How to Check and Adjust pH Levels in a Swimming Pool

Your swimming pool's pH levels are important to understand and control if you want to have a long, fun pool season. John Kistler of Sunflower Pool and Spa in Salina, Kansas, helps us figure it all out.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• PH Increaser
• PH Decreaser
• Pool Supplies

1. Purchase a pH test kit from the eHow store, a swimming pool dealership or supply center. Kits usually consist of chemically treated paper strips that react to the acid or alkaline levels in the water.

2. Dip one end of a single strip into the pool. It takes only a second to wet the paper.

3. Note how the strip turns from white to a shade of blue or purple. Compare the color to the chart that comes with the kit. A lighter color indicates alkalinity, and a darker color indicates acidity. If the color of your test strip falls outside the acceptable range as indicated on the chart, proceed with the next steps.

4. Use a pH increaser (also available at pool supply centers) to adjust and maintain correct levels if the water is acidic. (Acidic water causes burning eyes, corrodes metals and eats away at plastic and rubber.)

5. Add a pH decreaser to adjust and maintain correct levels if the water is alkaline. (Alkaline water leaves a dry feeling on the skin, looks cloudy and causes a scale to form on any surfaces that it contacts.)

Tips & Warnings

• Adjusting and maintaining your pool's pH levels will protect your equipment and make swimmers more comfortable.
• While at your pool supply center, it's a good idea to pick up a sanitizer test kit, which kills thousands of kinds of bacteria that can form in your pool, as well as your pH test kit. You'll need both kits all season long.

[ponyboy]

on 11/2/2007 This entire swimming pool section needs an overhaul. I've never seen such vague and half information anywhere else on the internet.

Things like:
-"you should add liquid acid to your pool with the pump on. Add it in the deep end by trickling it around the pool edge, as far away from the pool wall as possible. Never add more than one quart at a single pour. Wait a few hours in between pours."-
might be really informative in an article like this one.

[ponyboy]

on 11/2/2007 "While at your pool supply center, it's a good idea to pick up a sanitizer test kit, which kills thousands of kinds of bacteria that can form in your pool, as well as your pH test kit. You'll need both kits all season long."
A sanitizer test kit kills bacteria?!

on 7/16/2006 When I backwash my pool I have someone else turn it on while I hold a nylon knee-high over the inlet hole. This catches all the fine particles that you just vacuumed out and doesn't let it back in the pool.