Where is my baking soda going?

[DThompson55]

I got my test kit on Thursday. I saw that my pH was low at 7.2 (I'd been taking my water tests to Leslie's before this and all this season they told me it was high > 8.0) So I added 2lbs of baking soda per the pool math calculator and let the pump run for a few hous. The next day I retested and the pH had barely budged, so I added another 2lbs. This morning, same thing, barely budged, so I added another 2lbs. Any thoughts as to where all that baking soda is going? Is there some kind of pH buffering going on? Or am I using the wrong chemical? This was my last bucket of Leslie's Alkalinity up, Sodium Bicarbonate

 

[woodyp]

Ummm..baking soda is used to raise your TA. What does your test kit show that to be?

 

[pooldv]

More on pool chems here, Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

 

[tim5055]

I would also,recomend starting with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[DThompson55]

umph... my TA is 90, up from 70 when I tested it a couple days ago... wrong chemical... I was trying to raise my pH. I saw that pH is related to alkalinity in ABCs of Pool Chemistry, and I had this bucket of something called Alkalinity Up, so ... yeah... umph

 

[Divin Dave]

oops! Not worries, it will come down with addition of MA.

The TA controls how quickly the pH rises. Generally speaking, the higher the TA, the quicker the pH will rise....

 

[JamesW]

If your ph was too low, you might need a higher TA. If your cya is high and you're using tabs, you might need a higher TA.

How are you chlorinating?

What is your CYA?