What is correct way to add acid to pool?

[waterbear]

My pH is drifting up and I'll need to add some muriatic acid. What is the correct procedure? Do I add thru the skimmer?
Do NOT add acid through the skimmer. This could damage your pump, filter, heater, and other parts plumbed into your equipment. Either dilute the acid in a big bucket of pool water, always adding the acid to the water and NOT the other way around, and distribute it around the pool or pour the acid SLOWLY into the stream of one of the returns going back into the pool if it is not too close to the skimmer.
I have a vinyl pool with SWG-is the dry acid better for this?
Muriatic acid is my first choice over dry acid but dry acid is fine. It is easier to work with but more expensive and add sufates to the water. Muriatic acid only adds chloride ions which reform as salt when they combine with the sodium hydroxide that is produced by the SWG, thus completeing the cycle of salt to chlorine back to salt again!
How long should I run the filter after adding?
Run it long enough to turn the water over in the pool at least once...for most pools this is about 4 hours. It also helps to brush the pool after adding acid or any other chemicals. This helps to mix and distribute it faster (and pools are never overbrushed....most are underbrushed so brushing is a good thing to do anyway).
Can I put my solar cover on soon after adding?
See above
How long do we wait to test again and how long after adding can we safely swim?
for retesting, ideally 24 hours since a lot of chemistry is happening when you adjust pH. If you want a rough idea give it a few hours but it may be different the next day!
As far as going in the water, give it a few hours and test. If the pH is ok then you can swim. It might be different the next day however so retest and readjust if needed.

Thanks!!

I ususally try to add acid in the morning and test it in the afternoon if I want to swim the same day. Hope this helps