Pool Water Alkalinity High

Compare the test result color.

Pool water alkalinity high. The ph level reading of a swimming pool or spa is govern by the total alkalinity level. Alkalinity in water comes from a high concentration of carbon based mineral molecules suspended in the solution. Water with high alkalinity is said to be hard the most prevalent mineral compound causing alkalinity is calcium carbonate which can come from rocks such as limestone or can be leached from dolomite and calcite in the soil. 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.

To lower alkalinity more than ph level pool your acid using the bucket trick below. Controlling the ph level in a pool that has high alkalinity is difficult as the cushioning properties of the water to withstand alterations in acidity increases. Not to mention itchy skin and irritated eyes for your swimmers. Swimming pool water chemistry requires the operator or technician to maintain a total alkalinity level that is set by industry standard.

The skin and hair will become sticky and your eyes may burn to some degree. 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. What causes high pool alkalinity. If your pool s ph level is on the rise this will eventually begin to influence in this case increase your alkalinity along with it.

When you test the water in your pool your alkalinity levels should be anywhere between 80 to 120 parts per million ppm. If your alkalinity levels are too high then your ph levels will also be affected. The ph level is harder to control in a pool with high alkalinity as the bufferingability of the water to resist changes in acidityis so high that attempting to adjust the phrequires greater amounts of chemicals. Test your pool water for total alkalinity weekly.

For the record your pool s ph level should never exceed a ph level of 7 8. An increase in ph is tends to come from body lotions or sweat washing off into the pool as well as potentially using a high alkalinity water source to fill up your water. High calcium levels can cause scaling cloudy water and clogged filters. I discuss more problems that can happen if your alkalinity is high for an extended period of time in my other article.

Dip a test strip about 18 inches below the water surface following the manufacturer s instructions then remove. You should however balance ta as soon as possible because it can lead to calcium scaling and cloudy water a breeding ground for bacteria. Pool ph is low alkalinity is high high alkalinity over 120 ppm can cause some resistance to ph change.