Here are three pool chemicals you can stop wasting your money on right now: Number One: Alkalinity Increaser: This has just one active ingredient: sodium Bicarbonate, and Sodium bicarbonate is just baking soda. so adding baking soda to your water will raise your alkalinity levels. Number Two pH Increaser: This chemical's active ingredient is sodium Carbonate that's called soda ash or Washing Soda You can buy this cheaper alternative in the laundry aisle and use it to raise your pH. You can also use Borate AKA Borax to bring up your pH levels just make sure you get the pure form of these chemicals without any additives.

And number Three PH Decreaser: This is also known as Sodium Bisulfate or dry Acid PH decreaser helps to bring down high pH but you can also use muriatic acid for the same effect. If you already have muriatic acid on hand for cleaning surface stains or pool filters, then you can use that instead.