Circulate water or not after adding Muriatic Acid?

[kennysacht]

I hear/read conflicting directives on how to add Muriatic acid to reduce TA/CA. Some say to turn pump on and recirculate the water and aerate, while others say pour in the acid and let it sit idle for up to 12 hours. What method do I use? Can anyone help me?

Thanks.

Kenny

[JohnT]

I hear/read conflicting directives on how to add Muriatic acid to reduce TA/CA. Some say to turn pump on and recirculate the water and aerate, while others say pour in the acid and let it sit idle for up to 12 hours. What method do I use? Can anyone help me?

Thanks.

Kenny

When you pour acid into the water, you can watch it sink to the bottom. Bad for liners, shells and plaster. It isn't effective for TA reduction unless you get the pH down to the lower end of the safe range for your pool, and then aerate to get rid of the carbon as carbon-dioxide gas. I wouldn't put acid in the pool without circulation at all.

[kennysacht]

Thanks John. How long until I re-test and add more acid if need be?

Kenny

[JohnT]

Thanks John. How long until I re-test and add more acid if need be?

Kenny

When I'm messing with pH, I go overnight before adding more or retesting. If you get in a hurry, you'll go past the number you're shooting for.

[kennysacht]

John:

I'm trying to reduce my total alkalinity (however my pH is at 8.2+). Do I still wait 24 hours? I had a phone tech/help guy at Arch (HTH) tell me that if I stirred up the acid, it would not lower my TA, but only lower my pH. What do you think? Also, my kids are asking me if they can swim when I'm doing this. Safe to swim?

Kenny

[JohnT]

John:

I'm trying to reduce my total alkalinity (however my pH is at 8.2+). Do I still wait 24 hours? I had a phone tech/help guy at Arch (HTH) tell me that if I stirred up the acid, it would not lower my TA, but only lower my pH. What do you think? Also, my kids are asking me if they can swim when I'm doing this. Safe to swim?

Kenny

After a couple of hours of filter running, you should be okay to swim. I check in the evening, then add acid, and then check and add (if needed) again the next morning. You need to read Ben's thoughts on TA reduction. I've personally experienced that they work, as have many others here. Basically you get your pH down, then aerate the water. Knock the pH back down and aerate some more. You are releasing CO2 into the air, which removes the carbon from the pool. It only works at lower pH though, and the process raises the pH when the CO2 is being gassed off, so you need to stay on the pH. Checking it 3X a day would probably be even better.