What is pH?
pH is the term used to express the acidity or alkalinity of pool water. It is measured on a scale of 1-14.
Test pH twice weekly. The recommended range is 7.2 to 7.8 depending on the surface of your pool. Ask your Pool Pro Professional what the correct pH is for your pool.
High pH causes chlorine effectiveness to be lowered, water can become cloudy and scaling may appear.
pH is adjusted down using either Pool Pro Hydrochloric Acid or Pool Pro Dry Acid.
With low pH swimmers can experience skin and eye irritations, corrosion can occur on metal parts and the pool surface can be affected such as the etching of plaster.
pH is adjusted up using Pool Pro Buffer. Buffer increases the pH and the Total Alkalinity. To raise only the pH Pool Pro pH Increaser is used. Be careful as it raises the pH very quickly so only small doses are recommended, then test again. Your Pool Pro Professional is the best person to advise when Pool Pro pH Increaser should be used.
Newly plastered pools have an unusually high pH as a result of bleed-off from the plaster. Frequent additions of Pool Pro Hydrochloric Acid or Pool Pro Dry Acid may be necessary.
Your Pool Pro Professional will inform you of the exact dosages to adjust pH and Alkalinity in your pool.
Some chemicals such as Liquid Chlorine have a naturally high pH and consistently help to raise pH. This is the reason why Salt Pools have a higher acid demand to keep pH balanced.
The connection between pH and Total Alkalinity
It can be seen that acids will lower the pH and Total Alkalinity. There is an interconnection between these two chemical components and because of this, they need to be adjusted together. The levels you are seeking to maintain are:
- pH of 7.2 to 7.8 depending on the type of pool surface.
- Total Alkalinity of approximately 100 to 120 ppm (60-200 is the recommended range). Check with your pool builder or Pool Pro Professional for the level required in your pool.
Let’s assume that the pH is OK but the Total Alkalinity is low. To raise the level, add Pool Pro Buffer at the required rate. However, Buffer is an alkali and will also raise pH. Acid (Pool Pro Hydrochloric Acid or Pool Pro Dry Acid) which is used to lower pH, also lowers T.A. (Total Alkalinity). The trick is therefore to raise the T.A. artificially high so that when acid is added, to lower the pH to the correct level, the T.A. is also reduced to the correct range. Note: Pool Pro Hydrochloric Acid must always be diluted (one part acid to ten parts of water) prior to adding to the pool. Always add acid to water, never water to acid.
AS WITH ALL CHEMICALS KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN AND STORE IN A COOL DRY PLACE. NEVER MIX CHEMICALS AND NEVER ADD WATER TO CHEMICALS, ALWAYS ADD CHEMICALS TO WATER.
