Increase the pH in the pool: instructions

Too low a pH value in the pool can reduce the effectiveness of disinfectants or cause eye and skin irritation. However, the pH value in the water can be increased again with simple means.

Optimal water value

Pool water with the wrong pH can cause serious problems. This not only includes damage to the equipment for the pool, such as in the area of ​​the filter system, but also to the pool walls. However, the health effects are far more problematic if the pool water has incorrect values.

Possible effects on the body include irritation in the following areas:

• eyes
• skin
• Mucous membranes

The ideal range for pool water is between 7.0 and 7.4. Above a value of 7 the water is alkaline and below 7 the pool water has an acidic value. Within this range, certain agents that are added to the pool water, such as disinfectants, usually have a greater effect within this range.

Note: Burning eyes are an indication that the pool water does not have the right value. Tears have a pH value of 7.5 and if the pool water is significantly lower, the mucous membranes of the eyes are usually the first to react to the acidic water.

Causes of low values

One of the main reasons for pools that are not covered is rainwater. Rainwater is usually in an acidic range of 5.6 to 5.8 and, above all, persistent rainfall can regulate the value downwards. Pool covers, which also protect against another factor, pollution, provide a simple remedy. Foreign objects such as leaves or insects that fall in also change the value when they decompose.

One cause that cannot be avoided is foreign particles caused by humans. This includes, for example, dead skin particles but also body fluids such as sweat. Animals such as dogs also provide such foreign particles and should therefore not swim in the pool.

Note: Soiling of any kind should always be removed quickly. As a result, it is still necessary to occasionally increase the pH value in the pool, but at much longer intervals. Especially with larger pools, you shouldn't do without suitable cleaning equipment, for example a pool robot.

Prepare for customization

In order to be able to determine the current value in the water, you need commercially available test strips. This is available in every trade that sells pool accessories such as cleaning agents. You can also get the test strips from various online dealers.

Instructions for pH measurement

• Hold the test strip in the pool water for 10 seconds
• Remove the test strip without shaking it off
• Compare the color on the test strip with the enclosed color table
• The value corresponds to the area in which the color of the table and test strips are identical

Tip: In addition to the simple method of reading the value with a test strip, there are also special measuring devices. However, they are much higher in price, but only have to be purchased once.

Determine the capacity

So that you can correctly dose special preparations or home remedies to increase the water value, you must determine the pool volume as precisely as possible.

Instructions for calculating the volume of water

• rectangular basin: length x width x average depth
• oval basin: length x width x average depth x 0.89
• round basin: diameter x diameter x average depth x 0.78

The average depth is calculated from the mean value of the shallowest and deepest point in the pool. If your pool has other shapes, divide the shape into areas that are easier to calculate. Once you have determined the capacity, you may have to convert the cubic meters into liters. This depends on whether the information for special preparations is given for liters or cubic meters. If you need the number of liters, multiply the calculated cubic meters by a factor of 1000 and you have the number of liters.

Increase pH value: special preparations

Commercially available preparations have the advantage that they are easy to dose and work very well. The disadvantage, however, is that chemical substances are often used that are not always tolerated. In addition, preparations for changing the pH value are usually associated with higher costs compared to home remedies.

In any case, you should use a suitable preparation when you want to adjust the pH value for the first time. If there are very large differences from the optimal value, you should also use a suitable preparation, as home remedies usually have too little effect.

Application guide

• follow the instructions on the packaging
• Dissolve the granules in a bucket of water
• only then put in the pool
• do not fill in just one place
• better: along the edge of the pool
• can thus be better distributed in the water
• faster (measurable) results

Note: After each addition, carry out a test again after a few hours. Depending on the size of the pool, however, it can take several hours to a day for the solution to spread so much that a change takes place.

Increase pH: Home Remedies

Two popular home remedies to increase pH are baking soda or washing soda. However, washing soda is much cheaper in price, especially because the pool usually requires larger quantities.

Instructions: Increase the pH with washing soda

• Determination of the pH value
• Determination of the pool size
• Dose the amount of washing soda appropriately
• Dissolve washing soda in distilled water
• Distribute the solution in the pool

To increase the pH by 0.2, you need around 5 g of soda per cubic meter of water.

Note: Also, when using home remedies, make sure that you only increase the value gradually. In addition, good water circulation is necessary so that the solution is distributed as quickly as possible. You should also only use the pool again when the pool water is in the optimal range.

frequently asked Questions