Maintaining the right balance of water chemistry in your home pool is essential if you want the water to remain healthy and free from contaminants. Pool alkalinity is a key component of pool chemistry.
What is Alkalinity in a Pool?
Alkalinity in a pool is a measurement of the water’s ability to neutralize or resist an acid to maintain a stable pH. Alkalinity is closely related to pH in that when one goes down, the other follows close behind. This is why low alkalinity is associated with a low or acidic pH (below 7.0).
Low alkalinity relates to a high level of acidity. This acidic environment can become corrosive and unsafe for both your swimming pool and the people swimming. If left untreated for weeks on end, you’ll be left with an un-swimmable pool on your hands, and not to mention an expensive tab to pay in order to fix it. Your swimming pool can come to immeasurable harm if it contains water with low alkalinity. You risk your pool walls becoming etched, delaminated, or cracked. Some metal surfaces will give way and melt under the corrosive water, which aftereffect is a stained pool wall.
In short, you can successfully lower the alkalinity in your pool by adding baking soda, soda ash, or alkalinity up/alkalinity increaser, pH Up products.
Today we’ll talk about the alkalinity Increasers (Granular Sodium Bicarbonate). This chemistry agent raises total alkalinity when levels fall below 80 ppm. 1 lb of Alkalinity Increaser will raise TA by about 10 ppm, in 10000 gals of pool water.
These little buying reviews provide a breakdown of the 7 best Alkalinity Increasers:
1. Durachlor Alkalinity Increaser
The Durachlor Alkalinity Increaser is designed to raise the total alkalinity levels of swimming pool water. This chemical is meant to be maintained between 80-120 ppm, so that the water does not turn corrosive or create a scale build-up.
FEATURES:
- Raises total alkalinity
- Reduces and prevents corrosion
- Help prevent pH fluctuations
2. Puri Tech Pool Chemicals 50 lb Total Alkalinity Increaser
Raises total alkalinity in swimming pool water. Total alkalinity balance is a crucial component of water balance. Low alkalinity level can cause pH levels to fluctuate. High alkalinity levels can cause the water to cloud or scale. Dosage: 1.5lbs per 10,000 gallons to raise total alkalinity level 10ppm. Directions: Spread over the deepest part of the pool and circulate pump a minimum of 4 hours.
FEATURES:
- BRAND NEW PACKAGING: All Puri Tech Chemicals now come in resealable bags for easy storage
- Active Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate
- Raises total alkalinity in swimming pool water. Total alkalinity balance is a crucial component of water balance. Low alkalinity level can cause pH levels to fluctuate. High alkalinity levels can cause the water to cloud or scale.
3. Pool Solutions Total Alkalinity Plus
Pool Solutions Total Alkalinity Plus helps raise the total alkalinity in your swimming pool water. An important component of water balance is having a proper total alkalinity. Having a low total alkalinity can cause the pH levels to fluctuate excessively while a high total alkalinity can cause the pH to resist adjustment water to cloud and scale development. Dosage. 1.5 lb. of product per 10000 gallons of water will raise total alkalinity 10 ppm.
FEATURES:
- 1.5 lb. of product per 10,000 gallons of water will raise total alkalinity 10 ppm. Directions
- Spread this product over the deepest part of the pool water.
- Keep the circulation pump running.
- Retest the total alkalinity level after 4 hours.
- Repeat treatment as necessary until alkalinity is in the acceptable range of 60 to 100 ppm. Specifications
4. Omni Total Alkalinity Increaser
Omni Total Alkalinity Increaser raises the total alkalinity in swimming pool water in order to prevent the staining, etching, or distorting of all types of pool surfaces. Low alkalinity may also cause pool water to be corrosive to the metal and plastic with which it comes in contact. This product eliminates pH bounce by buffering the water against large pH changes. Just add directly into your pool with the filter running to increase your alkalinity.
FEATURES:
- Raises total alkalinity
- Helps eliminate "pH bounce"
- For all pool types
5. BAQUACIL Total Alkalinity Increaser (4 lb)
BAQUACIL Total Alkalinity Increaser (4 lb) is designed to raise the total alkalinity level in your Baquacil treat pool. Total Alkalinity should be between 80- 150 ppm. Product Dosage 3 lb per 10,000 gallons to raise Total Alkalinity by 20 ppm.
Directions: Test your water's total alkalinity every week with your Baquacil Test strips and adjust as necessary. Generally, 3 lb of Baquacil Total Alkalinity Increaser in 10,000 gallons of pool water will raise total alkalinity by 20 ppm. Allow the water to circulate for 12 to 24 hours. Recheck your alkalinity reading. Repeat treatment as necessary until an alkalinity between 80-150 ppm is obtained. Ingredients Sodium Bicarbonate: 100%
FEATURES:
- Raises Total Alkalinity Increaser
- 3 lb per 10,000 gallons to raise Total Alkalinity by 20 ppr.
- 2 Pack
6. Leslie's Alkalinity Up
Need to raise your pool's Total Alkalinity without raising the pH level? Leslie's Alkalinity Up is a quick and effective way to raise alkalinity and keep pH levels in check! A low level of Total Alkalinity can be dangerous for your pool and for swimmers. Leslie's Alkalinity Up, which is made of 100% sodium bicarbonate, is the easiest way to keep pH and Total Alkalinity balanced, and makes your pool a safe and clean environment for everyone!
FEATURES:
- Alkalinity increaser
- 100% sodium bicarbonate
- Doesn't raise pH levels
- Keeps pool free of damage
- Helps maintain a safe swimming environment
7. GLB Alkalinity Up
GLB Alkalinity Up increases total alkalinity in swimming pool water. Maintaining proper alkalinity aids in preventing the pH level from changing. Keeping your pool water balanced is an important step in getting the most out of and preserving the life of pool equipment. This product is easy to apply, just pour it directly into the pool. Alkalinity Up can be used with chlorine, bromine, ozone, salt water pools, and biguanide sanitizers.Product Dosage 1 1/2 lb per 10,000 gallons of water to raise alkalinity 10 ppm.
FEATURES:
- Maintain the total alkalinity of your pool water between 75 - 125 ppm
- Chlorine, bromine, ozone, salt water chlorine and biguanide sanitizing systems
If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!