How to Balance Your Pool Water: pH, Alkalinity, Chlorine, and Calcium Explained

Balancing your water when in the process of using your AquaDoc Pool Opening Kit.

Balanced water is the key to a clean, safe, and enjoyable pool. If your water is out of balance, it can lead to cloudy water, algae, skin and eye irritation, and even long-term damage to your pool liner or equipment.

Before adding anything from your AquaDoc Pool Opening Kit, it’s essential to check and correct these four core levels:

1. pH
2. Total Alkalinity
3. Free Chlorine
4. Calcium Hardness

You can use test strips included in your AquaDoc kit or go a step further by using a digital pool tester like Eagle Ray for more accurate readings.

Step-by-Step: How to Balance Your Pool Water

1. Test the Water

Use test strips or a digital water tester to check your current levels. Make sure to collect your sample from at least elbow-depth in the pool for best results.

2. Adjust pH First

Ideal Range: 7.2 to 7.6

If your pH is too low, your water is acidic and can corrode surfaces and irritate skin. If it’s too high, you may get cloudy water and scale buildup.

• To raise pH: Use a pH increaser like AquaDoc pH Up or sodium carbonate
• To lower pH: Use a pH reducer like AquaDoc pH Down or diluted muriatic acid

Make small adjustments, then retest after a few hours of circulation.

3. Balance Total Alkalinity

Ideal Range: 80 to 120 ppm

Alkalinity acts as a buffer for your pH. If it’s too low, your pH will fluctuate. If it’s too high, adjusting pH becomes difficult.

• To raise alkalinity: Use baking soda or AquaDoc Alkalinity Booster
• To lower alkalinity: Add diluted muriatic acid slowly with the pump running

Always balance alkalinity before adjusting pH, since they affect each other.

4. Set Your Chlorine Level

Ideal Range: 1 to 3 ppm

Chlorine is your main sanitizer. If levels are too low, bacteria and algae can grow. If they’re too high, it can irritate swimmers and damage pool liners.

• To raise chlorine: Use AquaDoc Quick Dissolving Shock, chlorine tablets, or liquid chlorine
• To lower chlorine: Simply wait and let sunlight reduce the level naturally

Always test before swimming and before adding other chemicals like algaecide.

5. Correct Calcium Hardness

Ideal Range: 200 to 400 ppm

Low calcium levels can cause your water to become corrosive and damage pool surfaces. High levels can lead to cloudy water and scale buildup.

• To raise calcium: Add calcium chloride
• To lower calcium: Partially drain and refill the pool with fresh water

Recommended Order of Adjustments

1. Test your water
2. Adjust total alkalinity
3. Fine-tune your pH
4. Balance your chlorine
5. Fix calcium hardness if needed

Helpful Tips

• Run your pump while making chemical adjustments
• Wait 4 to 6 hours and retest between each adjustment
• Never mix chemicals directly
• Log your results weekly to track trends and avoid surprises

Maintain Crystal Clear Water All Season

Once your pool water is balanced, your AquaDoc opening kit will work more effectively and give you a smooth, clear start to the season. Regular weekly testing and maintenance will help you avoid issues before they start.

For faster testing and tracking, consider using a digital water tester like Eagle Ray in combination with AquaDoc balancing products. Together, they make pool maintenance easier, more accurate, and less stressful.