My CYA levels have been low or just within limits for months. This of course has a negative impact on my chlorine levels -lots of sunshine in the summer. I found Muriatic acid in Lowes & I used that a few days ago. It seems it's not the same as CYA... I tried to read my CYA level with the TFP kit. It's zero now. Is there another test for Muriatic acid? Do Muriatic acid and Cyanuric acid do the same thing?
Muriatic acid vs Cyanuric acid
- Thread starter Gregadaka
- Start date
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
Read up here ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
In a nutshell, CYA helps prevent chlorine from being degraded by the suns UV. and MA is used to adjust your pH.
In a nutshell, CYA helps prevent chlorine from being degraded by the suns UV. and MA is used to adjust your pH.
Muriatic acid lowers PH, and also TA. It has no effect on CYA. There's no test for muriatic acid that I know of.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,675
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Your CYA was 45 a couple months ago. So it may be below 30, but do not assume it is 0.
Buy stabilizer/conditioner at Walmart or Home Depot to add CYA to your water.
See Recommended Pool Chemicals - Trouble Free Pool
Buy stabilizer/conditioner at Walmart or Home Depot to add CYA to your water.
See Recommended Pool Chemicals - Trouble Free Pool
No, they are completely different things that just both happen to be acids. Muriatic acid is simply diluted hydrochloric acid used for pH adjustment. There is no test because once it is in the water it stops being muriatic acid. It just turns to salt.
Cyanuric Acid is weakly acidic molecule. It is a dissolved solid in the water and remains nearly indefinitely. It binds with chlorine to reduce the strength and also protects it from UV degredation.
That's a pretty thorough explanation Donldson, thanks so much! Now I'm going to have to raise my pH with Bicarb and still buy that Muriatic acid..
Anyway, lesson learnt
Not quite. Raise the pH with 20 mule team Borax. Please read "The "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. It is an essential step in learning how to manage your pool chemistry.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
You can raise your pH with aeration, and it won't affect your alkalinity. See here:That's a pretty thorough explanation Donldson, thanks so much! Now I'm going to have to raise my pH with Bicarb and still buy that Muriatic acid..
Anyway, lesson learnt
Aeration - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com