One way to keep the pool healthy is by considering its total alkalinity. TA, short for total alkalinity, measures the amount of alkaline substances or bicarbonate alkalinity in the pool water. There are two common problems pool owners have to deal with the total alkalinity of their pool water. These are low and high total alkalinity. TA must be kept at around 80-120 ppm so that it won’t lead to the rapid change of the pH level. In order to make sure that the total alkalinity is within the acceptable range, and then it is important to test the alkalinity of the pool water regularly.

If the TA is low, it could result to corrosion of metal parts in the pool heater, pole .It could also cause etching of the plasters and tiles which could also result to the staining of the pool’s surfaces. Staining could cause green water, burnt eyes and itchy skin. More importantly, the pH level would experience rapid fluctuations making it difficult to stabilize. In order to raise the ph total alkalinity, it is important to not cause rapid pH fluctuations. This can be done with the use of sodium bicarbonate as it could raise the TA without affecting the pH balance. Before doing the treatment, it is important to calculate first how much bicarbonate should be added to the water. In common practice, one kilo of sodium bicarbonate should be added per 50,000 liters of water every four days until the acceptable TA range is satisfied. The only problem is that it could take some time before the ideal TA range is effectively reached.

On the other hand, a high TA could speed up the level of pH that even a pH-down might not be enough to put it down. Once the TA is too high it could turn the water into cloudy which could irritate the eyes and skin. More importantly, it could make the chlorine less effective in eliminating algae and the pool water needs more acid. Just like rising the level of TA, lowering the TA also takes a lot of time and could last for weeks. It can be treated using acid shocks combined with the addition of pH-down. In order to make it effective, it is important to turn the pumps off so the added liquid settles to the deepest bottom part of the pool. Wait for the acid to settle in the water before turning the pumps on so that it could aid in effectively diluting the acid all throughout the area. Afterwards, the pH-down is added lowly in the pool. It takes around three days for the acid and ph_down to lower the TA, so a new application must be done after such period. A two-week regular application of the acid must be done to ensure that the TA is lowered to its preferred range. If the problem seems to go overboard, it is important to look for professional help as they could determine the right amount of acids that must be use.



Written by Freddie Edith Jami