Easy Ways to Raise the pH of Water for Drinking, Swimming & More

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Increase pH for your drinking water, aquarium, pool, or plants
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Water typically has a neutral pH around 7, but added minerals and chemicals can cause it to drop into acidic levels. We talked to science, aquarium, and plant experts to find out everything you need to know about raising the pH of your drinking water , fish tank , pool , or hydroponic system . By mixing simple additives into your water, you can increase your water’s pH to your liking!

How do you increase the pH of water?

  • Drinking water: Add pH drops, baking soda, or an acid-neutralizing filter system.
  • Aquarium: Add crushed coral, limestone chips, macroalgae, and pH increasers.
  • Pool: Add soda ash, Borax, or try aeration.
  • Hydroponic system: Change the water, or add potassium hydroxide or commercial pH Up.
Section 1 of 4:

Increasing pH in Drinking Water

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  1. 1
    Test the pH of your drinking water before you adjust it. Retired science professor Chris Hasegawa, PhD, says that “the most accurate way to get a pH reading is with a pH meter, but if you don’t have one of those, you can use pH test strips.” [1] Dip the end of the pH meter or test strip into the water. Then, read the display or match the color on the strip to the provided guide to determine the pH of your water.

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Chris Hasegawa, PhD is a retired science professor and Dean at California State University Monterey Bay. He was also a biochemical researcher at the NIH.

    Marshall Stephens is an aquarium expert at Private Oceans Aquariums, where he specializes in captive-bred animals.

    Jovace Nelson is a landscaping expert and the CEO of VaceTime, an agricultural building management service.

  2. Mix alkaline water drops directly into your drinking water to increase the pH. Follow the dosing instructions on the label carefully to ensure your water is safe to drink. [2]
    • Packages of pH drops can be bought in health stores or online.
    • Use caution with these drops —they can cause burns if they come into contact with your skin.
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  3. Add ½ tsp (3 g) of baking soda to 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water to raise the pH of the water. Stir the solution together thoroughly, then test the water again. Add more baking soda if you want to raise the pH even more. [3]
    • This can be a fun science experiment, but don’t rely on it for hydration. Registered dietitian and nutritionist Jalpa Sheth recommends against regularly drinking baking soda water. “There are no health benefits to drinking a baking soda solution. Baking soda is high in sodium, which isn’t good for your blood pressure.” [4]
  4. Neutralizing filters contain calcite, ground limestone, or magnesium oxide and connect directly to your water line. As the water passes through the filter, the calcite raises the pH levels of your water. [5]
    • If you’re handy, you may be able to install the filter system yourself. But if you’re not comfortable working with plumbing, have a plumber attach the filter to your water line.
    • Neutralizing filters work well for raising the pH of well water.
    • Installing a filter can affect the hardness of your water, so you also need to install a water softener.
    • Maintenance tip: The filter media needs to be replaced every 2–3 years for the filter to continue working effectively.
  5. 5
    Avoid raising the pH of your drinking water above 9. The EPA recommends that drinking water fall somewhere between 6.5 and 8.5 pH. If you raise your water pH much above that, it will likely have a bitter taste. And while your body will naturally rebalance its pH quickly after drinking alkaline water, it could raise your pH to an unsafe level if you take proton pump inhibitors to reduce stomach acid. [6]
    • Is drinking alkaline water better for you? There’s no medical evidence that drinking alkaline water offers any additional health benefits above what you’d get from drinking water with a neutral pH. [7]
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Section 2 of 4:

Adjusting pH Levels in an Aquarium

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  1. According to aquarium expert Miles Sadowski, “The pH is the acidity or alkalinity of your water, and it can affect the health of your fish. Use a pH meter or pH strips to occasionally test the pH level of your water.” [8]
    • To use a pH meter: Dip the end of your pH meter into your aquarium. Keep the meter submerged until the numbers on the screen stabilize. Once you remove the meter from your aquarium, rinse the end of the meter with distilled water to clean it. [9]
    • To use test strips: Dip the test strip into the tank, then compare the colors to the chart that came with the strips.
    • What can drop your aquarium pH? Aquarium expert Luke Leskovisek says, “Adding organic material like driftwood to your tank can make the water more acidic.” [10]
  2. Use ½ cup (200 g) of crushed coral for every 20 US gal (76 L) in your aquarium to increase the pH. Place the crushed coral in a mesh media bag, then set the bag in your fish tank where there is a current, such as next to a filter. [11] It can take a few days before you start seeing your pH come up.
    • Crushed coral is dusty, so rinse it off thoroughly before adding it to the media bag.
    • If you don’t want to use bagged crushed coral, aquarium specialist Marshall Stephens recommends using “coral-based rocks or a coral-based substrate to increase the pH in your tank.” [12]
  3. Limestone is filled with sediments from carbonate material that naturally increases the pH of seawater. [13] Layer 1 in (2.5 cm) of limestone on the bottom of your tank. It may take a few days before you start seeing the pH come up in your tank.
    • Make sure your aquarium has a filter so the water can move through the limestone and spread the sediment. Otherwise, your aquarium will become concentrated in different areas.
    • Don’t use limestone in a saltwater tank. Aquarium expert Brian Blake says, “If you have saltwater fish, don’t add limestone—it will release calcium carbonate into the water, which is going to jack up your alkalinity and pH to make it a hard water environment.” [14]
  4. Macroalgae is a type of plant that gets rid of harmful algae and boosts your tank’s pH levels. Buy some macroalgae from your local aquarium store and set it on the bottom of your tank. The macroalgae remove high levels of carbon dioxide from the water to adjust the water’s acidity.
    • Macroalgae also acts as a great decoration and food source for your fish.
    • Trim macroalgae with a clean pair of scissors if it starts to become overgrown.
    • In a reef tank, macroalgae is especially useful for keeping your tank pH from dropping at night. Keep your macroalgae in a refugium (a special compartment in your tank) and run your refugium light at night when your primary tank light is off. Your macroalgae will consume CO2 during the night, and your corals and the algae in your display will consume CO2 during the day, stabilizing your pH. [15]
  5. 5
    Dose your tank with pH increasers . If your tank pH is too low, Stephens says you can use “pH increasers. Generally, the powdered forms are best because they contain minerals that will keep the pH high.” [16] Follow the dosing instructions on the label carefully, and monitor your pH with test strips or a pH meter to make sure it stays within a safe level for your fish.
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Section 3 of 4:

Balancing pH in Swimming Pools

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  1. Purchase a container of test strips online or from a pool care store. Dip the test strip into your pool and hold it in the water until the colors change. Compare the colors on the strip to those on the packaging to see the pH levels. [18]
    • Many pool test strips also measure chlorine and total alkalinity (how well your water resists pH fluctuations).
    • Need to know: The acceptable pH range of a pool is 7.2 to 7.8, but the ideal pH range is between 7.4 and 7.6. If your pool water is too acidic (below 7.2), you’ll need to raise the pH . Otherwise, the pipes, concrete, and pool equipment may start to erode, and swimmers’ eyes may become irritated. [19]
  2. Soda ash , or sodium carbonate, is similar to baking soda and can be used when your pool’s pH levels are low. Use 1 lb (450 g) of soda ash for every 10,000 gallons (38,000 L) in your pool to raise the pH by 0.3. [20] Pour the soda ash directly onto the water’s surface, and let it mix with your pool for 6 hours.
    • Soda ash will slightly affect your pool’s total alkalinity. If your total alkalinity is already high, you may need to try another method.
    • Test your pool’s pH levels weekly to see if it needs any adjustments.

    Tip: If you need to change the alkalinity after the pH is set, use 16 ounces (450 g) of baking soda for every 10,000 gallons (38,000 L) in your pool to raise the alkalinity by 7.14 ppm.

  3. Use an online pool calculator to determine exactly how much Borax you need to raise the pH in the pool. Once you find the amount you need to change your pH, pour the Borax directly into your filter so it mixes throughout your pool. [21]
    • Check the pH levels the next day to see if you need to make any further adjustments.
  4. Aerating your pool will remove carbon dioxide from the water. Leave the jets running for 2-3 days to circulate and aerate the water. The carbon dioxide will be removed from the water and raise the pH without affecting your pool’s alkalinity levels. [22]
    • Aerating your pool with jets is the easiest but most time-consuming method.
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Section 4 of 4:

Raising the pH in a Hydroponic System

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  1. 1
    Test the pH of the water in your system. Landscaping expert Jovace Nelson says that to test the pH of your plants, “you need a good tester. Leave the pH meter in the water while you make adjustments so you can continuously monitor the level.” [23]
    • The ideal pH level for a hydroponic (soilless) plant system is between 6 and 6.5. [24]
    • Check the pH of the water every day—ideally, at around the same time of day to ensure the most consistent readings. It’s a good idea to check the EC (or total salt concentration) of your water at the same time.
    • If you’re raising plants in soil, it’s probably easier to amend the soil than to raise the pH with water.
  2. 2
    Add more water to raise the pH. Nelson says, “Increasing the pH is often as simple as removing some water and then adding more. That’s probably the easiest way to balance it.” [25]
    • Test the pH of the fresh water you’re adding to your system. Typically, it will be around 7, or neutral, so adding more fresh water will gradually bring the level up.
  3. 3
    Add an alkali substance to adjust the pH faster. You can raise the pH in a hydroponic system by dosing the water with potassium hydroxide , potassium carbonate , or a commercial pH up product. Follow the dosing directions on the label carefully.
    • Add the products gradually—it’s easier to add more if you need to bring the pH up more, and it may stress your plants if you raise the pH too quickly.
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      References

      1. ↑ Chris Hasegawa, PhD. Retired Science Professor & Dean. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/is-alkaline-water-good-for-you
      3. ↑ https://www.sciencing.com/how-to-raise-ph-by-using-baking-soda-in-water-12258080/
      4. ↑ Jalpa Sheth. Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/cafe/fact-sheets/ph-acidity-of-private-drinking-water-wells
      6. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-alkaline-water-better
      7. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-alkaline-water-better
      8. ↑ Miles Sadowski. Aquarium Expert. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/lIX0ky1IBkM?t=114
      1. ↑ Luke Leskovisek. Aquarium Expert. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/GLilfCxfVF8?t=26
      3. ↑ Marshall Stephens. Aquarium Specialist. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/10/chemistry
      5. ↑ Brian Blake. Aquarium Expert. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ https://www.algaebarn.com/blog/corals/macroalgae-and-corals/
      7. ↑ Marshall Stephens. Aquarium Specialist. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ Marshall Stephens. Aquarium Specialist. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/mfDw_HFwE1c?t=46
      10. ↑ https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dphps/emb/PublishingImages/Pages/sanitarians/SectionEPoolandSpaManual.pdf
      11. ↑ https://collier.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/environmental-health/swimming-pools/_documents/2016PoolTechnicianManualEnglish.pdf
      12. ↑ https://youtu.be/jDZf78bGQ3c?t=79
      13. ↑ https://www.aquamagazine.com/service/article/15120369/using-air-and-acid-to-quickly-get-perfect-phalkalinity
      14. ↑ Jovace Nelson. Landscaping Expert. Expert Interview
      15. ↑ https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/electrical-conductivity-and-ph-guide-for-hydroponics.html
      16. ↑ Jovace Nelson. Landscaping Expert. Expert Interview

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