Calculate how much pH increaser or pH decreaser to add to your pool. Get exact doses of muriatic acid or sodium carbonate to balance pool pH.
Enter your current and target pH to calculate the dose needed. The ideal pool pH range is 7.2-7.6. Low pH causes eye and skin irritation and metal corrosion. High pH reduces chlorine effectiveness.
To raise pH: use sodium carbonate (soda ash / pH Up). To lower pH: use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) or sodium bisulfate (dry acid).
Add pH chemicals in small increments and retest after 6-8 hours. Never add acid directly to the skimmer or near the pool return jets.
The ideal pool pH range is 7.2-7.6. A pH of 7.4 is considered optimal — it matches the pH of human eyes and maximizes chlorine effectiveness. Low pH (below 7.2) causes eye and skin irritation and corrodes equipment. High pH (above 7.8) reduces chlorine effectiveness and causes scaling.
To raise pool pH, add sodium carbonate (soda ash / pH Up). Dissolve it in a bucket of water before adding to the pool. Add in small increments and retest after 6-8 hours. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) also raises pH slightly but primarily raises total alkalinity.
To lower pool pH, add muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) or sodium bisulfate (dry acid). Always add acid to water, never water to acid. Add near a return jet with the pump running. Never add acid directly to the skimmer.
Pool pH naturally tends to rise over time due to aeration (splashing, waterfalls), CO2 off-gassing, and the addition of chlorine products. This is normal. Regular testing and adjustment is part of routine pool maintenance.
pH has a dramatic effect on chlorine effectiveness. At pH 7.0, about 73% of chlorine is in the active form (hypochlorous acid). At pH 7.5, only 49% is active. At pH 8.0, only 21% is active. Maintaining proper pH is critical for effective sanitization.