Muriatic Acid Does temperature affect it?

[brmommy]

On Saturday my TA was 230 and my PH was 7.5. I decided to go ahead and put in 32 oz of muriatic acid this morning to start the process of bringing the TA down a little. I also turned the return eyeball up to help aerate the water to keep the PH up.

Last year when I watched a man pour 32 oz in, it was like a steam or smoke rising from the water as it poured. When I put it in this morning, I didn't see anything like that. Then a couple hours later when I tested the TA.....it hadn't changed any.

Does the colder temperature affect the acid as far as the reaction when it hits the water?

Wouldn't I have expected a little change in TA?

I used 28.3% - 18° muriatic acid.

 

[Charlie_R]

When you tested the TA, did you also test the pH? If you did, was there any change to that?

 

[duraleigh]

You didn't add enough acid to make any significant difference.

The correct way to lower TA can be found in an article in Pool School.

 

[chem geek]

32 fluid ounces of Muriatic Acid (your 28.3% Hydrochloric Acid) in 18,500 gallons would only lower the TA by 6 ppm so might not be measurable. As Dave noted, you need to follow the Pool School article on how to Lower Total Alkalinity.

 

[brmommy]

Most of what I read said to lower it slowly. I guess maybe I was trying to slowly. I'll check the PH again in the morning to see how it is.

 

[JamesW]

Last year when I watched a man pour 32 oz in, it was like a steam or smoke rising from the water as it poured.

That effect is highly dependant on the weather conditions and should not be a basis for assessing the strength of the acid.