Decrease Alkalinity

Decrease Alkalinity

Do not reduce alkalinity more than 20 ppm at a time. The acid dose shown in this calculator will reduce your alkalinity from your current (left side) to your desired (right side) chemistry on the calculator. It is your responsibility to limit the reduction to 20 ppm or less. If you have to reduce TA by more than 20 ppm, divide up the acid doses over several days. Reducing alkalinity is not a race.

The ideal way to reduce alkalinity is with diluted acid that can slowly metriculate through water as it sinks, neutralizing alkali before getting to the bottom of the pool. So always dilute acid! The more dilution, the better (minimum dilution is 10:1 with water in buckets). "Column pouring" or "slugging" acid is a bad practice that damages pool surfaces and equipment. Always dilute acid.

This calculator also does not recognize if you are adjusting both pH and alkalinity at the same time. It only recognizes the difference between the left and right sides of the calculator.

If you are lowering both pH and alkalinity, only lower alkalinity.

If you are lowering alkalinity and trying to raise pH, lower the alkalinity with diluted acid and aerate the water to raise the pH.

Learn how to properly reduce alkalinity here.