There’s no particular time required for you to add baking soda to your pool as it can be added at any desired time and it can still do what it’s meant to do. The thing is, it is necessary to allow the baking soda to circulate after adding it to the pool for maximum effect.
However, another thing to be familiar with is how to administer it to your swimming pool. Let’s quickly look at the steps needed to be taken for proper baking soda administration.
Step 1. Test the water’s alkalinity: Get a test strip or an alkalinity titration test kit. Get an accurate measurement of your alkalinity level.
Step 2. Dip the tube provided by the test kit into your swimming pool up to elbow length. Bring it out and ensure the water is up to or not more than 25 milliliters to do the test.
Step 3. Put three drops of sodium thiosulfate in the tube: Gently squeeze the tube so it doesn’t come out more than it’s supposed to, as an inaccurate amount of thiosulfate is likely to change the results of the test. Stir or swirl the tube gently so the water and chemical become mixed appropriately.
Step 4. Add five drops of alkaline indicator into the mixture in the tube; after you do this, you’ll observe the color gradually changing to green. Swirl the tube very well until the entire bottle is green.
Step 5. Now, add the sulfuric reagent, a drop at a time, until the liquid becomes red in color. Make sure you count every drop you add to the water until it turns red. When it turns red, stop adding it. Take note: ensure you wear your gloves during this process.
Step 6. Multiply the number of drops by 10. This will give you the accurate amount of alkalinity present in your pool water. A swimming pool’s alkalinity level is supposed to be between 80 and 100 ppm. Anything lower than this is likely to cause scaling in your pool.
Step 7. Put 1.25 kg (1.25 lb) of baking soda per 10,000 US gallons of water. This addition will raise the level of alkalinity by 10 ppm. Now let’s say you want to increase alkalinity from 60 to 80 in a 10,000 gallon pool. You’ll have to increase the baking soda by adding 2.5 lbs of baking soda instead of 1.25 lbs of baking soda. Keep adjusting the values to know the accurate amount of baking soda to be added to your swimming pool. Also, take note that you must not add more than 2.5 lbs of baking each day.
Step 8. Go ahead and pour the baking soda into your pool. The baking soda is likely to make your pool cloudy at the initial stage of administration, but eventually your water will be back to normal. However, to avoid cloudiness, it is generally recommended that you pour the baking soda into the skimmer.
Step 9. Lastly, allow the water to sit for like ten hours and ensure the pump is on during this period for proper circulation. Test again to conform to the progress of the test.
Can you add baking soda to the pool during the day?
With each and every day that passes, more and more pool owners find natural ways to treat their pools, especially in raising alkalinity levels, and this in turn creates so many questions as to how to add baking soda to the pool, how much to add, and what time of the day is best to add baking soda.
Just as initially stated, there’s no particular time or hour which is more appropriate for you to add baking soda to your pool. You can add it at any time and it’ll still work the same way. However, it is recommended that you treat the pool at times when you won’t be using it. As you’ll have to leave the pool for ten hours before using it again, night time is more suitable.
If you’d like to raise the alkalinity levels of your swimming pool yourself, kindly check back to the initial parts of this article, where all the steps are stated, or hire the services of a water expert or chemist to get it done for you.
When should I add baking soda to my pool water?
It is necessary to add baking soda to your pool after you test it and confirm poor alkalinity or pH levels or after you start discovering some irregularities in your pool, like cloudy or foamy water. A bad water level can contribute highly to this, so it is important you take immediate action before things get out of hand.
The first move to make when you observe a problem in your swimming pool is to test it. Running a test in your pool is the only true way to know where the problem is coming from and what solution will be needed to solve it.
After testing, and probably finding out that the problem is an alkalinity and pH issue, this is when it becomes important that you administer baking soda as a means of treatment to the pool.
Do not add more than 2.5 pounds of baking soda a day to your pool. The recommended average to be added remains at 2.5 pounds, or else you might cause another problem for yourself by raising your alkalinity level too high.
Do I add baking soda to the skimmer or pool?
When you’re administering treatment to your pool, especially when you’ve not gotten enough experience, it is normal to be this way. As we proceed, we shall be looking at why it is preferable to add baking soda to the skimmer and not directly into the swimming pool.
Adding your baking soda directly into the pool will make it cloudy. However, this cloudiness soon disappears after some hours.
If you add it through the skimmer, there will be no cloudiness in the swimming pool.
It is also very important that you ensure your pump is running and allow the baking soda to circulate in the water for at least ten hours before using it. Even though the hours might have elapsed, test the water before going ahead to use the pool to know whether you need to undergo the process again or if it was a success, which wouldn’t need further treatment.
Can you add baking soda to a pool while swimming?
Unlike chemical solutions like chlorine, bromine, muriatic acid, and the rest, baking soda is not harmful. In fact, you can even start using your swimming pool immediately after adding it. But it is generally advised that you don’t need to put on your pump and ensure the water circulates. Test it after some hours to confirm the effect of the treatment before you go on to use it.
Getting into the pool immediately after treatment might not be the best option to take. After you administer your baking soda, allow it to do what it’s supposed to do inside the water before you use the pool again.
Can baking soda clear a cloudy pool?
The sight of your swimming pool going cloudy on you is really surprising and frustrating at the same time. You wonder what has been going on there, and you worry about your safety while using the pool. Even if it looks somehow safe, a cloudy pool is a big turn-off for most people.
Before you undergo any treatment measure towards solving the problem of your cloudy pool, it is important that you first know what the cause of the cloudiness is.
Common causes of a cloudy pool are low chlorine levels in the pool, poor pH and alkalinity balance, dead algae, dirt and debris, or poor filtration. Any of these can be the problem. The way to identify what the actual issue is is by testing the pool with a test kit.
It is after testing the swimming pool and confirming that the problem stems from low pH and alkalinity that you administer baking soda to solve it. The proper range for your alkalinity level should be between 80 and 120 parts per million.
Will baking soda clear a green pool?
Well, the answer is no. Cleaning soda will not clear your green pool. A green pool is basically caused by algae issues in your pool.
What is algae? Algae are living aquatic creatures that multiply in water and on warm sunny days. They are contaminants for your swimming pool, and in great numbers, they can leave your pool looking completely green and unsafe to use.
How do you remove algae from your swimming pool?
The best way generally recommended for removing algae is by shocking your pool with chlorine. A well-sanitized pool will not have algae growth; only poorly sanitized pools will harbor them.
The major reason why your pool is green is because of poor chemical levels. A bad water chemistry allows way for algae, bacteria and other contaminants to thrive.
