Total Alkalinity – To avoid undesirable changes in the pH level the alkalinity
must be maintained in the ideal range (near 100 ppm). Total alkalinity helps to stabilize the pH of the water so that chemical treatments or environmental conditions will not rapidly raise or lower the pH to a damaging level. Such changes can also occur after adding large doses of chlorine, since one form of chlorine may have a very low pH while another a very high pH. If the pH of your source water is high or low, consult with a pool professional to select a type of chlorine or sanitizer that makes sense for your water and the environmental conditions.