Proper pH level is an important aspect of your swimming pool water chemistry. If your pH level is too low, it can impact the effectiveness of your chlorine and damage the pool’s surface. If it’s too high, it can damage pool parts, cause irritation for swimmers, and potentially result in cloudy water or algae growth. So, keeping it in check is key. You can use my pool pH calculator below to figure out what you need to do to get your pool’s pH level back in the correct range.
Here are the steps you need to take:
Test Your pH Level
The first thing you need to do is test your pool’s water chemistry and find out your current pH level. If you don’t have one already, check out my recommendations for the top pool water testing kits to pick one up.
Got your reading? Let’s move on.
Measure the Volume of Your Pool
The next step is to measure how many gallons of water are in your pool. You can use my pool gallons calculator linked here, and I also embedded it below.
After you have that approximate measurement, it’s time to select the correct chemicals to adjust your pool’s pH level.
Select Your Chemical of Choice
Your swimming pool’s pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.8 (7.6 is the ideal upper limit, but 7.8 is okay). In my calculator below, you’ll select which action you need to take and input your current and desired pH level.
If your pH level is too high, you need to add muriatic acid to lower the pH level. Dry acid is another option. You can check out my article on how to lower your pool pH level for more info on these steps.
If your pH level is too low, you need to add soda ash or borax to bring it up. Again, I have a separate guide on raising pH level in your pool with more details.
Using my calculator, you’ll select which chemical you want to use to get the desired outcome. Let’s get into it.
Time to Calculate Everything
Alright, you have everything you need now. Let’s input everything and find out how many chemicals you need to add. All of my calculator outcomes are measured in ounces (oz).
And that’s it! Did you get what you needed? Keep in mind that altering the pH level in your pool will also change the total alkalinity (you can read more about their relationship in my pH vs. total alkalinity research). My calculator assumes that you have zero borate in your pool and a total alkalinity level of 100.
For more water chemistry guidance, head to my article on swimming pool water chemistry basics.
If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to shoot me a message.
