PoolDose What order to balance pool chemicals
Alkalinity first, pH second, chlorine third, stabilizer last. PoolDose's Assistant applies that order to your readings, shows the dose for the first step that needs work and greys out the rest until you have re-tested.
Why does the order matter?
- Alkalinity is the buffer. If it is low, pH swings, so it goes first.
- pH next, because chlorine barely works when pH is high and stings when it is low (the app's own range is 7.2 to 7.6).
- Chlorine third, once the water can use it.
- Stabilizer last. It changes slowly and is easy to overshoot, so the guide says check it every few weeks.
How do I use the Assistant?
- Open Calculator > Assistant.
- Fill in the pool volume and your readings under Your test strip: measured and target for alkalinity, pH, free chlorine and stabilizer.
- Under Products on hand, choose your Chlorine source and pH- acid.
- Read the Correction plan. Each step shows a dose, says it is already on target, or tells you to fix the step above first and re-test.
The targets start at alkalinity 100 ppm, pH 7.4, free chlorine 2 ppm and stabilizer 30 ppm. Change them to what your equipment or pool builder asks for. Steps count as done when the reading is within 5 ppm for alkalinity and stabilizer, 0.1 for pH and 0.2 ppm for chlorine.
| Step | Measured to target | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alkalinity | 70 to 100 ppm | 2.55 kg (sodium bicarbonate rate, 1.7 g per m³ per ppm) |
| 2. pH | 7.8 to 7.4 | Fix the step above first, then re-test (would be 3.00 kg) |
| 3. Chlorine | 0 to 2 ppm | Fix the step above first, then re-test (would be 667 ml) |
| 4. Stabilizer (CYA) | 20 to 30 ppm | Fix the step above first, then re-test (would be 500 g) |
The greyed steps do not show their dose in the app; the amounts in brackets are what the same formulas give once the earlier step is done. Wait for the product to circulate, usually a few hours, re-test, and run the plan again.
How much do alkalinity, stabilizer and hardness need?
Alkalinity uses 1.7 g of sodium bicarbonate per cubic metre per ppm. Stabilizer (CYA) uses 1 g of cyanuric acid per cubic metre per ppm, so 0 to 30 ppm in 50 m³ is 1.50 kg. Calcium hardness is a separate product in Dosing, at 1.5 g of calcium chloride per cubic metre per ppm, and is not part of the Assistant.
What will the plan not do?
The plan only raises alkalinity, chlorine and stabilizer. If a reading is too high, the step shows as on target and nothing is added; lowering alkalinity or stabilizer means dilution or partial draining, which the app does not calculate.
Questions and answers
Should I adjust alkalinity or pH first?
How much baking soda raises alkalinity?
How much cyanuric acid do I add?
Why are the later steps greyed out?
More PoolDose guides
- How much chlorine to add to a pool
- How to calculate pool volume in gallons or litres
- How much acid to lower pool pH
- Pool LSI calculator: is your water aggressive or scaling?
- How much salt to add to a salt water pool
- A pool water test log, with a test strip scanner
- All questions about PoolDose
- Back to PoolDose