levels in the pool or spa are too low (TA less than 80 ppm, pH below 6.8), use pH Increaser (sodium carbonate) to bring both levels up.
• If your Total Alkalinity level in the water of your pool or spa is too high, add Reducer (sodium bisulfate) an acid to lower the pH of the water in the pool.

Lowering a Total Alkalinity level in the pool or spa can be a lengthy, sometimes frustrating process, as sodium bisulfate will also have the effect of reducing the pH of the water in the pool at the same time as it lowers your Total Alkalinity of the water in your pool

You may need to make repeated adjustments for lowering alkalinity and then raising pH until both come into the proper range. No matter what adjustments you need to make, always retest the water in the pool or spa with test strips or a test kit before adding more chemicals to the water in the pool or spa.

• If you need to raise water in the pool’s pH without affecting Total Alkalinity?

You can sometimes raise the pH level by aerating the water in the pool or spa. Just add air! It’s the same reason a pool, hot tubs, and spas often suffer from high pH level issues. Although this will raise your pH, it’s important to note that this isn’t an exact science, and results will vary by pool or spa.

You can aerate water in the pool or spa by bubbling air through the pool water, agitating the water in the pool surface, spraying droplets through the air with a pool fountain, or even just playing and splashing around the water in the pool. During the hot summer months, this method also can be used to lower pool or spa water temperature.

To keep high alkalinity from happening too often, because of too many chemicals use smaller increments of the chemical when adjusting alkalinity levels and test the water in the pool or spa every 24 hours until it reaches its ideal conditions.

Add Chlorine pH and Alkalinity to Daily Pool Maintenance

 

Incorporating chlorine, pH, and alkalinity testing into your daily pool maintenance routine is crucial for ensuring clean and safe swimming conditions. Start by testing the chlorine levels to ensure they fall within the recommended range of 1-3 parts per million (ppm) to effectively kill bacteria and algae.

Next, check the pH levels to maintain a balanced environment, ideally between 7.2 and 7.6, to prevent skin and eye irritation and protect pool equipment. Finally, test the alkalinity levels, aiming for a range of 80-120 ppm, as proper alkalinity helps stabilize pH levels and prevent fluctuations. Adjust these parameters as needed using appropriate chemicals to keep your pool water crystal clear and inviting for swimmers. Regular monitoring and adjustment of chlorine, pH, and alkalinity levels are key to maintaining optimal water quality and ensuring a pleasant swimming experience.

Instead of running chlorine, pH, and total alkalinity(TA) tests a few times a week as maintenance solutions schedule, try running a sample with a test kit every day as a regular guide until your swimming pool’s total chemistry and disinfection process in the pool water comes back to a balance.

Pay attention to levels of Total alkalinity levels and how they compare with other pool water tests. Once the alkalinity level in your swimming pool comes down, the rest of the test levels will look better. So will your pool water.

• pH test results should be between 7.2-7.6
• Free Chlorine (FC) should be 1.0-3.0 ppm
• Total Alkalinity (TA) should be between 80-120 ppm
• Use a reliable swimming pool test kit with reagents that are new and fresh.
• Pool water test samples should be consistent

Conclusion:

Once the Total Alkalinity (TA) is in check the pH and Chlorine will fall in line because Alkalinity is the muscle in your swimming pool’s water chemistry and is able to offset bad changes from happening too quickly for you to respond. It is the most important pool test you can run.

There are way too many explanations on the internet when it comes to the chemical balance of your swimming pool but the easiest way to explain it is most good and bad things that happen in your pool are a response to pH moving in either direction upsetting that balance. Follow these directions:

• Test Total Alkalinity
• Calculate Muriatic Acid addition with a Pool Alkalinity Calculator
• Mix Muriatic Acid in a bucket of pool H2O
• Evenly distribute by walking around the perimeter of the pool
• Wait 6-8 hrs
• If TA is 80-130 ppm
• Adjust pH with pH increase/aerate to naturally raise

 

How do you Lower Alkalinity Without Lowering pH?

Running pool features, bubblers, sprayers, jets, & waterfalls, create turbulence that will remove CO2 faster raising the pool’s pH & when total alkalinity needs lowering without affecting the pH level, an acid is added, & the pool water is aerated to raise the pH level.…………………………………………… Read more

 

JimGalloway Author/Editor

References:

Dengarden–How to Lower Total Alkalinity and Adjust pH in a Swimming Pool

 

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