You can use baking soda in a pool for two primary purposes: to increase the alkalinity and pH level for clear water and to cure black algal outbreaks on your wall. The founder of Cleaning Green LLC, Alicia Johnson, explains that baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate) has a pH level of 8, meaning it is a natural alkaline.
As a rule, you don't add more than 2.5 pounds of baking soda in a day. Instead, start off adding the required amount (e.g., 1.25 for 10,000 gallons of water) of baking soda that can raise the alkalinity of your pool to 10ppm. You can sprinkle your baking soda over the surface of the pool, or you pour into a skimmer.
Baking soda will also improve the stability and clarity of cloudy pool water. You'll want to add baking soda to your pool if the water has too much chlorine. Pool water of this nature can cause swimmers to have itchy skin and stinging eyes. In addition, it can corrode pool ladders, liners, and other components.
Use a pool brush to vigorously scrub any pool surfaces covered in algae, including the walls, floors and steps. Apply a green algaecide according to the directions on the label. Let the water circulate for 24 hours, then brush the pool surfaces again. Vacuum or backwash to remove any remaining dead algae.
Does baking soda kill algae in pools? Only algaecides can "kill" algae in pool water. However, baking soda can help clear up algae. Use both so you can restore sparkly, clean water!
You can dilute the baking soda in a bucket of water or just broadcast it over the entire surface of your swimming pool. It should take about 24 hours before your swimming pool completely clears.
Shock Your Pool
Shocking is the process of adding chemicals to your pool to raise chlorine levels and kill bacteria and algae. We recommend using a calcium hypochlorite shock to treat your algae problems.
In the same way that baking soda can be a spot treatment for black algae, household borax does the same for blue and green algae. Simply use the borax to scrub away algae that's sticking to your pool walls, then use the brush to dislodge it. Follow up by vacuuming up or scooping out the free-floating algae.
Barley straw is a natural way to fight algae. On contact with water, the straw starts to break down, and as it does so it releases peroxides into the water which combat algae. Available in mini bales, or as a concentrated extract of barley straw liquid, it's a natural way of chemically fighting algae.
ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda is the quick, safe and natural way to open your pool for the season. Use our conveniently sized larger bags to help naturally balance your pH and alkalinity to achieve stunning clear water you can be proud of.
Add some water to the pool to dilute the baking soda. This will also dilute your other chemicals. Use muriatic acid to lower total alkalinity fast. This will also lower pH.
Bleach is great for killing algae (and other organisms that may lurk in your tanks) and for keeping it from coming back.
Baking soda is a very similar composition to what is known as soda ash. Soda ash is used to raise pH in a swimming pool. It does absolutely nothing to sanitize the water. A swimming pool without sanitizer should never be used as it has no protection against bacteria and viruses.
Bromine has been shown to be an even faster killer than chlorine so choosing a two-part bromine algae system where you add the algae product and follow with a chlorine or a chlorine free oxidizer to produce active bromine. There are also ammonia salt products that can be used along with liquid chlorine as a shock.
If you have a light green pool, you need to shock your pool in order to kill algae. Algae feeds off high pH levels and chlorine isn't as effective when your pH is high. You will need to lower your pH using hydrochloric acid. Start off with 1 to 2 litres.
Whether mild or severe, it isn't recommended. Significant amounts of swimming pool algae welcome a breeding ground of harmful bacteria that feed on algae. These bacteria pose health risks to swimmers, most commonly resulting in a skin rash. It can also cause various bacterial infections of the ears or eyes.
When temperatures reach below 40°F algae growth is stopped, but it can still survive and become dormant over the winter. Pool algae will come back to life weeks before you decide to open your pool.
Causes of Algae in Pools
In short, algae are always in the pool, and can bloom into a visible colony when conditions are right: Poor water circulation; low flow or dead spots in the pool. Poor water balance; pH, Alkalinity, Calcium and Cyanuric levels. Poor water sanitation; low or inconsistent chlorine levels.
Reaction with Chlorine
Chlorine and sodium bicarbonate combine to form sodium chloride, sodium chlorate, carbon dioxide, and water.
She says: 'Contrary to popular belief, baking soda does not directly decrease the chlorine levels of a swimming pool, but aids in the neutralization process of chlorine. One of the high alkaline chemicals is baking soda and adding this to your swimming pool will increase the water's pH and alkalinity.