Can you swim in a pool with high pH and alkalinity?

Can You Safely Swim in a Pool With High Alkalinity? As long as you have enough chlorine in your pool (around 3ppm for total chlorine) and the pH level is balanced (between 7.4 to 7.8), then a pool with high total alkalinity is still safe to swim in.

What to do if pH and alkalinity is high in pool?

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity. Many commercial pool products for raising alkalinity utilize baking soda as their main active ingredient.

Is 7.5 pH good for a pool?

A swimming pool pH should be slightly alkaline, between 7.2 to 8.0. Many feel that 7.5 is the perfect pH. When a pool’s pH is too acidic, your eyes sting and your skin feels dry, especially if you swim in your pool a lot – as many pool owners do. As it happens, pH 7.4 to 7.6 is also very good for chlorine disinfection.

What is a good alkalinity reading for a pool?

80-120 ppm
The alkaline substances act as buffers, inhibiting changes in pH. Therefore, total alkalinity is a measure of the buffering ability of pool water. The recommended level for swimming pool water is 80-120 ppm. When pool water is found to be low in alkalinity (below 80 ppm) it is recommended that this level be increased.

What happens if your pool pH is too low?

Low pH water will cause etching and deterioration of plaster, grout, stone, concrete and tiling. Any vinyl surfaces will also become brittle, which increases risk of cracks and tears. All of these dissolved minerals will hold in the solution of your pool water; which can result in staining and cloudy pool water.

What is more important pH or alkalinity?

Regardless of the starting pH, the higher the alkalinity of the water source, the more acid is required to reduce pH to 5.0. For all water sources, it is the alkalinity that actually determines how much acid to use, not the pH.

What should total alkalinity and pH be in a swimming pool?

Other Common Problems With Total Alkalinity and pH Levels If your pool has a high level of pH but total alkalinity is OK, pick up pH Reducer and get it down to recommended levels (between 7.2 and 7.8). And remember not to use muriatic acid in this case, since it will lower your TA.

What are the side effects of pool alkalinity?

Side Effects of Low Alkalinity. 1 Corrosion of pool surfaces and equipment. 2 Etching and staining of pool surfaces and equipment. 3 Burning or itching of the eyes and skin. 4 Pool water to turn a shade of green. 5 Wild fluctuations in pH levels.

How much muriatic acid do I need to lower pool alkalinity?

Consult the directions on the bottle to determine how much muriatic acid should be added to bring the total alkalinity to between 80 and 120 ppm. Of note, it normally takes 25.6 ounces of full strength muriatic acid to lower a 10,000 gallon pool by 10 ppm.

What should the TA level be in a swimming pool?

Your target TA level should be 100 ppm. Allow the pool water to aerate naturally without using any aerators such as spa jets, waterfalls, fountains, return pointers, air compressors, or the likes. Aeration helps bring up the pH level if it goes too low. The recommended level for pH is around 7.4 or 7.6.

How much muriatic acid to lower pool alkalinity?

It takes 2.56 fl oz of muriatic acid to lower total alkalinity by 1.0 ppm in 10,000 gallons. From this information, you can calculate the amount of acid necessary to lower total alkalinity in any pool. 2.56 fl oz × (Pool Gallons/10,000) × Alkalinity Decrease = Amount of Muriatic Acid in fl oz