Squeeze bottle lid to add muriatic acid—alert me to dangers

[DuaeGuttae]

I tried an experiment this morning when I needed to add muriatic acid to the pool. I took off the lid to the gallon and screwed on a lid from a Gatorade bottle that I bought once for a sick child. The threads seemed to fit perfectly. This particular lid opens and closes with a turn of the top piece and dispenses liquid through a hole. I really preferred using this to dispense my acid (a job I really dislike but is quite necessary and frequent in my high calcium, SWCG pool). After I had dispensed the proper amount (I use a kitchen scale to weigh it), I removed the lid, rinsed it in the pool, and put the safety lid back on the gallon. What dangers am I likely to run into if I do this? I like this system better than the pour-through-pencil-sized-hole-in-the-seal method I have been using, but I don’t want to be doing something unsafe. Please advise.

Thank you.

 

[Richard320]

The more handling, the more chances that you'll slop some acid on yourself, your favorite T-shirt, or the deck around the pool. And trust me, it doesn't take much acid very long to burn white spots in old concrete. All I did was set a damp jug on the concrete for a second. Soon as I saw the fizz I slopped pool water on it. It took three years to fade to match the rest.

 

[tstex]

Dua, that's a lot of work as compared to my remove the cap, pour it in, close cap and done. It only took me 10 words to apply my MA And you typed almost a paragraph.

As stated, more handling, more chances of error...open, pour, close...done

 

[Killer95Stang]

Measure in cup, pour in pool and slosh the water around.... More you handle it and transfer it around, the more chances for an accident.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

I think I did use too many words and confused everybody.

I’ll try again.

Unscrew official lid. Screw on Gatorade squeeze top. Dispense directly into pool. Remove Gatorade lid. Rinse. Close jug with official lid.

Basically I’m looking for someone to alert me to dangers of using this other lid, like it’s not strong enough plastic and the MA will eat right through it or something.

I appreciate folks taking a look at this for me.

 

[duraleigh]

If you unscrew the official lid and gently lower the bottle partially into the pool water, you can pour out the approximate amount you need with NO splash chance of any kind.

Your idea of the pour spout is a good one but I don't think you are lowering the bottle partially into the water which negates the need for the spout.

 

[tstex]

If you unscrew the official lid and gently lower the bottle partially into the pool water, you can pour out the approximate amount you need with NO splash chance of any kind.

Your idea of the pour spout is a good one but I don't think you are lowering the bottle partially into the water which negates the need for the spout.

+1 As stated before: take orig cap off, pour slowly as you walk up wind to disperse, reapply cap and you are done...take a cap off, then putting on another one, taking off, putting back on orig...if you were dispensing diluted miracle-grow, no problem if you spill. But M-Acid, too many steps for a simple process and your adding 100% add'l steps for error...good luck

 

[DuaeGuttae]

If you unscrew the official lid and gently lower the bottle partially into the pool water, you can pour out the approximate amount you need with NO splash chance of any kind.

Your idea of the pour spout is a good one but I don't think you are lowering the bottle partially into the water which negates the need for the spout.

Thanks, Dave. You’re exactly right that I’m not using the water to float the jug because I’m usually adding the acid through a safety net (a grid of about 4 sq. in. holes). I’m able to pour through the holes (the net provides support) but using the spout definitely seemed even easier to control. Do you see any reason why it would be dangerous to use this alternate lid if I keep the acid stored with the official lid and rinse the squeeze lid immediately after use?

Thanks for helping me think about this.

 

[zea3]

You would have a little risk of drips landing on your safety cover, so you may want to keep a bottle of water and some baking soda on hand to neutralize any acid that drips on it. As long as you continue to put the original cap back on the MA bottle it should be ok. Check your spout cap for warping before each use. If it starts to warp it will leak when you tip the bottle.

 

[JamesW]

That type of lid won't allow air into the container. That's why you need to squeeze the bottle. Squeezing the bottle creates pressure that can lead to a squirt if the lid comes loose.

I would avoid the squeeze top.

 

[Arizonarob]

Find a funnel that rests on top of your safety net. Pour your MA into the funnel and then a quick rinse of water and your done. You can grab a heavy duty funnel in the automotive dept at Wally World.

 

[zea3]

Find a funnel that rests on top of your safety net. Pour your MA into the funnel and then a quick rinse of water and your done. You can grab a heavy duty funnel in the automotive dept at Wally World.

And running plain water through it after would prevent acid drips on your net.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Thank you for the thoughts.

I had suggested a funnel to another user but hadn’t thought to check an automotive department for one for myself. Thanks for that. If I pour into a funnel, does that significantly increase the risk of breathing fumes or having them blow into my face, or would it be about the same with a slow enough pour? I try not to add acid when it’s windy, but it’s never completely still on our high hill.

Zea, I do try to make sure that no acid gets on or stays on the net. I keep a two-gallon watering can of air conditioning condensate at hand and water the area whether I’ve seen any drips or not. I have baking soda in the house but not immediately at hand. Should I keep some with me to neutralize, or should rinsing be sufficient if it’s abundant?

Muriatic acid is the chore I dislike most about pool ownership, I think. I am thankful, though, that my TA has come down to about 70, and the pH rise has slowed. It’s been hot and dry, though, and I have no more rain water to top off the pool, so I’m back to my TA 290 tap water. If my pH even goes to 7.7, I’ll see the beginnings of scale on the SWCG. This is why I remind myself that muriatic acid is my friend, even if it’s an intimidating (or downright scary) one.

Thanks for helping me with ideas to add this stuff to my pool.