Pool, Spa & Water Treatment Chemistry worked example

Acid Demand Alkalinity Correction with current total alkalinity of 70 ppm: a worked example

This worked example runs the acid demand alkalinity correction numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: current total alkalinity of 70 ppm instead of the typical 140 ppm. Estimate remaining alkalinity correction after acid demand treatment and aeration recovery planning.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Current total alkalinity: 70 ppm (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 140)
  • Target total alkalinity: 90 ppm (held at the documented default)
  • Reduction from planned acid dose: 35 ppm (held at the documented default)
  • Reduction from second scheduled dose: 0 ppm (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Remaining correction = current alkalinity - target alkalinity - planned reduction - additional scheduled correction.
  • Remaining alkalinity correction works out to 0 ppm at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Target plus planned reductions works out to 125 value at these inputs.
  • Current alkalinity works out to 70 value at these inputs.
  • Utilization works out to 0 % at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where current total alkalinity sits at 140 ppm and the headline result is 15 ppm, this scenario comes in 100% below the baseline at 0 ppm.
  • Use it when planning a staged acid treatment to lower high total alkalinity toward its target without overshooting. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Remaining alkalinity correction: 0 ppm (headline result)
  • Target plus planned reductions: 125 value
  • Current alkalinity: 70 value
  • Utilization: 0 %

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Acid Demand Alkalinity Correction calculator, set current total alkalinity to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.