My pH is unstable, why is this?

Let's first take the time to understand what pH is.

The pH of your pool water is crucial to ensuring healthy, enjoyable swimming. When the pH is unbalanced, it can lead to problems such as skin irritation, cloudy water, and algae blooms.

pH measures the acidity of water. It ranges from 0 to 14, where 7 is neutral. For a swimming pool, the ideal pH range is between 7.2 and 7.6. This parameter can be easily tested with test strips or an electronic tester.

If the pH is too low the water will become irritating or even corrosive, you will use pH+ to increase the pH level of your water.

If the pH is too high, the water may become cloudy, but more importantly, disinfection products will not be effective and the water will be unfit for swimming. You will then use pH- to lower it.

Despite your efforts, you are unable to achieve a stable pH between 7.2 and 7.6

It’s time to tell you about TAC, also called Total Alkalinity.

Total alkalinity is a measure of water's ability to resist changes in pH. It acts as a buffer that keeps the pH stable. A well-balanced alkalinity allows the pH to remain within the ideal range (between 7.2 and 7.6). Generally, an alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm is considered to provide a relatively stable pH. Just like pH, this parameter can be easily tested with test strips.

If the alkalinity is too low, the pH can become unstable and fluctuate rapidly. This can result in acidic water, which can irritate the skin and eyes. It will then be necessary to add Alka up (also called Tac+) to increase the alkalinity level.

If the alkalinity is too high, the pH can become too alkaline, making the water cloudy and promoting the formation of limescale deposits. The alkalinity can be lowered by regularly adding PH- (according to the dosage intended to correct the pH of your pool), making sure to space treatments 2-3 days apart. By constantly influencing the pH, the TAC will eventually decrease.

In summary

Although it may be tempting to attempt to correct pH directly by adding pH- or pH+, we strongly recommend that you first measure and correct your alkalinity level. Correcting your alkalinity level will make regulating your pH much easier and will also avoid having to purchase large quantities of pH-/Ph+.