How much baking soda raises pool alkalinity?

About 1.5 lb of baking soda per 10,000 gallons raises total alkalinity roughly 10 ppm. Enter your numbers for the exact amount.

Baking soda or alkalinity increaser?

They're the same thing — branded "alkalinity increaser" is sodium bicarbonate, often at a markup. Plain baking soda works identically.

Will baking soda raise my pH too?

Only slightly. That's why it's preferred for alkalinity — it lets you fix TA without sending pH out of range.

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Pool Alkalinity Calculator

Low total alkalinity makes pH bounce around. Enter your current reading and we'll tell you how much baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to add.

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Balance your whole pool at once →Enter all your readings on one screen and get an ordered dosing plan — the full Water Report.

How to use it

Test your total alkalinity.
Enter it with your pool volume.
Broadcast the baking soda over the pool with the pump running; re-test after a few hours of circulation.

What total alkalinity does

Total alkalinity (TA) is your pH's shock absorber. Too low and pH swings wildly with every rain or chemical addition; too high and pH locks up and tends to drift high, clouding the water. The ideal band is 80–120 ppm (a touch lower, 60–90, for saltwater pools).

Baking soda vs. soda ash

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) raises alkalinity with only a small effect on pH — it's the right tool here. Soda ash raises pH sharply and alkalinity only a little, so don't reach for it to fix alkalinity.

Frequently asked questions

How much baking soda raises pool alkalinity?: About 1.5 lb of baking soda per 10,000 gallons raises total alkalinity roughly 10 ppm. Enter your numbers for the exact amount.
Baking soda or alkalinity increaser?: They're the same thing — branded "alkalinity increaser" is sodium bicarbonate, often at a markup. Plain baking soda works identically.
Will baking soda raise my pH too?: Only slightly. That's why it's preferred for alkalinity — it lets you fix TA without sending pH out of range.

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Built & reviewed by a working pool-service pro. Target ranges follow CDC MAHC, PHTA, and Taylor guidance. Doses are starting estimates — add a little less than the max, re-test, and confirm against your product label. Educational tool, not a substitute for a water test or professional advice.