How a Borate/Bicarbonate Buffering System Works - Rudy (sitting in for Wayne)

If you've ever wondered why your pool's pH seems to have a mind of its own, bouncing up and down despite your best efforts, you're not alone. The secret to stable pool chemistry lies in understanding something most pool owners have never heard of: buffering systems. Think of them as invisible guardians working around the clock to protect your pool's delicate chemical balance.

The Fort pH Battle: Understanding How Buffers Work

To truly grasp how buffering systems work, pool expert Rudy uses a brilliant military analogy that makes this complex chemistry surprisingly easy to understand:

Imagine you had a fort. That is Fort pH and you want to protect it. So you send out troops and you establish a front line. Let's say there's something coming that risks lowering your pH. This is where we build up our front line of bicarbonate troops. As those things come through, the bicarbonate troops takes out as many of them as it possibly can.

— Rudy, Talking Pools Podcast

This military metaphor perfectly captures what's happening in your pool on a molecular level. Your buffering systems act as soldiers, sacrificing themselves to neutralize threats that would otherwise wreak havoc on your pH levels. When acid rain hits your pool, when you add muriatic acid, or when organic matter breaks down, these 'troops' spring into action.

The beauty of this system is in its sacrifice. As Rudy explains, the bicarbonate uses itself up in the process of protecting your pH, but it's a worthy trade-off. Without these defenders, even small chemical additions or environmental factors would send your pH careening out of the safe zone.

The Bicarbonate Buffering System: Your Pool's First Line of Defense

Most pool owners are familiar with total alkalinity, even if they don't fully understand its role. Total alkalinity is essentially your bicarbonate buffering system in action. This system works by maintaining a balance between carbonic acid (weak acid) and bicarbonate (conjugate base), creating a chemical equilibrium that resists pH changes.

The bicarbonate buffering system excels at preventing downward pH drift. When acidic substances enter your pool – whether from rain, swimmer waste, or chemical additions – your bicarbonate reserves jump into action. They neutralize these threats by converting them into harmless compounds, though they consume some of your alkalinity reserves in the process.

For practical application, remember this key ratio: 1.4 pounds of sodium bicarbonate will raise the total alkalinity of 10,000 gallons of water by 10 parts per million. Maintaining your total alkalinity between 80-100 ppm gives you a robust first line of defense against pH fluctuations.

Borates: The Post-Pandemic Game Changer

While bicarbonate systems have been pool chemistry staples for decades, borates are experiencing a renaissance. The chlorine shortages and supply chain issues of recent years have pushed pool professionals to rediscover this 'ancient pool pro secret.'

Borates may very well be the new craze in the swimming pool industry post pandemic. It's as close to being the magic pill as anything has ever come before. It's not new. This is a rebirth. This is an ancient pool pro secret that's making its way back because the pool industry hit hard times with the chlorine shortage.

— Rudy, Talking Pools Podcast

Borates work differently from bicarbonate systems. While bicarbonate excels at preventing pH drops, borates specialize in preventing upward pH drift. This makes them particularly valuable because many common pool issues – from high pH sanitizers to alkaline debris – tend to push pH levels higher.

The borate buffering system operates with boric acid as the weak acid and tetra borate as the conjugate base. This system has a pKa value of 9.1, making it most effective at buffering pH changes between 8.1 and 10.1 – perfectly positioned to keep your pool in the ideal 7.2-7.8 range.

Beyond pH Control: The Hidden Benefits of Borates

While buffering capacity is the primary reason to use borates, the additional benefits make them incredibly attractive for modern pool management:

Borates will not only keep the pH from drifting upward, it does also serve as an algeostat. An algeostat prevents algae. It won't kill algae, but it will prevent it from becoming established. It prevents it from gaining a foothold, which is fantastic because if the borates handling the algae, that means the chlorine we put into the water doesn't have to mess with that.

— Rudy, Talking Pools Podcast

This algae prevention property is game-changing for pool maintenance. By preventing algae establishment, borates free up your chlorine to focus on sanitization and disinfection. This efficiency means your chlorine supply lasts longer and works more effectively – crucial benefits during times of chemical shortages or high prices.

Additional borate benefits include:

• Improved water clarity with that coveted 'Caribbean look'
• Softer, silkier water feel that enhances swimmer comfort
• Scale prevention properties
• Reduced chlorine degradation from UV exposure
• Enhanced overall sanitizer performance

Establishing Your Borate Buffering System

Setting up a borate system requires a significant initial investment, but the payoff is long-term stability. You have two main options for adding borates to your pool:

20 Mule Team Borax (Sodium Borate): Available in any grocery store's laundry aisle, you'll need 37 pounds to raise borate levels in 10,000 gallons by 50 ppm. However, this will significantly raise your pH and total alkalinity, requiring substantial acid additions to rebalance.

Boric Acid: The preferred method, requiring only 23.75 pounds to achieve the same 50 ppm increase in 10,000 gallons. While harder to find, boric acid causes less disruption to your overall water balance.

The target borate level is 30-50 ppm, with 50 ppm being the maximum recommended concentration. Once established, borates don't dissipate or degrade like chlorine – they only leave your pool through backwashing, splash-out, or leaks. This stability makes borates incredibly cost-effective over time.

The Perfect Buffering Trinity

For optimal pH stability, Rudy recommends combining all three buffering systems:

The best possible borate bicarbonate buffer system would have a total alkalinity of 80 to 100 parts per million, a cyanic acid level of 30 to 50 parts per million and a borate level of 30 to 50 parts per million no higher than 50 parts per million on the borate.

— Rudy, Talking Pools Podcast

This trinity creates overlapping protection:

• Total Alkalinity (80-100 ppm): Primary defense against pH drops
• Cyanuric Acid (30-50 ppm): Secondary pH buffering plus chlorine stabilization
• Borates (30-50 ppm): Primary defense against pH rises plus algae prevention

With all three systems in place, your pool's pH becomes remarkably stable, requiring minimal intervention even when faced with heavy bather loads, weather events, or routine chemical additions.

Practical Implementation and Testing

Before implementing a borate system, ensure you have the proper testing equipment. Standard pool test kits don't measure borate levels, so you'll need a specialized borate test kit or access to professional testing services.

When establishing your borate level, plan for the initial pH disruption if using borax. You'll likely need significant amounts of muriatic acid to bring your pH and alkalinity back into range after the initial borate addition. However, once balanced, your system will be remarkably stable.

Monitor your borate levels periodically, especially if you notice increased pH instability. A sudden drop in borate effectiveness might indicate a pool leak, as borates will only decrease through water loss.

Conclusion: Embracing the Buffer Revolution

Understanding and implementing proper buffering systems transforms pool maintenance from a constant battle into a manageable routine. The combination of bicarbonate and borate buffering creates a robust defense system that keeps your pool chemistry stable, your water sparkling, and your maintenance costs down.

As the pool industry continues to face supply challenges and rising chemical costs, borates offer a proven solution that's been hiding in plain sight. By establishing proper buffering systems, you're not just improving your pool's chemistry – you're future-proofing your pool maintenance strategy.

The science might seem complex, but the results speak for themselves: crystal-clear water, reduced chemical consumption, and the peace of mind that comes from truly understanding your pool's chemistry. Your Fort pH will thank you for building such a strong front line of defense.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction - Thursday's with Wayne (Rudy Substituting)
• 02:30 How Buffering Systems Work - The Fort pH Analogy
• 08:15 Bicarbonate Buffering System Explained
• 12:45 Borate Buffering System and Post-Pandemic Benefits
• 18:20 Additional Benefits of Borates - Algae Prevention
• 22:10 Dosing and Establishing Borate Levels
• 26:30 The Perfect Buffering Trinity - Combining All Systems
• 30:45 Practical Implementation and Testing Requirements