To lower pH and total alkalinity, use a strong acid such as muriatic acid, sulfuric acid, or sodium bisulfate, all of which lower both pH and TA, but at different rates. You need to use an accurate water test kit that can give you correct readings.
The two most popular chemicals available to help you lower the total alkalinity in your swimming pool are muriatic acid and sodium bisulfate (also known as dry acid).
An alkalinity level that is too high in a swimming pool can lead to problems such as an imbalanced pH level, which contributes to high calcium levels. High calcium levels can cause scaling, cloudy water and clogged filters. Not to mention, itchy skin and irritated eyes for your swimmers!
If you wish to lower the pH without also reducing the Total Alkalinity, simply pour the dose of muriatic acid about the pool. “ This would all be wonderful if it was only accurate. Still, just like the mythological “Chlorine Lock,” folkloric tales within the swimming pool industry do persist.
Re: Lowering Total Alkalinity (Without Lowering pH
Getting back to HHT's question, the ONLY way to raise TA, without raising pH (much), is to use Baking Soda.
Can You Safely Swim in a Pool With High Alkalinity? As long as you have enough chlorine in your pool (around 3ppm for total chlorine) and the pH level is balanced (between 7.4 to 7.8), then a pool with high total alkalinity is still safe to swim in.
Another cause for high alkalinity can be when you shock the pool. While this is performed to quickly rid the pool of pollutants, chlorine-based pool shock is highly alkaline, and can raise the water's total alkalinity level in the process.
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.
Geology - the types of rocks surrounding the stream affects alkalinty. Phosphates, limestone, and borates give the water a higher alkalinity and buffering capacity. Seasonal weather - spring snow melt and rain can increase runoff which generally also increases acidity, in turn decreasing alkalinity.
Lowering the Alkalinity of Water
If ever the water in your pool becomes too basic or alkaline, you can use hydrochloric acid to lower the pH levels.
In simple terms, pH is the concentration of acid protons [H+]. On the other hand, the alkalinity of a solution is its ability to neutralize acids. Alkalinity consists of ions that incorporate acid protons into their molecules so that they are not available as a free acid that can lower the pH.
Unless you have a kidney disease, alkaline water doesn't pose any serious health risks. The high pH could make your skin dry and itchy or cause an upset stomach, but that's about all. Just because it's safe, though, doesn't mean it does anything for you.
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High alkalinity means your pool water is buffering too much and possibly diluting the effectiveness of chlorine to the point it is unable to sanitize some contaminants in your pool or hot tub. Lowering total alkalinity is a two-step process.
The amount of Alkalinity that should be in our water is 20-200 mg/L for typical drinking water. Alkalinity is basically dissolved minerals in the water that help neutralize the water we drink.
Yes, since the calcium and alkalinity are so closely linked in the chemistry of the reef tank, raising your calcium levels directly can lower the alkalinity. Why this happens is because as the calcium in your reef tank increases, so does the precipitation of calcium carbonate.
Alkalinity is the total alkaline material in your pool water. You should test alkalinity first because it will buffer pH. Your reading should be in the range of 80 to 120 parts per million (ppm).
When total alkalinity is too high, the buffering effect may cause pH to rise and dilute the sanitizing efficacy of free chlorine. At a level of 80 to 120 ppm, total alkalinity buffers pool water to stabilize pH but allows free chlorine to sanitize contaminants effectively.
The easiest way to lower alkalinity in your hot tub is by adding a pH Decreaser (sodium bisulfate).
Just as was said earlier, white household vinegar is the most preferable for lowering pH, and it can be applied by adding it directly into the pool without necessarily diluting it with water.
Try muriatic acid.
It won't actually reduce the water's calcium hardness, but it will raise the saturation level, which can help bring the water back into balance.
Sodium bisulfate in its most common powder form should be added to the pool closest to the return jets so you can evenly spread it throughout the pool in a matter of minutes. For above-ground pools or those that don't have jets, add the sodium bisulfate powder along the pool's wall.
Sodium bisulfate reduces both pH levels and alkalinity. This can be a fairly slow process so you may have to be patient and keep adding product over the course of a few days to see the necessary changes.