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The key to any chemical additive being used to control pH is a little perhaps not so fundamental chemistry. They are all buffers. That is the description of a chemical combination of compounds — such the sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate/carbonic acid series — which has certain pH ranges in which the pH changes very little in response to other things — such as dissolved carbon dioxide — which try to push it around. What happens with adding a buffer when one wasn't present previously is the pH will change fairly quickly with small amounts of addition until it reaches the buffering range. Additional buffer additions at that point will result in only small changes in pH. To use numbers: let us suppose we have a buffer with a stable range of 8.5 to 9.0, and our initial condition is around 6, but no buffer present (not an unusual situation for well water). We add some buffer, and let's suppose for argument that we find that four teaspoons brings us to 8.5. We are now "in range" for that buffer and that water chemistry — and adding four more teaspoons will do almost nothing. And four more. And four more. And… we can add the whole dang box and maybe drive it to close to 9.0

Problem. In doing so, we also raise the total dissolved solids of the water, and that has bad effects.

Bottom line. If you feel the need to add a buffer — Rectorseal, Surge-X, whatever — add just enough to get your water in range — and then stop. Don't add any more! You have to test after each addition — a chemist would murmer about titration and inflection points, which is designed to impress the laity — but the idea is… add a little. Test. Add a little more. Test. In range? STOP!