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Are you struggling with high pH in your swimming pool? Managing pH can be frustrating! It’s like managing a high maintenance diva—it needs constant attention. Keep it happy, and everything looks and feels amazing. Ignore it, and you’ll battle cloudy water, irritated skin and a whole lot of chlorine drama.
Read on, we’ll help you learn more about pH and how to lower your high pH pool with ease.
Why Does pH Matter?
Keeping pH balanced in your swimming pool is the key to good water quality, happy swimmers and long lasting equipment.
The ideal pH range is 7.2 – 7.8
The Rise and Fall of pH
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. That’s a wide range. However, a pool needs to stay within the neutral range:
- pH below 7.2: The water becomes acidic. This can cause pool surfaces to corrode ladders, mechanical equipment, diving boards, slides and more. It can also irritate swimmers’ eyes and skin.
- pH above 7.8: The water becomes too basic or alkaline, causing cloudy water, scaling and reduced chlorine effectiveness. You’ll spend more money on chlorine and your water won’t be completely clean. It can also irritate eyes and skin.
If you’re battling high pH, you may wonder why. That’s a good question, because everything affects pH! Some common ways pH increases include:
- Adding too much baking soda to stabilize the pH
- Regularly topping up your pool water can introduce too much calcium carbonate, which is found in tap water
- Swimmers splashing or agitating the water cause carbon dioxide to break up, and pH to rise
- Changing temperatures, and/or rain can affect the pH
- Debris like leaves, and twigs in the water
Now that you know a few common causes for high pH, why it matters, and that you can’t control some of the causes…
Here’s our step-by-step guide to lower pH:
1. Test the Pool Water
Use a pool testing kit or test strips. . We recommend FROG® Test Strips. Once you confirm that the pH is above 7.8, follow the next steps:
2. Gather Supplies
To lower pH, you’ll need to add a “pH reducer,” which is typically either:
- Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid): A powerful and commonly used acid for pools
OR
- Sodium bisulfate (dry acid): A granular alternative
When handling chemicals, always wear protective gear, including gloves and goggles.
3. Calculate the Correct Dosage
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, usually found on the product label, to determine the amount of pH decreaser required for your pool’s size. For example:
- To lower pH by 0.2 in a 10,000-gallon pool, you will need approximately 12 – 16 ounces of muriatic acid or a corresponding amount of sodium bisulfate.
4. Dilute the Muriatic Acid
If using muriatic acid, dilute it in a bucket of water before adding it to the pool. Never pour water into acid—always add acid to water. This step isn’t necessary for sodium bisulfate.
5. Distribute the Muriatic Acid
- Slowly pour the diluted muriatic acid or granular sodium bisulfate into the pool, with an emphasis on areas near the return jets to help distribute it evenly. Keep it away from skimmers and pool surfaces.
- Turn on the pool pump to circulate the water for at least 4-6 hours.
6. Retest the pH
Give your pool 12 hours after an adjustment so the chemical has time to work. Retest the water to check the pH level. If it’s still too high, you may need to repeat the process. Add small amounts of chemicals at a time to avoid overcorrection.
Additional Tips for Managing Pool pH:
- Regular Maintenance: Regularly test your pool water (at least once a week)) to catch pH imbalances early.
- Keep it Balanced: Maintain ideal ranges of Free Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, pH and Total Hardness, adjusting as needed to minimize fluctuations in pH.
- Keep an Eye on Total Alkalinity: High Total Alkalinity can cause pH to rise. Aim to keep it within 80-120 ppm. If it’s too high, use muriatic acid to gradually lower it.
- Avoid Overcorrection: Don’t add too much acid as it can drop the pH too low and create a new set of problems. Always add chemicals in small increments and allow them time to work!
- Avoid Overcorrection: Don’t add too much acid as it can drop the pH too low and create a new set of problems. Always add chemicals in small increments and allow them time to work!
Simplify Pool Care with FROG® Products
It can be a challenge to keep your pH levels within the ideal range, but FROG is here to help. With innovative pool care solutions that use Mineral Technology, you can simplify water maintenance.
Why Choose FROG Products?
- Minerals Work Smarter: FROG Minerals kill bacteria. Plus, they condition the water for softness, help keep pH balanced and absorb acids.
- Less Chlorine, Better Results: Use up to 50% less chlorine* while enjoying clean, crystal clear water.
- Simplify Your Water Care Routine: FROG systems eliminate daily dosing, smelly chlorine odors and make maintaining your pool a breeze.
Say Goodbye to pH Drama
Ideal pH levels in your swimming pool are essential for a clean, comfortable and well-maintained swimming experience. Cut out the pH drama, follow these steps and try out FROG Products for hassle free pool care and sparkling water all season long!
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