Adding baking soda when pH is high??

[Henrys514]

I posted below about adding some calcium/alkalinity before going away this weekend. Another issue has arisen. I checked my pH this morning quickly, and it was 7.8-8.0. Is it really a good idea to add 4 lbs of baking soda tonight like I had planned with the pH that high? Won't the baking soda make it go up more?

I was going to add acid and chlorine tomorrow morning before I go. Should I add the acid tonight, then the baking soda and bleach tomorrow morning? Or should I just forgo the baking soda until I get back on Sunday? TA is 60ppm...so it's low, but not THAT low.

I'm going to check the pH again when I get home. The light wasn't that great this morning, and I was in a big hurry when I did the test.

I hope someone can help. Thanks!

[cruzmisl]

Adjust TA then PH. How big is your pool?

Joe

[Henrys514]

Adjust TA then PH. How big is your pool?

Joe

12,000 gals. Actually, it doesn't matter much right now anyway. It's pouring and there is a nasty thunderstorm going on. I think I'll just adjust the TA when I get back...the pool needs a good cleaning first anyways and I don't have time to do that before I go. I'll do what I can before I leave.

But regardless...TA first, then pH? Gotcha.

[duraleigh]

I would suggest adjusting pH first. Alk will come down if you move your pH in that direction. Then when you adjust Alk back up, pH will move very little, if any. Either one first is not terribly critical (I think), it just seems a little easier to do the pH first

[Watermom]

I would also say do ph first.

[waste]

I agree with Mom and Dave! My reasoning is that the alk is a buffer for moving the pH and therefore it will be easier to adjust with less buffer present in the water - as a correlary, it seems that with a lower alk, you'd need to use less acid to get the desired drop in pH. (anyone care to comment on my reasoning?)