High pH

[aylad]

Bleach is basic but it's reactions are acidic, use of Sodium Hypochlorite is nearly pH neutral.

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These two are the same thing....

[PoolDoc]

Phil;

You have two issues, and you need to keep them separate.

1. For whatever reason, your pool's pH has run high, and for whatever reason, you have not responded full to this. Sustained high pH **will** damage your pool. You need to do what it takes, WHATEVER that is, to manage your ph. You need to get muriatic acid, learn to handle it and so on. But first, you need to make SURE you have a good test kit -- either a HTH 6-way, stocked at some Walmarts or a Taylor K-2006 (link in my sig) will do for now. But get one, and check your pool. Then, do what you need to do, whatever it is.

2. Your SECOND issue, is to discover why your pH continues to rise. It could be chemicals you use, it could be the source water, it could be a fountain you have. But, this issue is SECOND. You need to fix the FIRST one, first.

Best wishes.

[BigDave]

Sorry, Janet's right (of course) bleach and sodium hypochlorite are the same thing. Let me restate:

Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is basic but it's reactions are acidic, use of bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is nearly pH neutral.

[Philsludge]

OK, thanks for the advice. Will get to "Pinch-a-Penny" for some new chemicals or a test kit a little better than what I have. Have been using Muriatic acid with varying results.....pH does not stay put.

Source water is always a problem near me: Melbourne, Florida water system carries an elevated pH level on a routine basis.

Will pay more attention to Alkalinity.

Thanks Again.

Phil

[PoolDoc]

Will get to "Pinch-a-Penny" for some new chemicals or a test kit a little better than what I have. Have been using Muriatic acid with varying results.

Get a Taylor K-2005 -- if Pinch a Penny has it -- and then order a K-1515 from the test kit info page in my signature. OR, just order a K-2006 to begin with. If the K-2005 is NOT available locally, see if you can get a HTH 6-way test kit (not strips!) from Walmart. Some Walmarts have them.

There are NO other locally available "good" test kits, except the HTH 6-way or the K-2005, and both of them have to supplemented.

[waterbear]

I have never seen a K-2006 in Pinch a Penny (and was told they do not carry them) and lately I have not seen K-2005 in the one local to me, only the smaller and less expensive Taylor kits. Also, I have never seen the HTH test kit in a Florida Walmart (and I have checked in various areas of the state when I have gone camping--yes I DO have another passion besides pools and computers!, only AquaChem test strips.) Ordering the K-2006 online might be the best choice!