Yes, but there is more to it than simply dumping in borax and baking soda, and pouring in plain household bleach.
Essentially, you use bleach to maintain chlorine levels, borax as needed to lower the pH, baking soda to increase alkalinity (water's resistance to pH change). But you will still need stabilizer (for outdoor pools), an acid if your pH goes up, and calcium if you have an in ground concrete pool.
Plus, you MUST have a way to test your pool water accurately, and must be able to determine correct doses.
This method was developed at PoolSolutions.com in the 90's and has been popularized at PoolForum.com and at Troublefreepool.com. Full explanations are available at those sites, and you can post questions at PoolForum.com and TroublefreePool.com. Other sites where this method is sometimes advocated include PoolSpaForum.com, Havuz.org and GardenWeb.
In general, this method is NOT accepted by the pool industry, since it emphasizes buying generic basic chemicals, and avoiding pool store brands and additives.
Yes, but it's not generally a good idea. Both will tend to raise your pH. If your pH is too low, add the borax first, to get it to at least 7.0. Then you can add baking soda, if you need to increase your alkalinity. BUT, you should check your alkalinity after you raise your pH -- it will be higher, and you may not need the baking soda.
A person can make a homemade pool algaecide by combining bleach, baking soda, and Borax. This shocks the pool and increases the pH if needed.
sock it with chlorine, bleach
It would be best to take a water sample to a pool store (such as Leslie's). They will run a computerized test which will tell you exactly which chemical to use and the proper order to place them in the pool. Be sure to tell them you have an above ground system.
No, that will not work. Use warm bleach and lots of it.
Yes, borax can be used to raise pH levels in a pool, but it is not recommended for raising alkalinity as it can affect the pH levels without significantly impacting the alkalinity. It is better to use baking soda or soda ash to raise alkalinity in a pool.
Standard laundry bleach works fine in a pool. You should be sure to get plain bleach, not scented. The chemical in bleach is exactly the same as the chemical in pool chlorine but is generally about half the concentration. Most bleach is 6% sodium hypochlorite while chlorine for pools is 10-12%. So generally you would use about twice as much bleach as chlorine. The amount you add must be determined using a test kit to determine your current level of chlorine. An online calculator to use to determine the amount of bleach to add is at http://www.poolcalculator.com. As an example, if you have 0 ppm chlorine now and want to raise it to 4 ppm in a 23000 gallon pool, you would need to add 196 ounces (about 1-1/2 gallons) of bleach. For more help maintaining your pool using standard products like bleach, baking soda, and borax, search on "bbb method."
how much chlorine do I put for a 1,718 gallon pool
Yes but you also need chlorine stabilizer (CYA) or the chlorine will be destroyed by sunlight in a very short time or you need to add the bleach in doses thoughout the day to maintain the chlorine level. Bleach is the same as liquid pool chlorine but at a lower concentration.
No, it is not recommended to use borax in a swimming pool treated with biguanide sanitizer. Borax can interfere with the biguanide's effectiveness and potentially create an unstable pool environment. It is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for maintaining the pool while using biguanide.
No, it is not safe to use bleach in your pool instead of chlorine. Bleach may contain other chemicals that can be harmful if not properly diluted or handled. Additionally, bleach is not designed for pool use and may not effectively sanitize the water or maintain the proper pH levels required for a swimming pool. Stick to using chlorine products specifically designed for pools.
You can add 5-10 pounds of borax for every 10,000 gallons of water in your pool. For a 30,000 gallon pool, you would need to add 15-30 pounds of borax to adjust the pH and alkalinity levels. Be sure to test the water after adding borax to ensure the levels are within the recommended range.