Are you a pool owner? If so, keeping the water clean and balanced pH can be the most challenging job for you. Sometimes, it seems that the enjoyment of summer swimming in the pool takes too much toll on the pool owner. Pool cleaning, water cleaning, pool maintenance, and maintaining water pH are the tasks that need some extra effort to enjoy summers in a backyard pool. In the following discussion, we will guide you on how to add baking soda to pool whenever the water becomes acidic, whatever the reason for being the water acidic.
It doesn’t end yet. We will give you 05 reasons for using sodium bicarbonate to increase alkalinity, how much quantity is enough for your pool, why water becomes acidic in the pool, what are the risk factors by adding sodium bicarbonate, and what else you can use rather than using baking soda. We hope this article will help you to clear all the questions by offering satisfying answers;
Contents
Why Baking Soda?
Although there are dozens of health benefits of baking soda, we are here to tell you the top 05 benefits of sodium bicarbonate that help you to keep the pool water clean with balanced Ph. There are a couple of reasons to use it to pool, which are going to be described below. Read all the benefits one by one and decide whether you use sodium bicarbonate or not.
Less Expensive:
The very first quality that you won’t find any other alkalinizers or cleaning detergent is the low price. You may get other chemical agents that may help you increase the pool water’s alkalinity, yet less cost of sodium bicarbonate keeps it miles above.
Easily Available:
Other chemical agents to increase the alkalinity of pool water might fascinate you more; however, it is an admitted fact that baking soda is the most common one. It usually is available in your kitchen because of its dozens of uses in cooking.
In a nutshell, sodium bicarbonate is the most common item at home. Aside from availability at home, it is available at any nearby shop.
Good for skin
According to Healthline, baking soda is considered the best home remedy for itchy skin. Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate is equally beneficial for soothing itchy skin from sunburn. Generally, a pool swimmer’s skin can be itchy from sunburn; so, sodium bicarbonate is the best combatant against sunburn skin.
Moreover, if you add cornstarch and oatmeal to baking soda, apply the homogenous mixture to the body, it will treat better.
Enhanced Swimming Performance
Sometimes, a man feels tired after swimming in the pool. The reason for feeling instant tiresome is the elimination of lactic acid from muscles that increase the body’s pH level. Resultantly, you feel tired.
However, sodium bicarbonate is a boon for such a situation and quite a popular supplement among athletes. By using baking soda, the pH level increases, which helps you to swim for long.
Good for hair
Despite no scientific evidence, it is believed that baking soda is the main ingredient of various hair care products. According to FoodNDTV, it helps in hair growth and keeps the hair soft and silky.
How to add Baking Soda to Pool?
For pool water with a low pH level and decreased alkalinity level, adding baking soda can be a good option. However, how much sodium bicarbonate should you add? For how much time should you add the soda? Is there any side-effect of adding it?
Checklist before adding Sodium Bicarbonate:
Before adding Sodium Bicarbonate, you need to check several essential points. Let’s see what these points are.
Total Water in the pool:
First, check how much water the pool can store. Typically, the pool’s water carrying capacity is measured in gallons or liters. A standard size pool has almost 10000 gallons or 37854-liter water in it. In further discussion, we will assume a pool size of 10000 gallons. If you have a smaller or larger pool, adjust your math accordingly.
pH level:
Having checked the pool size and water carrying capacity, now it’s time to review the pH level of the pool water. The market is loaded with pH testing kits. Buy any reliable pH testing kit and check. Neutral water pH ranges from 7.2 pH to 7.8pH. If the pH level is lower than 6, pool water is acidic, and you need to add sodium bicarbonate to it.
Alkalinity Level:
Like the pH level, the Alkalinity level of water can be checked by the kit available in the market. Neutral water alkalinity varies from 110 ppm (parts per million) to 150 ppm. It is adjustable if the alkalinity of water is 100ppm. However, if it is less than 80ppm, you need to take action to increase alkalinity seriously.
Method of adding Sodium Bicarbonate in the pool:
Having checked all the factors mentioned above, now it’s time to add baking soda to the pool. Now you can measure the exact quantity of baking soda that is perfect for your pool. Let’s write all the method down step by step;
Know the quantity of Baking soda:
Before adding sodium bicarbonate to the pool, you need to know how much baking soda is perfect for your pool. There is a rule of thumb that 1.5 pounds of sodium bicarbonate increase the alkalinity by 10ppm in 10000 gallons of water. Now suppose, the alkalinity level of the pool (10000 gallons) is 90ppm.
You need to add almost 3 pounds of baking soda to get the alkalinity level 110ppm.
Add half or ¾ Quantity:
Having known the actual quantity of baking soda, it isn’t right to add sodium bicarbonate in one go. Instead, try to add half first.
Suppose you have to add 3 pounds, according to your calculation. But add 1.5 pounds of sodium bicarbonate first.
Give time to the added baking soda:
Now give time to dissolve the sodium bicarbonate in pool water. Moreover, let it circulate for at least 5 to 6 hours.
Recheck Alkalinity:
After 6 hours, recheck the alkalinity; if it rises, it will be ok. Add the remaining half of the baking soda in the pool again and wait for 6hours.
After 6hours, check the alkalinity level; if it rises to the desired level, it will be good. If the alkalinity level is still low, add more sodium bicarbonate for the next 6 hours.
Note: sodium bicarbonate increases the alkalinity level; however, the pH level isn’t increased too much by sodium bicarbonate. If you want to increase pH level, try to use Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate).
Risk Factors:
It is commonly said that excess of everything is bad. When you add a large amount of baking soda to the pool, it can increase the alkalinity of water. Increased alkalinity water has its side effects.
Moreover, water with a high alkalinity level has side effects on the skin as well.
Alternatives of Baking Soda:
In case if you don’t want to use baking soda as an alkalinity level enhancer, there are several other options that can be used like;
i- Baking Powder
ii- Potassium Bicarbonate and Salt
iii- Baker’s Ammonia
iv- Self-Rising Flour
All the baking soda alternatives mentioned above can be used in case you don’t want to use sodium bicarbonate.
Conclusion:
Baking Soda is one of the best chemical agents that helps to increase the alkalinity level of pool water. We have tried our best to describe the method to add baking soda to pool. With our complete guide, you can get the
