20 Mule Team/Muriatic or Boric Acid?

[poolneophyte]

This is my second year as a pool owner and successfully followed the BBB method last year. I plan on adding borates to the water this year but would like to hear opinions on which method is better. Using 20 Mule Team Bora and muriatic acid would cost me around $76.00 and would consist of 14 boxes of 20 Mule Team and 4 gallons of MA. I can order a 55 pound pail of technical grade boric acid from Duda Diesel (http://www.dudadiesel.com) for approximately $105.00 (shipping included).

My instinct is to go with the boric acid and pay the $29.00 premium for ease of use and safety. The 55 pound pail of boric acid will also give me some leftover for adjustments later on. I also understand that BA is very stable and has a long shelf life.

So, I'm looking for opinions on which way to go. Are there any technical reasons that one method is better than the other?

 

[257WbyMag]

I think that this thread has your answer.

can-i-use-boric-acid-from-a-pottery-supply-company-t19810.html?hilit=boric%20acid

 

[JasonLion]

I vote boric acid. It is totally simple to use, there are no worries about handling large quantities of muriatic acid, and no need to think about keeping the borax/acid ratio correct.

 

[poolneophyte]

Thanks for the responses. I plan on ordering the boric acid from Duda Diesel. I checked prices with The Chemistry Store and AAA Chemicals and found that Duda Diesel has the best price. The product is granular technical grade and is manufactured by the American Borate Company.

I'll post the results after I add the borates.