muriatic acid and the navigator

[Sanman023]

hello all...am i suppose to take the navigator out when treating the water with muriatic acid...i am hoping that it will not damage the vacuum...just a small dose every 4 hours....i just started the first dose....thanks

[TizMe]

I would think the water would dilute the acid so it doesnt damage your navigator. Someone who knows more about should be along shortly to give stronger advice about it.

[JasonLion]

If you pour the muriatic acid slowly in front of a return (with the pump running) it will mix into the water very quickly and shouldn't pose a problem for the navigator. If you pour the acid somewhere else, it can pool on the bottom for a short period before it mixes in completely (acid is denser than water). If the navigator were to go over a puddle of nearly full strength acid it could be damaged.

What are you trying to achieve by adding a small dose of acid every four hours? I haven't heard of that particular treatment.

[Sanman023]

my alkalinity is too high and small doses is just so its not too concentrated...i followed procedure...poured in front of the return while the system is running...thanks for your all your advice...

[JasonLion]

You might want to read our lesson on lowering TA at Pool School. It is best to add acid based on PH test results, rather than regularly every four hours. That way you go as quickly as you can, without getting the PH so low that it can cause problems.

If you are trying to lower TA then take out the navigator since you need to drop your pH farily low...arund 6.8 to 7.0. once you have your TA where you want it put the cleaner back in.
You can add the acid faster than every 4 hours or you will take forever to lower the TA. I would add about a pint per 10k gallons every 30 minues in front of a return if I were being cautious.

[Sanman023]

thanks...i will read the pool school section...

the doses was per leslie's pool's directions after they check my water.....i have to do 3 doses 1 per every 4 hours and bring the water back for them to test it...each does is 32 fluid oz...

Get yourself a good testkit with the FAS-DPD chlorine test (NOT the DPD test) and start testing your own water!
pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison

You will save a lot of money in the long run and we are here to help you learn.
Reading pool school is a good place to start...read everything in it, read it a second time, then post any questions you might have or things you don't understand and we will hellp you figure it all out!

[JasonLion]

The Leslie's procedure makes a lot of assumptions. In the real world their procedure can have you adding way too little acid or way to much acid depending on several details about your pool. Adding too little acid is not so bad, but adding too much acid could bring the PH down to unsafe levels.

[Sanman023]

i will read every section tonight and buy another test kit....i have a basic kit right now....i have a couple of months to get the water balanced...i will report back...thanks..

i have a couple of months to get the water balanced...i will report back...thanks..

I find this statement puzzling. Depending on what your particular water balance issues are you might have time to adjust them or they might be something that needs immediate attention to prevent damage to your pool.

[Sanman023]

im trying to get everything balanced asap....just seems like it takes time...

here is the leslie's test last week...

chlorine - 1.0
water ph - 7.8
total alkalinity - 140
calcium hardness - 260
cyanuric acid - 100

seems like my ta and cya is way off....im hoping the muriatic acid will take the ta down....

[JasonLion]

The high CYA level is a more serious problem than the high TA level. Getting your CYA level down is going to require replacing water. Replacing water will change all of your other levels, so it is usually best to do that first.

[Sanman023]

how much water should i replace before retesting.......20%?

[JasonLion]

You should aim to replace 50-60% of your water (a little less than that if you have a SWG).