Muriatic Acid vs Sodium Bisulfate

[ThatOneExcelGuy]

I have been pondering switching from muriatic acid to sodium bisulfate for a while. I prefer the precision afforded by dry substances (weighing is easier for me than volumetric measurements) as well as the reduced difficulty of storage. The “safety factor” really means nothing to me. My main concern with bisulfate is the accumulation of sulfates within the pool. I would be willing to purchase a testing kit, but I presume they would build up rather quickly given the generally alkaline nature of my pool.

I’d be lying if I said part of the appeal wasn’t having my pool balanced with purely sodium based chemistry.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JamesW]

I’d be lying if I said part of the appeal wasn’t having my pool balanced with purely sodium based chemistry.

Why?

 

[JamesW]

Hydrochloric is the best choice.

It's just hydrogen and chloride.

 

[ThatOneExcelGuy]

Why?

It’s mostly facetious. Something about the thought just makes me happy, which is why it was added as an addendum. I’ll continue using HCl (no matter how much it pains me .

 

[JamesW]

Knowledge of (non-pool) chemistry.

What type of chemistry do you know?

 

[Bperry]

It’s mostly facetious. Something about the thought just makes me happy, which is why it was added as an addendum. I’ll continue using HCl (no matter how much it pains me .

If you use or plan to use a SWCG in the future, the sulphates can damage it.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Sulfate build up is bad for may reasons. Chloride build up is less of a problem. However, you live in a very rainy part of the US where water is cheap and plentiful. If you leveraged off season precipitation (rain and snow(?)) to fill your pool, and if you could manage to use summer rains to replace pool water, then you could offset the sulfate buildup. However that would incur a penalty in terms of CYA and CH decreasing as well.

I think using dry acid properly (with water exchange) just winds up being more costly in terms of time and water management.

As the old saying goes, “there is no such thing as a free lunch…”

 

[ThatOneExcelGuy]

What type of chemistry do you know?

Organic and biochemistry (pharmaceuticals). Of course, there is overlap but it is not distinctly my area. I’d be more comfortable talking about the cytotoxins produced by algae than, say, the decomposition of various types of chlorine.

 

[ThatOneExcelGuy]

If you use or plan to use a SWCG in the future, the sulphates can damage it.

I do not plan on switching, which made that concern rather moot to me. I was more concerned about the various threats of increased corrosion.

 

[ThatOneExcelGuy]

Sulfate build up is bad for may reasons. Chloride build up is less of a problem. However, you live in a very rainy part of the US where water is cheap and plentiful. If you leveraged off season precipitation (rain and snow(?)) to fill your pool, and if you could manage to use summer rains to replace pool water, then you could offset the sulfate buildup. However that would incur a penalty in terms of CYA and CH decreasing as well.

I think using dry acid properly (with water exchange) just winds up being more costly in terms of time and water management.

As the old saying goes, “there is no such thing as a free lunch…”

Interesting. I have an automatic level controller that adapts whenever there is rain. I couldn’t give you a figure about how much this equates to in a given year (I’d have to check rainful records and do some math). I’ll probably just stick with HCl as was recommended.

 

[JamesW]

Have you considered going to a SWG?

 

[JamesW]

In some parts of Florida, the pool stores push sulfuric acid for some reason.

That would be more effective at reducing the pH with only half the sulfate buildup.

In any case, hydrochloric acid is usually the best choice.