Any disadvantages to using dry acid?

[NoPool4U]

After a few bad experiences at my pool store, I am now purchasing my chemicals from Home Depot. It's close and they have everything I need, except for one thing: muriatic acid. However, they do have dry acid, which should work just fine. Now, just to make sure, I was wondering if there are any bad side effects to dry acid? I know chlorine in powder form messes with the CYA levels, so before using acid in powder form, I wanted to verify it is ok to use:

Active ingredient is sodium bisulfate (93.2%). What do you think? Safe for regular use?

Thanks so much!

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Check the stone/concrete section not pool section, they should have the acid there if they carry it.

The dry acid adds some sulfur but I don't recall what form it takes over time.

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[bobodaclown]

Not sure where you're at but in Florida HD sells MA in 2 Gal pack in the garden center.

 

[NoPool4U]

I am actually located in southern CA. I will try the dry acid but will check the stone/concrete section for MA. The pool section is indeed in the garden center; I could only find the 2 gallon liquid chlorine pack but no MA.

 

[chem geek]

Dry acid will build up sulfates which at higher levels can be damaging to plaster/concrete surfaces (see Sulfates - what's the problem? and Sulfates why so bad?).

 

[PJ]

Dry acid is more expensive than muriatic. We get our acid from a plumbing supply store (at a very cheap price).

 

[jjslinger]

Also, check the paint section, sometimes they have it there.

Don

 

[Stuamurr]

Cept for large local authority pools, it's all I ever use for acid, and cannot report any problems with it. I have known about the sulphate increase, but in my experience it is negligible, Muriatic Acid is certainly cheaper and more effective, but that can be balanced with the easier storage and handling of Sodium Bi-sulphate.

 

[chem geek]

At the maximum limit of 300 ppm given by one of the references, you'd need to cumulatively add around 31 pounds (around 2.6 gallons) of dry acid per 10,000 gallons (equivalent to around 2.9 gallons of full-strength Muriatic Acid which is 31.45% Hydrochloric Acid) with no water dilution.

 

[juzzie]

Not all chlorine in powder form changes CYA levels.

I don't believe calcium hypochlorite changes CYA levels.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Not all chlorine in powder form changes CYA levels.

I don't believe calcium hypochlorite changes CYA levels.

Correct - however it does raise Calcium Hardness levels which can eventually lead to scaling.