When it comes to pool maintenance, keeping your water chemistry in balance is extremely important, especially the pH value, which relates to the health and safety of water quality. The easiest way to manage this is by using the right pool chemicals. pH balance will not only keep the pool sparkling, but also protect pool equipment from being damaged. In this article, we will discuss how to maintain the pH level in a pool.
Causes of pH Imbalance
Use of disinfectants
Pool chemicals, like chlorine disinfectants are commonly used in swimming pools, but different types of disinfectants have different effects on pH levels. For example, disinfectants such as calcium hypochlorite (Cal Hypo) and bleaching water can increase the pool water pH. If you want to disinfect your pool with a suitable chlorine disinfectant, I recommend using sodium dichloroisocyanurate (SDIC), which has little impact on the pH in a pool.
Organic growth
The growth of organic matter in the pool, such as algae, will consume carbon dioxide in the water, which causes the pH level to rise.
Total alkalinity
The total alkalinity of the pool water represents the pH buffer capacity of the water body, and its too high or too low level can also affect the pH value. High total alkalinity will make pH adjustment difficult and may lead to scale formation under conditions of high calcium hardness; If there is low total alkalinity, the pH value will drift, making it difficult to stabilize in the ideal range.
Swimmer's factor
Although swimmers' urine, sweat and other secretions have a relatively small impact on pH, if the pool is not maintained in time, the accumulation of pollutants over a long period of time may also lead to changes in pH.
External factors
Rainfall is the main factor affecting pH. Because rainwater is acidic, it can lower the pH level after entering the pool. Surface runoff and fallen leaves will also affect pH changes. In addition, carbon dioxide in the air will form carbonic acid when dissolved in water, resulting in a lower pH.
The Impact of pH Imbalance
The ideal pH range is 7.2-7.8. Maintaining the correct pH is essential to improve the efficiency of the disinfectant and prevent corrosion and scaling.
When the pH value is lower than 7.2, the pool water is acidic and corrosive. Not only can low pH irritate swimmers' eyes and nasal passages, dry out skin and hair thus causing itching, it can also corrode any metal in the pool walls, equipment or pool accessories.
When the pH value exceeds 7.8, the pool water becomes alkaline. High pH levels reduce the effectiveness of chlorine to disinfect and sterilize. This can cause skin problems for swimmers, cloudy water and scaling on pool equipment.
How to Test Pool pH Levels
- Use a pool test kit, test strips, or digital pH meter
- Test at least 2–3 times per week
- Also check total alkalinity and chlorine levels, since these interact with pH and may require additional pool chemicals
How to Maintain Pool pH Levels
If you want to raise the pH, you can add pH plus (sodium carbonate) until the pool pH stabilizes between 7.2 and 7.8. If you need to lower the pH, you can add pH minus (sodium bisulfite).
It should be noted that after adjusting the pH value, be sure to adjust the total alkalinity to the normal range (60-180 ppm).
All in all, maintaining the pH in a suitable range is key to keeping the pool safe and healthy. The right pool chemicals make this process simple and effective. Want more info on keeping your pool in tip-top condition? Then check out our pool care guide here.
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