How to Balance the pH in Your Spa

Posted by Admin

Spas are all about relaxation and taking your mind off of daily grind of life. To make sure you’re worry-free during your spa time, take some time to learn a little about the pH and total alkalinity (TA) levels. It’s a tough job keeping your life balanced and pool chemicals balanced, so you really do need that spa. We’re here to help you better understand just how to balance those chemicals.

Preferred pH

This scale measures your pool pH levels. The sweet spot for your pool is between 7.2 and 7.8. Anything above a 7.8 is considered too basic or too alkaline. High pH levels will result in cloudy, blurry spa water, which is certainly not the desired appearance. Below 7.2 and your spa is too acidic. This is extremely problematic because it’ll cause damage to your spa and can potentially cause your eyes to burn. Keep the relaxation in your spa and balance that pH.

Total Alkalinity

The key to balancing your pool’s pH is using total alkalinity. TA serves as a buffer between you and pH levels. Without controlling your TA levels, you’ll never be able to control the pH levels. Your TA levels should almost always be in the ballpark of 80 to 120 parts per million (ppm). Bringing these the TA back to these levels is the first and foremost step in balancing your pH levels.

How to Solve an Imbalance

You’ve found an imbalance in your pH levels in the spa, what now? Well, this is circumstantial to each pool so we’ll break it down in scenarios:

Low pH and low TA: Add a pH increaser that both increases the pH and the TA. Retest the water and the low levels will vanish.
High pH and high TA: Add a pH decreaser that will decrease both the pH and TA. Retest the water and the levels will mellow out.
Low pH and high TA: This may sound backwards, but your first step will be to add a pH decreaser in order to lower the TA levels. Once the TA is normal, add a pH increaser that won’t affect the TA. Once your pH level is also normal, it’s time to relax.
High pH and low TA: First, you’ll need to add a pH decreaser to get the pH in its ideal range. Next, add an alkalinity increaser to reach normal TA levels. This won’t affect your pH level and you’ll be ready to dip in.

pH and TA levels can be tricky, but relaxing definitely isn’t. You work way too hard to not enjoy your spa. Keep the pH in check and you’ll be able to dip into your spa, kick your feet up and enjoy a refreshment. End your evening on a great note in your spa and avoid the hassle of too much or too little acidity. Do what you can to enjoy your spa as much as possible, because you deserve it. Happy relaxing!