So my TA is at 40 and I wanted to raise it to 60 so that my CSI is in range. I added the amount of baking soda per the pool calculator, but it says it is going to raise my pH too - but it does not say by how much. Is there a reason it can not be calculated? It would be nice to be able to add the baking soda and the muratic acid at the same time.
Pool calculator and raising TA
- Thread starter lborne
- Start date
It's a difficult calculation, as are all pH calculations, but basically the pH doesn't change much. Assuming you don't have borates in the water, then the expected pH change is something on the order of going from 7.5 to 7.6, so a small rise. In practice, you may have a larger rise if you add the baking soda too quickly in one place with surface aeration which will cause a lot of carbon dioxide to outgas. To minimize this, add the baking soda slowly and have any return pointed out or downward (not upward) to minimize surface disturbance. Alternatively, you can mix the baking soda in a bucket of pool water and slowly pour it around the pool.
Alkalinity raiser from the pool store IS baking soda. Same thing. Sodium bicarbonate.se_bb2 said:
Baking soda (or Alkalinity Up from a pool store) is not less concentrated. It is a different chemical than found in pH Up products.
You don't use baking soda to raise the pH. Jason is just saying that it can raise the pH a little as a side effect to the primary usage which is to increase the Total Alkalinity (TA). In other words, to raise the TA, use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (same as Alkalinity Up from a pool store). To raise the pH with no change in TA, aerate the water. To raise the pH with some change in TA, use 20 Mule Team Borax. To raise both the pH and the TA (if both are very low, for example), use Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (same as pH Up from a pool store).
You don't use baking soda to raise the pH. Jason is just saying that it can raise the pH a little as a side effect to the primary usage which is to increase the Total Alkalinity (TA). In other words, to raise the TA, use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (same as Alkalinity Up from a pool store). To raise the pH with no change in TA, aerate the water. To raise the pH with some change in TA, use 20 Mule Team Borax. To raise both the pH and the TA (if both are very low, for example), use Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (same as pH Up from a pool store).