pH Adjustment Calculator
Calculate exactly how much chemical to add to raise or lower your pool's pH to the ideal range.
Pool pH Basics
pH measures how acidic or basic your pool water is on a scale from 0–14. The ideal range for swimming pools is 7.2–7.6, with 7.4 being the sweet spot (matching the pH of human eyes and mucous membranes).
Low pH (below 7.2): Acidic water corrodes equipment, irritates eyes and skin, and causes chlorine to dissipate rapidly.
High pH (above 7.6): Basic water causes chlorine to become ineffective, leads to cloudy water, scale buildup on surfaces and equipment.
Formulas used: Soda Ash — 6 oz per 10,000 gal raises pH by 0.1. Muriatic Acid — 10 fl oz per 10,000 gal lowers pH by 0.1. Dry Acid — 13 oz per 10,000 gal lowers pH by 0.1.
Note: pH and total alkalinity are closely linked. If pH keeps drifting, check and adjust alkalinity first (ideal: 80–120 ppm). Alkalinity is the pH buffer.