How much sodium bicarbonate is necessary to raise total alkalinity by 40 ppm in a 50,000-gallon pool?

To determine the amount of sodium bicarbonate needed to raise the total alkalinity by 40 parts per million (ppm) in a 50,000-gallon pool, it is essential to understand the relationship between the volume of water, the desired increase in alkalinity, and the chemical used.

Sodium bicarbonate increases total alkalinity in swimming pools, and it is generally accepted that adding approximately 1.5 pounds of sodium bicarbonate to 10,000 gallons of water will raise the total alkalinity by about 10 ppm.

In this case, to calculate the requirement for a 50,000-gallon pool:

1. Start by determining how many increments of 10,000 gallons are in 50,000 gallons. This pool contains 5 increments of 10,000 gallons.

2. For each increment of 10,000 gallons requiring a 10 ppm increase, we need 1.5 pounds of sodium bicarbonate. Thus, for 5 increments, that would be:

[

5 \text{ increments} \times 1.5 \text{ lbs} = 7.5 \text{ lbs}

]

to raise alkalinity by 10 ppm.

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