raise PH

[Johnny B]

To raise PH use borax or soda ash or washing soda.

Borax will add borates? which is generally a good thing (so long as the amount of borates is in the proper range)?
You guys find washing soda at the grocery store? Its by the baking soda?

Which material do you guys like to raise pH & why?
Thanks

 

[woodyp]

I would personally prefer just to aerate the pool. No other side effects except cooling the water.

 

[JasonLion]

Borax is simple to use and has minimal impact on TA, so that is generally my favorite. However, there is very little need to raise PH unless you are using trichlor tablets. If you are using trichlor you are better off using washing soda or soda ash, which are really the same chemical. They raise the TA more, which you want with trichlor.

Washing soda and borax are both in the laundry area, while baking soda is generally in the baking isle.

Using borax to raise PH doesn't normally add enough borates to have any effect.

 

[Richard320]

To raise PH use borax or soda ash or washing soda.

Borax will add borates? which is generally a good thing (so long as the amount of borates is in the proper range)?
You guys find washing soda at the grocery store? Its by the baking soda?

Which material do you guys like to raise pH & why?
Thanks

What is your TA reading? If it's around 100 or better, just aerating the pool will raise pH pretty quick. No chemicals needed. If TA and pH are both low, then washing soda will raise both. But it's sometimes hard to find. It will be in the laundry aisle with the borax, generally hidden on the very top or very bottom shelf, and maybe with the stain removers instead of with all the boxes of detergent.

If you scroll down on poolmath you will see Effects of Adding Chemicals. It will show you what will happen to all the readings if you add X amount of Y chemical to your pool, provided you have entered all the numbers especially pool volume.