We have a SWG and I have to add about 3-4 cups of dry acid each week, usually 2 cups about 2 times a week. I don't add it all at once. I let the pH get up to about 7.8 then drop it to about 7.4. I was reading some other threads about dry acid adding sulfates. What is the result of sulfates in pool water. I can't really find any info about it anywhere. Should I consider switching to muriatic? I am kind of nervous about the liquid. How exactly do you go about adding the muriatic? What will I need, how do I mix it, how do I add it? Should i correct the pH differently than I do, start sooner and take it lower? Thanks for any info.
Adding acid regularly..questions about dry vs Muriatic.....
- Thread starter lorngraves
- Start date
At high levels, no one seems sure just how high, sulfates can damage plaster and the SWG cell.
Muriatic acid should be poured slowly in front of a return while the pump is running. You need to be careful not to breathe the fumes or spill it on your clothes or splash it in your eyes. It can be intimidating, but once you get used to handling it and knowing when to turn your head away and what way the wind is blowing it isn't so bad.
Muriatic acid should be poured slowly in front of a return while the pump is running. You need to be careful not to breathe the fumes or spill it on your clothes or splash it in your eyes. It can be intimidating, but once you get used to handling it and knowing when to turn your head away and what way the wind is blowing it isn't so bad.
In an earlier post, your TA level was on the high side -- around 140 ppm. Did you ever lower it? If not, then doing so can help reduce the rate of pH rise. Using Borates is another option, but I'd lower the TA first, to around 80 ppm, and see if that helps.
Richard
Richard
My TA is still on the high side at about 130 as of about 4 days ago. I am running my slide and 3 deck jets to aerate it and help bring it down. We turned on the heater today and the kids will be in it daily and I hope the slide and jets running will help bring it down along with the acid additions. I had it down to about 80-90 at closing and then I was not here at opening and they put in a lot of baking soda. I am going to tell them no more chemicals at opening and closing from now on and do them myself. They also added 8 more lbs of stabilizer and now I have a CYA of abut 90. Ugh!! I am going to backwash more often and for longer to help slowly bring that back down. Thanks for the help. I am still pretty new to this.
I opened a new bottle of MA yesterday, it was a bit humid (70%)... The cloud of fumes I swear chased me around the yard... It must have been funny to see me running around the yard followed by a mist...
Sarah's5,
Don't let the jokes mislead you. Muriatic is really pretty simple to handle. Don't open the jug 'til you get to the pool and pour it close to the water's surface so it doesn't splash. I've used nothing else for 5 years and have yet to get burned or ruin any clothes.
I Probably got a whiff of it maybe 2-3 times in that period......just use common sense and don't be intimidated by it.
Don't let the jokes mislead you. Muriatic is really pretty simple to handle. Don't open the jug 'til you get to the pool and pour it close to the water's surface so it doesn't splash. I've used nothing else for 5 years and have yet to get burned or ruin any clothes.
I Probably got a whiff of it maybe 2-3 times in that period......just use common sense and don't be intimidated by it.
You probably uses things just as 'dangerous' every day in your house such as drain cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner (some of which contain muriatic acid!)
Like Dave said, just use common sense and you will be fine. If you should spill any on yourself remember you can just jump in the pool to wash it off. Glove and goggles are never a bad idea when working with any dangerous chemical, bleach included btw!
The fumes are pretty strong and you don't want to be downwind of them. That is the main caution.
Also never add water to acid, always add the acid to the water. You can either pour it slowly into the return stream or dilite it in a 5 gal bucket of pool water first. Once it's dilutes there are really no fumes.
Besides the fumes dry acid is really no safer, when it dissolves in water it forms sufuric acid!
The way I add acid to my pool is I put the acid bottle and the plastic measuring cup on a plastic dinner tray (like you might find in a cafeteria) to catch any drips so they don't hit the deck, measure the acid I need into the cup, and either pour it slowly into the return stream after capping the acid bottle or, on a windy day, pour the acid into a big bucket of pool water so the fumes don't blow my way. I dip the cup into the pool to rinse it out. I have my hose nearby running so I can rinse off any spills or drips from the acid jug after capping it. If I spill any while measuring the tray catches it (hasn't happened yet but I have had some drips run down the acid jug into the tray instead of on the deck!). If there is any acid that did drip or spill into the tray I just push the whole tray into the pool.
One final trick, Opening the acid jug. They usually have a safety film over the opening when you first open them. I use a wooden skewer to pierce it a few times, dip the skewer in the pool to rinse, and use a gloved hand to remove the rest of the film. A quick dip in the pool to rinse off the film and you are good to go.
To dispose of the empty jugs i submerge them in the pool to fill them up and then empty them back into the pool (pour them slowly so it doesn't splash--remember there is still acid in there.) Once rinse out I toll them in the trash. Don't forget to rinse the cap off too.
One final safety note, remember to keep kids and pets away when you are using acid ( or ANY pool chemical for that matter!) I make sure my three dogs and cat are in the house BEFORE I break out the pool chems!
Hope this removes some of the fear you seem to have about muriatic acid and remember, this is just the way I do it, not the ONLY way.
BTW, if you are trying to lower your TA you should drop the pH to 7.0, then aerate to bring it back up to about 7.6, and repeat this until the TA is where you want it. Adding acid lowers TA, aerating brings the pH back up without bringing the TA up again.
Like Dave said, just use common sense and you will be fine. If you should spill any on yourself remember you can just jump in the pool to wash it off. Glove and goggles are never a bad idea when working with any dangerous chemical, bleach included btw!
The fumes are pretty strong and you don't want to be downwind of them. That is the main caution.
Also never add water to acid, always add the acid to the water. You can either pour it slowly into the return stream or dilite it in a 5 gal bucket of pool water first. Once it's dilutes there are really no fumes.
Besides the fumes dry acid is really no safer, when it dissolves in water it forms sufuric acid!
The way I add acid to my pool is I put the acid bottle and the plastic measuring cup on a plastic dinner tray (like you might find in a cafeteria) to catch any drips so they don't hit the deck, measure the acid I need into the cup, and either pour it slowly into the return stream after capping the acid bottle or, on a windy day, pour the acid into a big bucket of pool water so the fumes don't blow my way. I dip the cup into the pool to rinse it out. I have my hose nearby running so I can rinse off any spills or drips from the acid jug after capping it. If I spill any while measuring the tray catches it (hasn't happened yet but I have had some drips run down the acid jug into the tray instead of on the deck!). If there is any acid that did drip or spill into the tray I just push the whole tray into the pool.
One final trick, Opening the acid jug. They usually have a safety film over the opening when you first open them. I use a wooden skewer to pierce it a few times, dip the skewer in the pool to rinse, and use a gloved hand to remove the rest of the film. A quick dip in the pool to rinse off the film and you are good to go.
To dispose of the empty jugs i submerge them in the pool to fill them up and then empty them back into the pool (pour them slowly so it doesn't splash--remember there is still acid in there.) Once rinse out I toll them in the trash. Don't forget to rinse the cap off too.
One final safety note, remember to keep kids and pets away when you are using acid ( or ANY pool chemical for that matter!) I make sure my three dogs and cat are in the house BEFORE I break out the pool chems!
Hope this removes some of the fear you seem to have about muriatic acid and remember, this is just the way I do it, not the ONLY way.
BTW, if you are trying to lower your TA you should drop the pH to 7.0, then aerate to bring it back up to about 7.6, and repeat this until the TA is where you want it. Adding acid lowers TA, aerating brings the pH back up without bringing the TA up again.
Thanks everyone. I am going to finish my newly opened 10 lb tub of dry acid then switch to muriatic acid. I did recheck my TA this morning and it was down to 120, my pH was up to about 7.7 so I put in about 6 cups of acid to bring it down. I did 4 cups, then retested 2 hours later and it was about 7.5. Then I added 2 more cups. Have not tested again. The kids have the slide and 3 deck jets going so I am hoping that will help get the TA down.
Is it alright to measure the acid out into a plastic cup or should I use glass? I prefer not to have glass at the poolside, we don't allow anything glass on the pool deck. But I guess Mom can make an exception if need be! LOL!! And I never let the kids or dog out while I am adding chemicals, so no worries there.
Is it alright to measure the acid out into a plastic cup or should I use glass? I prefer not to have glass at the poolside, we don't allow anything glass on the pool deck. But I guess Mom can make an exception if need be! LOL!! And I never let the kids or dog out while I am adding chemicals, so no worries there.
Thanks everyone. I am going to finish my newly opened 10 lb tub of dry acid then switch to muriatic acid. I did recheck my TA this morning and it was down to 120, my pH was up to about 7.7 so I put in about 6 cups of acid to bring it down. I did 4 cups, then retested 2 hours later and it was about 7.5. Then I added 2 more cups. Have not tested again. The kids have the slide and 3 deck jets going so I am hoping that will help get the TA down.
Is it alright to measure the acid out into a plastic cup or should I use glass? I prefer not to have glass at the poolside, we don't allow anything glass on the pool deck. But I guess Mom can make an exception if need be! LOL!! And I never let the kids or dog out while I am adding chemicals, so no worries there.
Is it alright to measure the acid out into a plastic cup or should I use glass? I prefer not to have glass at the poolside, we don't allow anything glass on the pool deck. But I guess Mom can make an exception if need be! LOL!! And I never let the kids or dog out while I am adding chemicals, so no worries there.
Plastic is fine. I am somewhat imprecise by nature and have a large pool so I don't measure.
I can "eyeball" 1 qt at a time and the acid never leaves it's original container 'til it goes into the pool.
The latest I got even has a semi-clear jug so I marked 1 qt increments on the jug.
I can "eyeball" 1 qt at a time and the acid never leaves it's original container 'til it goes into the pool.
The latest I got even has a semi-clear jug so I marked 1 qt increments on the jug.
I have a set of plastic measuring cups (1 cup, 1pt., and 1 qt.) and a kitchen scale that can zero out a container placed on it that goes to 5 lbs. with my pool maintenance equipment .