How To Lower Ph And Alkalinity
There are primarily three types of acid that are used for pH and alkalinity reduction in swimming pools. There are other acids in the pool business, such as cyanuric acid and citric acid, but they are not used for adjusting pH or alkalinity levels. The three acids used for pH and alkalinity management are Muriatic Acid , Sulfuric Acid , and a dry acid called Sodium Bisulfate . There is also Cyanuric Acid , but it is not used for pH or alkalinity control. We just mention it here for the procedure of how to safely use it.
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How To Add Muriatic Acid
When it comes to adding muriatic acid to the pool, you have to do it correctly so that you end with better water for swimming. Below are the steps you have to take when it comes to adding muriatic acid to the pool.
- First test the water in the pool
First of all, you have to test the water to determine just much pH you are having in the water. To do the test, you can opt for any pool test kit that can determine the pH level. You are likely to find many of such test kits on the market right now. By choosing the best kit, you can also get to learn more about the different composition of the pool water.
- Preparing the muriatic acid
There is no doubt that you have to consider preparing the muriatic acid for use before pouring it into the water. Fill up a bucket with clean water and then add the recommended amount of muriatic acid. Proceed to mix the two before using the solution. Just make sure that you get to wear protective gear at all times when handling the acid. As a result of mixing, you should now a good solution to add to the pool.
- Add the acid to the pool water
What follows is to add the mixed acid to the pool water. Make sure to turn on the pool filter before adding the acid. When it comes to adding, make sure to do it in small portions and not to stick to one area of the pool. The return jets in the pool help with spreading the acid evenly in the water.
- Retest your pool water
Use Pure Cyanuric Acid
Adding pure cyanuric acid is another option.
This method allows you to add it separately from chlorine, and will only need to be done once or twice a year at most.
Keep in mind that it is an acid, and can damage your pool if improperly added. Vinyl liner pools are especially susceptible and may need to be repaired, so follow the steps below for safe use.
Heres how to do it:
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Test Your Chemistry Levels
If you think your pH levels are off, chances are youve already checked the pool chemistry to make sure. If not, go ahead and check them now to see exactly how far off the pH is.
Ideal pH levels are between 7.2 and 7.6, with 7.4 being optimum.
So if your pH measures anything below 7.2, you need to take the steps to raise it.
Slowly Add The Acid To The Water
Now its time to finally add the acid to the water. The acid/water mixture that youve created should be taken around the perimeter of the pool, which allows it to properly disperse throughout all areas of the pool. Make sure that you dont reenter the pool for least 30 minutes. When youre adding the acid to the water, its recommended that you do so very slowly. Any splashes could cause your skin to become burned, which is why extra precautions are important.
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Why Too Much Cyanuric Acid Is A Bad Thing
When cyanuric acid levels get too high, it can cause something referred to as chlorine lock, which basically means your chlorine has been rendered useless.
Youll know it has happened when your chlorine test shows very or little chlorine even right after youve added it to the pool.
When your chlorine isnt working, bacteria and algae are not being treated!
Ultimate Guide For Using Muriatic Acid In Your Pool 2021
When it comes to pool maintenance, there is always the need to check out the pH levels. It is the reason you might want to learn more about the effects of pH on the pool water. Having high pH levels leads to having scaling appearing on the surface of the water and also the equipment. On the other hand, having a low pH means that it leaves you with a highly acidic water. There is no doubt you would want a way of dealing the pH levels.
The most common way to deal with the pH levels is to use muriatic acid. It will help you with easily controlling the pH level so that it is within the acceptable range.
Contents
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How To Add Acid To A Swimming Pool
Do you need to reduce alkalinity or pH in a swimming pool? If so, you may need to add some acid. This article introduces the best known practices for how to safely handle acid products, and how to add acid to a pool properly. Yes, it DOES matter how the acid is poured in the pool. And we debunk the myth of the “column pour.”
Pop Quiz! You’ve got a 20,000 gallon residential pool with a pH of 8.0 when you test it, and you want to lower the pH of the pool down to 7.5. How much muriatic acid do you need to add?
We have been asking this question a lot lately, because the answers we get reinforce our opinion that we are an industry of habits…and many of those habits are in need of an update. Most people say about half a gallon. Which is astounding, because the actual answer is about half of that. It only takes about a quart of acid, depending on the alkalinity of the pool.
Think about that for a moment. Unless you are using a dosing calculator that factors in alkalinity , did you know that it took just one quart? We certainly didn’t. But now we know.
Our habits have had many of us adding a half gallon, and that’s double the acid we need! Add that up over a year. How much acid have you been wasting? How much money have you been wasting? And most importantly, what do you think that extra acid is doing to your pool chemistry and the pool itself? We share this example because it exposes the importance of the topic we are discussing today.
What Are Some Of The Common Reasons Why I Have A Low Or High Ph In My Pool
Low pH levels can cause a variety of problems to your swimming pool and even to whoever swims in it. Pool liners can become brittle and rough when the pH is too low, and corrosion of the equipment and fixtures can occur. Not only that, but it can also cause swimmers some serious pain and annoyance, like itchy skin and sore, burning eyes.
Low pH can be caused by natural occurrences, like diluting from a heavy rainstorm. Because rainwater contains a high level of acidity, enough of it can cause the pool pH to be thrown out of balance.
If youve seen an increase in the pH level, this can be caused by a number of things.
The use of chlorine stabilisers or HTH Granular in pool water is one of the main causes of a pool pH that is too high. These powerful chlorine compounds are the most effective disinfectants, but they also cause a direct pH rise. An abrupt rise in the temperature of the water might also result in a higher pH level.
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What Causes Low Alkalinity
Your pool water can become low in alkalinity for a number of reasons. A drop in alkalinity is something that most pool owners will experience. It can be a fairly easy fix, but it is important to figure out the cause to prevent low alkalinity in the future.
Muriatic acid or other dry acids are definitely effective for cleaning your pool. But they significantly impact the waters pH levels, which need to be accounted for when treating the swimming pool. Overuse of these acids can cause the water to become unbalanced.
Another common reason your waters alkalinity will drop is heavy rain. Rainstorms can alter the swimming pools pH level because the additional water dilutes chemicals in the water or because the rain itself is slightly acidic.
Draining Your Pool Is A Distant Memory
In 2015, a revolutionary product was introduced to the pool industry. It is called Cyanuric Acid Reducer. Bio-Active Products Inc developed this outstanding product in partnership with BiOWiSH Technologies. As the name would suggest, Cyanuric Acid Reducer reduces cyanuric acid without draining your pool.
Bio-Active Cyanuric Acid Reducer is a naturally-biodegradable product that works safely in your pool to reduce cyanuric acid levels. It has been designed to specifically to lower the levels cyanuric acid levels in pools with more than 100ppm. And it never leaves residue that affects swimmers or plumbing.
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What Does Baking Soda Do For A 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. You can maintain your pool for a fraction of the cost by going straight to the source and using pure baking soda in your pool.
What Is Pool Stabilizer
Did you know that without a buffer, the sun can consume up to 90% of your pools free, unstabilized chlorine in just a couple of hours?
Cyanuric acid, or CYA as it is commonly called , acts as that buffer, protecting your chlorine from those hungry UV rays.
You can get it in liquid or granule form, or mixed with chlorine tablets or sticks and in chlorine shock .
Its usually just added once at the beginning of each swim season, but most chlorine products you buy also contain CYA, so your swimming pool should be getting a steady dose.
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Check The Ph Levels Again
Now that youve added the muriatic acid to your pool, its time to check the pH levels again. Keep in mind that this testing should occur only after a few hours have passed. In the event that the sensor readings are still too high, you can add very small amounts of muriatic acid to the pool water until you reach the desired pH. Make sure that you retest the water every 3-4 hours until you have reached the correct pH readings, which can be anywhere from 7.2-7.8.
As mentioned previously, the various pH sensors that can help you test the water include the pH1000 lab sensor, the SD4720CD probe, and the pH3000 research-grade sensor. All of these sensors will provide you with precise readings that can help you determine if additional muriatic acid should be placed in your pool water.
The Relationship Of Ph Chlorine And Cyanuric Acid Levels
If your pH goes down, the effectiveness of your chlorine goes up. This is commonly understood. But in the presence of cyanuric acid, the relationship between pH and chlorine is substantially altered. For example, if your pool maintains a pH of 7.2, about 63 percent of the chlorine is in its active form. If you introduce just 30 ppm of cyanuric acid to the pool, this drops to 1.6 percent of the chlorine being in its active form.
Depending on the size of a pool and jurisdiction, public pools have regulated limits for cyanuric levels of 40-100 ppm to prevent problems from over chlorination or unbalanced pH. Although cyanuric acid offers a low level of toxicity without any serious health concerns, having high-levels of this chemical in a pool puts people at risk because of the chlorines diminished ability to kill bacteria and viruses. In Florida, the Department of Health states that a pools cyanuric levels may not exceed 100ppm to prevent gastrointestinal illness, skin rashes, and other diseases.
Despite these ongoing issues, the industry has never found a cost-effective solution and environmentally safe way to remedy this problem.
On top of the pool chemistry problems, draining your pool presents environmental hazards:
If you were able to manage the levels of cyanuric acid in your swimming pool without draining it all these issues could be avoided.
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Calculate Dose Of Borax
Amount Needed per 10,000 gallons per 10 ppm = 118 oz Pool Volume Factor = Pool Volume ÷ 10,000
Dose Factor = Desired Increase ÷ 10 ppm
Borax Dose Amount = Amount Needed × Pool Volume Factor × Dose Factor
16,500 gallon pool and 50 ppm Borate
Amount Needed per 10,000 gallons per 10 ppm = 118 oz Pool Volume Factor = 16,500 ÷ 10,000 = 1.65
Dose Factor = 50 ppm ÷ 10 ppm = 5
Boric Acid Dose Amount = 118 oz × 1.65 × 5 = 973.5 oz
973.5 ÷ 16 oz/lb = 60.84 lbs or 13 boxes of Borax
How To Bring Ph Back Down
Balancing your pool can be tricky, and you may find after raising the alkalinity that the pH level is now too high.
You can lower the pH by adding a measured amount of muriatic acid or dry acid to your pool water. Sulfuric acid is another option, but it significantly raises your TDS levels too.
Muriatic acid is highly corrosive so always make sure you take extreme safety precautions when using it. Instructions on the bottle will help you with the correct dosage for your pool, and adding it is simple using a 10:1 solution thats diluted with water.
Dry acid is a milder option that comes in granular or powder form, which makes it slightly easier to work with. Its also more expensive and just as dangerous if mishandled. Once again, its best to follow the instructions on the label.
Be aware that lowering pH will also ultimately lower alkalinity using the methods described above. In that case, you can use baking soda to raise alkalinity with minimal effect on pH.
Finally, as usual, use water testing methods before and after to lower the pH to between 7.4 and 7.6, the ideal range for neutral pool water.
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By Step Guide To Add Muriatic Acid
Before you start, measure the pH and the alkalinity of your pool. You can use test strips, but digital test kits will provide a more accurate result. Using muriatic acid to adjust the level of your pools alkalinity is performed in stages, and it may take days to complete. Below are the steps on adding the chemical in the pools water
Note: Before you start, put on your protective gear the safety google, acid-resistant gloves, and chemical resistant apron
What Lowers Your Pools Ph
Many factors can change your pool’s pH levels. Some of these are naturally occurring issues, and others are caused by adding too many chemicals.
Heavy rainfall can lower your pH if your pool is outdoors, especially if your area experiences acid rain. Normal rainwater has a pH of around five, so that can already lower your pool’s pH. If it’s acid rain, it can be as low as four.
If you use your pool a lot, you can cause the pH to get out of whack. The more often you swim, and the more people in the water can lower the pH. If you use your pool more than usual, you may want to test the levels more often.
Sometimes you can add too many chemicals to your pool mix. This problem happens when someone tries to fix a pool with a too high pH, but it also occurs if the alkalinity is out of balance. Alkalinity is the measure of how well a solution can neutralize an acid.
You may never figure out what exactly caused the change, but luckily, you don’t have to know to fix the problem.
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Do All Pools Need Cyanuric Acid
First of all, pool owners must remind you that the main task of cyanuric acid is to protect chlorine. As mentioned above, chlorine becomes useless to use if it spends several hours in the sun.
Pool stabilizer perfectly protects the outdoor pool with chlorine in the sun. On the other hand, if your pool is not exposed to ultraviolet rays, then your pool does not need cyanuric acid.
However, it is essential to note that this applies only to chlorinated pools. Outdoor pools disinfected by alternative systems using ozone and ultraviolet light do not need cyanuric acid.
