Hello. Total newbie with a new pebble swg. Dumb question- since I read muriatic acid is a little harder to handle, can I use dry acid instead? If there any difference other than cost?
Total newbie: dry acid versus muriatic
- Thread starter Hbrod
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,973
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Dry acid can be used, but we generally don't recommend it due to sulfates and related side effects it can cause. Liquid muriatic acid is extremely powerful, efficient, and effective with no side effects. When used safely and in recommended doses (using PoolMath) it's the best way to adjust pH/TA. Hope that helps.
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Helps very much..thanks. so I will just sit back and wait for my husband to ruin the pavers with acid etching haha
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,973
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
All the brands have a watered down version that’s half strength. You’ll need twice as much but for $10 a jug it won’t break the bank.
Look for any mention of Green, low odor / fume, or Eco on the bottle.
if the pool aisle is empty the paint aisle at any hardware store or home center should have it.
Look for any mention of Green, low odor / fume, or Eco on the bottle.
if the pool aisle is empty the paint aisle at any hardware store or home center should have it.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,290
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here 
Dry acid adds sulphates to the pool, which can show up as scale on an SWCG, and do not contribute to anything beneficial, so I'd advise against it.
There are a few tricks and some knowledge that make muriatic easy to handle.
The fumes are bothersome but won't hurt you because you notice them instantly and avoid them. Being upwind when you open the jug is a good idea. Watering it down 50/50 pretty much eliminates the fumes if you like (you can save your first empty jug, so you only use marked containers). You can buy 15% instead of 32% which achieves the same but costs more for the same pool acid demand.
If you splash a little on your skin, there's no reason to panic. Just rinse it off within a few minutes. If you don't rinse it off, you'll get a little pinch spot on your skin eventually which will feel like a burn.
Getting even a drop in your eye is very bad news, so it's best to wear eye protection if a splash is possible. Sunglasses, eyeglasses, saftey goggles, whatever your preference.
Also, for safety reasons, store it apart from your chlorine, and use separate measuring stuff. Muriatic mixed with liquid chlorine makes dnagerous gases, so never combine the two.
Drops will leave marks on clothes just like bleach marks.
Incidentally, if you happen to get dry acid on your skin and it's sweaty, you have the same issues because it dissolves so quickly. Gloves are always an option as well.
Dry acid adds sulphates to the pool, which can show up as scale on an SWCG, and do not contribute to anything beneficial, so I'd advise against it.
There are a few tricks and some knowledge that make muriatic easy to handle.
The fumes are bothersome but won't hurt you because you notice them instantly and avoid them. Being upwind when you open the jug is a good idea. Watering it down 50/50 pretty much eliminates the fumes if you like (you can save your first empty jug, so you only use marked containers). You can buy 15% instead of 32% which achieves the same but costs more for the same pool acid demand.
If you splash a little on your skin, there's no reason to panic. Just rinse it off within a few minutes. If you don't rinse it off, you'll get a little pinch spot on your skin eventually which will feel like a burn.
Getting even a drop in your eye is very bad news, so it's best to wear eye protection if a splash is possible. Sunglasses, eyeglasses, saftey goggles, whatever your preference.
Also, for safety reasons, store it apart from your chlorine, and use separate measuring stuff. Muriatic mixed with liquid chlorine makes dnagerous gases, so never combine the two.
Drops will leave marks on clothes just like bleach marks.
Incidentally, if you happen to get dry acid on your skin and it's sweaty, you have the same issues because it dissolves so quickly. Gloves are always an option as well.
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