Adjusting Ph with muriatic acid

[Tim239]

The general guidance I have read regarding the process for pH adjustment using muriatic acid states that the acid should be pre dispersed in a (comparatively) small volume of water before adding it to the pool. Why is this important? It seems unlikely that adding the acid to a couple of gallons of water containing a 'few' ounces of acid that will then be added to a pool with many thousands of gallons of water is really very different than just adding the acid directly --- at least from a volumetric perspective. What am I missing here?

Tim

 

[scottts]

I can't see an advantage to pre-dilution and it just makes you pour a potent acid twice. Double the risk.

 

[mknauss]

From Recommended Chemicals in Pool School
Muriatic acid should be added to the pool by pouring slowly in front of a return jet with the pump running. You should pour slowly enough that pouring an entire jug takes more than two minutes. Leave the pump running for at least 30 minutes after adding muriatic acid.

NEVER pre-dilute muriatic acid prior to adding to the pool. This just increases the risk of spillage and exposure.

 

[Richard320]

I hope you aren't reading that advice here. Most here advocate handling acid as little as possible, which eliminates diluting it first. Just trickle it into the return stream while the pump is running and it'll dilute and disperse quickly.

 

[tim5055]

Tim (good name by the way), you will drive yourself crazy trying to mix/match internet guidance on pool care.


Safety first. Wear old clothes and eye protection.

I like to get in front of a return on my hands & knees and splash a little water on the pool deck. Then open the acid bottle and partially submerge it in the water. Tilt the bottle to pour the acid in at close to water level, but don't let the bottle get submerged.

I don't measure because it's an additional step for me to spill the stuff. Remove the bottle from the water and set it down in the puddle on the pool deck while you replace the cap. Try not to breathe the fumes..

Guess a little low on amount you need, then test again after it circulates well. You can always add more.

 

[Tim239]

Thanks for the responses! Your comments mirror my thoughts exactly. This approach never made sense to me for exactly the reasons mentioned in your comments. However recognizing that I am relatively new to caring for our pool myself I thought that perhaps I was missing some obscure consideration. With the information I've gleaned through this site I am convinced my pool is being taken care of better now than it ever was with any of the services I hired in the past.