If your pool water feels itchy, your eyes sting after a swim, or your test strips keep showing low pH, you already know something is off. Many pool owners do not know that raising pH can also change total alkalinity. Using the wrong chemical can make both pH and alkalinity harder to balance.
The good news is that balancing your pool water does not have to be a trial-and-error process. The right chemical and the right amount can raise pH without greatly changing alkalinity. Once you know how pH and alkalinity work together, you can balance your pool water more easily.
Why pH and Alkalinity Are Not the Same Thing
A lot of pool owners treat pH and total alkalinity as one number. They’re not.
- pH measures how acidic or basic your pool water is, on a scale of 0 to 14. The ideal range for swimming pools is 7.4 to 7.6.
- Total alkalinity (TA) measures the water’s ability to resist pH swings. The ideal range is 80 to 120 ppm.
Alkalinity helps keep pH from changing too quickly. When TA is in the right range, pH is easier to control, pH and alkalinity work together, but they are not the same. Some chemicals can change both levels.
What Causes Low pH in a Swimming Pool
Before you fix it, know what’s causing it. Common culprits include:
- Heavy rain diluting the water
- Chlorine tablets (trichlor and dichlor are acidic)
- Bather load sweat, sunscreen, and body oils
- Acidic cleaning products or algaecides
- Low alkalinity itself, which lets pH drift downward
If your pH drops again soon after you fix it, check your alkalinity. Low TA may be the main cause.
Soda Ash vs. Baking Soda
This is where many pool owners make a mistake. Both chemicals can raise pH, but they work in different ways.
| Chemical | Raises pH | Raises Alkalinity | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soda Ash (sodium carbonate) | Strongly | Slightly | Best choice when pH is low but alkalinity is already fine or high |
| Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) | Mildly | Strongly | Best choice when both pH and alkalinity are low |
| Borax | Strongly | Barely | Good alternative to soda ash, gentler on alkalinity |
| Muriatic Acid | Lowers pH | Lowers alkalinity | Not used to raise pH, but useful for lowering both when they are too high |
If your TA is between 80 and 120 ppm and only your pH is low, soda ash may be the better choice. It raises pH more than it raises alkalinity.Baking soda mainly raises alkalinity and only raises pH a little. Using it when your TA is already normal can make alkalinity too high.
How to Raise pH
1. Test the Water
Before adding a chemical, check your pool’s pH and total alkalinity. You need both numbers to choose the right treatment.
- Test pH and total alkalinity (TA) together.
- A liquid test kit usually gives more precise results than basic test strips.
- Write down your readings before making any adjustment.
- Test the water at the same time of day when possible for more consistent results.
Why it matters: If you only test pH, you may raise it and make your alkalinity too high.
2. Check Alkalinity
Once you have your test results, decide if you need to raise pH alone or both levels.
- If TA is around 80–120 ppm and pH is low, focus on raising pH.
- Soda ash can raise pH more than alkalinity.
- Borax is another option when you want to increase pH with little effect on TA.
- If both pH and TA are low, baking soda may be more appropriate.
Why it matters: Checking both levels helps you choose the right chemical and avoid new problems.
3. Measure the Dose
Do not guess when adding pool chemicals. The right amount depends on your pool size and current pH.
- Check your pool’s approximate gallon capacity.
- Use the dosing instructions on the chemical’s label.
- Start with a small amount when you only need a small change.
- Do not add a large dose just because your pH is very low.
Why it matters: Too much chemical can push pH too high. You may then need another chemical to lower it.
4. Dissolve the Chemical
If the label says to dissolve the chemical first, do this before adding it to the pool.
- Use a clean bucket and follow the product label.
- Add the chemical to water rather than making up your own mixing method.
- Stir carefully until the product is properly dispersed.
- Never mix different pool chemicals together in the same bucket.
Why it matters: Mixing the chemical correctly helps spread it through the water and may reduce cloudiness.
5. Run the Pump
Good circulation helps spread the chemical throughout the pool instead of leaving a concentrated amount in one area.
- Turn on the pool pump and filtration system.
- Add the prepared chemical according to the product instructions.
- Distribute it around the pool rather than dumping everything in one spot.
- Keep swimmers out while adding chemicals and follow the product’s safety directions.
Why it matters: Proper circulation helps the chemical mix evenly with the pool water and gives you a more reliable final reading.
6. Wait and Retest
Don’t immediately add another dose if the first treatment doesn’t produce the result you want.
- Allow the chemical to circulate according to the product instructions.
- Retest the pH and total alkalinity after the recommended waiting period.
- Check the water again before making another adjustment.
- Avoid making several chemical changes at once.
Why it matters: Testing too soon can lead to unnecessary additions and make it harder to tell how much the first treatment actually changed the water.
7. Make Small Adjustments
If your pH is still low, make another small adjustment. Do not add a large amount at once.
- Make one adjustment at a time.
- Retest after the chemical has fully circulated.
- Stop adding chemicals once the pH reaches your target range.
- Keep checking TA so it does not gradually climb too high.
Why it matters: Small changes give you better control and help prevent the pH from going too high.
How Often to Test
For most residential pools, test 2-3 times a week during swim season, and daily if the pool sees heavy use or recent rain. Keep a simple log of your pH, alkalinity, and chlorine readings so you can spot patterns before they become expensive problems.
| Test Frequency | Situation |
|---|---|
| Daily | Heavy bather load, after storms, opening season |
| 2-3 times per week | Normal summer use |
| Weekly | Off-season or low-use pools |
| After any chemical addition | Always, before adding more |
Signs of pH and Alkalinity Problems
- Scaling around tile lines or equipment
- Eye and skin irritation after swimming
- Chlorine burning off faster than usual
- Green tint starting to appear despite normal chlorine levels
If you’re seeing two or more of these at once, it usually means pH and alkalinity have been drifting for a while, not just today.
When to Call in a Pool Professional
DIY balancing works well for minor, routine adjustments. But if your pool has been chronically out of balance, has visible scaling, or you’ve added chemicals repeatedly without lasting results, it’s a sign of a deeper issue often a filtration problem, a leak bringing in fresh fill water, or a total alkalinity level that’s been wrong for weeks.
That’s where a professional pool service earns its keep. A trained technician can pinpoint exactly what’s driving the imbalance, correct it safely, and set your pool up on a maintenance schedule so you’re not guessing every week.
Final Thoughts
Raising pool pH without disturbing total alkalinity comes down to selecting the right chemical for your specific water chemistry, dosing conservatively, and allowing adequate circulation time before retesting. Soda ash and borax remain your best choices when alkalinity is already within the ideal 80–120 ppm range, while baking soda works best when both pH and alkalinity need a boost. Taking a measured approach with small, deliberate adjustments ensures your pool stays clear, comfortable, and safe for swimming all season long.
If your pool water continues to drift out of balance despite your best efforts, let the experienced team at Gator Pool Services take the guesswork out of pool maintenance. We can accurately test your water, identify the root cause of any recurring chemical imbalances, and get your water chemistry perfectly dialed in. Feel free to contact us today to set up professional service so you can spend less time testing chemicals and more time enjoying your pool.