- 1). Take a sample of the water from the pool and test it for pH and alkalinity. Test kits normally come in two types, either paper strips or drops. When using the paper strips, dip them into the water sample, and observe the color of the strip and compare it against the color guide on the side of the container. For chemical drop kits, add the number of drops indicated by the manufacturer, put the cap on the water sample and mix the tubes by turning them upside down and right side up three times. Like the paper strips, compare the color of the treated water sample against a color guide.
- 2). Raise the alkalinity of the pool water to achieve a total alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm if it is less than 80 ppm. To adjust the alkalinity, every four days, add no more than 2.6 lbs. of sodium bicarbonate for every 20,000 gallons of pool water. Use an online calculator to estimate how much sodium bicarbonate to add to raise the alkalinity to the desired reading. For example, a 20,000 gallon pool with an alkalinity reading of 40 ppm would need at least 2.5 lbs. of sodium bicarbonate added, which can be added in one day. However, to aim for a more central reading of 100 ppm, after a four-day wait, plan to add an additional 1.2 lbs. of bicarbonate.
- 3). Pre-mix the sodium bicarbonate in a bucket of water and pour the premix into the pool.
- 4). Test the total alkalinity after four days to determine if you need to treat the pool water further. Even if you had already planned to add more sodium bicarbonate, test the alkalinity of the water before adding it.
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