Adding baking soda to the pool is something owners do when it is time to maintain water quality.
However, there is a balancing act to maintain when it comes to a swimming pool and adding baking soda. If the wrong steps are taken, you can have a situation where there is too much baking soda in the pool and it does more damage than good.
To avoid putting too much baking soda in the pool, start by testing the pH level and make sure it is below 7.2. Next, add 1.25 lbs of baking soda, wait 24 hours, re-test the pH level, and only add more if it is still below 7.2.
The most common mistake pool owners make is to start adding too much baking soda in the pool from day one. There is no need to rush and it is not going to be a one-day process as you will want to adjust on the go.
This is why being patient is a must and having a good testing kit for the pool’s pH level is a must.
This is how you are going to make changes and get the type of results you are on the lookout for.
Here is more on how to avoid putting too much baking soda in the pool and what to consider.
How To Avoid Putting Too Much Baking Soda In Pool
1. Test the Water’s pH level
The first step is going to be to get a read on the water conditions.
You do not want to go into this process without having a good read of the water quality. This will make or break how well the baking soda works.
In general, you will want to test the water’s pH level.
This means taking a testing kit and using it to look at the precise pH level at that moment.
For the most part, what you are going to be looking for is to see whether or not baking soda is going to be a reasonable addition right away.
If the pH level is below 7.2, you can continue.
If not, you will want to look at another way to clean the water rather than adding baking soda as this is going to worsen the pH level.
2. Add 1.25 Lbs of Baking Soda
Let’s assume the pH level in the swimming pool is below 7.2.
If this is the case, you are going to be good to go when it comes time to start adding baking soda to the pool.
Your goal here is going to be to add 1.25 lbs of baking soda to the pool on day one.
This is all you should be doing.
Do not go past this number and at no point should you add more than 2.5 lbs of baking soda per 24 hours. This is too much for the swimming pool at once.
If you start with 1.25 lbs, this will give you enough data to react once you test the water again.
3. Re-Test the pH Level
You will now want to take the time to use the testing kit again.
At this stage, the goal will be to re-test the pH level and see what the new number is.
If it is still below 7.2 then you can add more baking soda to the pool. If not, you are going to want to stop right there as this is enough.
4. Add More Baking Soda If the pH Level Is Below 7.2
You are going to have to think about the testing kit for the pH level and the number it is giving back to you.
Only add more baking soda when you are sure about the pH level.
This is the only way you are going to get good results and the baking soda will do what it is expected to do. A lot of people don’t think about this and that takes away from how well the baking soda works in the swimming pool.
This is important due to how different parts of the pool work including the swimming pool pump.
Final Thoughts
These tips will make sure you do not have a situation where there is too much baking soda in the pool.
To avoid having too much baking soda in the pool, start by using a testing kit to see whether or not the pH level is below 7.2. If it is below, you can add baking soda. It is best to add 1.25 lbs of baking soda, wait 24 hours, and re-test the water to see if the pH level is still below 7.2. Continue to add more baking soda until this number gets close to 7.2.
This is when you will know the baking soda is going to maintain the pool’s water and is going to work as you want it to.
There is a thin line between the two and you will want to be particular about how much baking soda is added to the pool.
