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baking soda is the chemical that is used to raise your pH and alk. when both of these are in range they "buffer each other" which means it usually will stay constant.
I also use baking soda...Sam's Club sells it in 12lb bags...it usually has a 'key' on the back of the bag of how much to use for what size pool.
It also helps your skin stay soft from the swim!
Baking Soda is great if you need to raise BOTH the pH and the alkalinity at the same time.
If your alkalinity is at the correct level, and your pH is low, you do not want to raise the alkalinity, so do not use Baking Soda.... Instead, use "20 Mule Team BORAX" - half a box at a time, wait a couple of hours and re-test each time.
Make sure you buy the "20 Mule Team BORAX" and not any kind of Detergent with Borax in it. That will give you a mess.
The "20 Mule Team BORAX" can be found in the Laundry Additives section in your local super market for a fraction of the cost of the pH-up products, and will work wonderfully without raising your alkalinity to harden your water too much. It also leaves your skin soft after a swim, like the Baking Soda.
Here's a link to show the use of 20 Mule Team Borax in your pool to raise the PH without affecting the Alkalinity levels:
http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/borax_20mule.HTML
And another link to show more replacement chemicals, and how much to use:
http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/grocery.HTML
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoAssuming your talking about soil PH, applying wood ash or agricultural lime in suitable quantities will do the trick. Both are highly alkaline.
Your pH is the opposite side of the same coin with alkalinity.
To raise it use Sodium Bicarb. With the pump motor off and water motionless, add the bicarb in the deep-end of the pool, in one spot.
Let it sit for 4 hours or more. Turn the pump on and allow to circulate for 2-3 hours, then re-test. Alkalinity should be 80-100, not 150 or higher.
To lower alkalinity, do the same, just use acid. The chart your need in provided in the link below.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoyou can not lower pH without lower the alkalinity
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYou can raise pH only by using sodium carbonate which is mostly sold as pH plus. Don't use bicarbonate which will raise pH but also raises the alkalinity.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoAdd potash, soda or bicarb.
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Your alkalinity is really high How do you lower it without lowering the pH too?
pH refers to the level of acidity or alkalinity. less than 7 is acidic, more than 7 is alkaline. if you want to lower your alkalinity, add muriatic acid. It will lower the pH though
How do you lower alkalinity but not change pH in a swimming pool?
Initially, you can't. What you do to lower alkalinity is first lower the pH to under 7.2, but not lower than 6.9. Then you aerate the pool, by creating bubbles with your brush, or by running a water feature, if you have one. This will lower your alkalinity. Maintain this lower pH and aerating until you get your alkalinity where you want it. Then retest your pH. If it is now too low, you add Mule Team Borax, say a 1/4 a cup, and then retest. The borax will raise your pH without raising your alkalinity. See the poolforum.com for more help if needed.
Can you use sodium bisulfate to lower TA?
Sodium bisulfate (AKA sodium hydrogen sulfate or sodium acid sulfate) is an acid that will lower pH. If you lower the pH of a swimming pool buffered with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and maybe cyanuric acid (stabilizer), your alkalinity will go down, along with the pH. But usually, what people want is to lower the alkalinity (or TA) without lowering the pH. When you lower the pH on a carbonate buffered pool, you convert some of the carbonates into carbonic acid, where they no longer contribute to the measured alkalinity. But, as soon as you raise your pH, the carbonic acid switches back to carbonate, and your TA goes right back up with the pH. To actually LOWER the alkalinity, you have to lower the pH, and then REMOVE some of the carbonic acid, which you can do be aerating the pool, since carbonic acid is a form of carbon dioxide gas.
What are the alternatives to using muriatic acid to lower the PH in a swimming pool?
There are 3 principal chemicals for lowering pH: muriatic acid, sodium bisulfate (dry acid) & CO2. If this is a commercial application then CO2 may be a viable source. The sodium bisulfate is dry acid which when mixed with water makes liquid acid but does not have the odor. Muriatic acid and sodium bisulfate both lower total alkalinity at hte same time as lowering the pH. CO2 may raise total alkalinity at the same time as lowering pH. The total alkalinity is important to have a stable pH which in turn is important to have a relatively constant pH for the proper effectiveness of the sanitizer (chlorine) Any other questions feel free to email me direct. Steve Dunn Commmercial Pool Systems, Inc.
How do you lower alkalinity and raise pH?
To lower the alkalinity in a pool you can use PH Minus or Muriatic acid. When adding pour into one spot in the deep end of the pool away from circulation, make sure the circulation system is running. Do not apply near metal fittings or near the pool skimmer. Also make sure you follow directions when using the product.ANS2Can't be done. It is like slowing down while you run faster. Lowering the alkalinity is the same as decreasing the pH. The less alkaline the water, the lower the pH.
How do you lower alkalinity of wastewater secondary effluent without dropping pH?
The Ph should never be out of its permitted range. the alkaline tunity wastewater is tested on three stages. There should never be less than 50 mg/L of alkalinity.
How does the pH value vary with the strength of acidity and alkalinity?
pH less than 7 indicates acid the lower the pH the stronger the acid. pH greater than 7 indicates alkalinity the higher pH the stronger the base.
Why is sodium bisulfate used in a pool?
It is used to lower both ph and alkalinity.
How could HCI be used in a swimming pool?
To adjust pH and/or lower alkalinity.
How do you lower the PH Alkalinity in a above groun pool?
use muratic acid to bring down Ph and TA
What will result if sodium bicarbonate is used to lower ph in a swimming pool?
Bicarbonate will RAISE the pH and total alkalinity.
What will reduce strong alkalinity without drastically increasing PH in pools?
pH and Alkalinity/Acidity are functions of each other. pH's above 7.0 are considered alkaline and pH's below 7.0 are considered acidic. So reducing the alkalinity will by it's very nature reduce the pH of the pool.
