Can you add baking soda or ultra bleach to your salt water pool?

Baking soda raises the Total Alkalinty of the pool without really affecting the pH. Pool industry standards say 80-120ppm is normal. Soda ash or sodium carbonate is used to raise the pH without affecting Total Alkalinity. The importance of Total Alkalinity is if it is too low, the water seeking its dynamic balance will sacrifice components in the pool surface to satisfy its demand. If the pool surface has a slick or slimy feel to it but otherwise the pool water is clear, chances are the T/A is low and you are feeling the calcium hydroxide leeching out of the plaster. Run your thumbnail up the wall of the pool and look for a powdery deposit accumulating on your thumbnail.