HELP - Ascorbic Acid treatment - I have a problem

[waterbear]

add about a pint and then test the pH a few hours later. If it has not come back down enough add another cup to pint and test again. How much to add really depents on how high (or low) your TA is at this point.

[gerri]

My TA is very high, over 220. I need to test again to get a really accurate reading but I know it is very high.

I will add some MA tonight. Do you wear goggles and saftey gear when using it? I'm really scared of it.

[KurtV]

...I will add some MA tonight. Do you wear goggles and saftey gear when using it? I'm really scared of it.

You should wear safety glasses or a face shield and gloves (almost any will do), avoid breathing the fumes, and keep it away from other chemicals but it's nothing to be scared of. With those safety precautions and a healthy respect for strong acids, you'll be fine. You can also dilute it in some pool water in a bucket before adding it to the pool (always add acid to water, never the other way around), but I don't think that's necessary.

[waterbear]

Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) IS a chemical that deserves respect but should not be feared. You probably use things just as dangerous every day. Ever use Draino? It's lye, every bit as dangerous as muriatic acid. Ever use liquid toilet bowl cleaner....active ingredient in most of them is hydrochloric acid. Ever put gasoline into your lawn mower? Do you know how explosive gasoline vapors are? The biggest danger in using muriatic acid is fear because that leads to accidents. You should respect it and take safety precautions but if you are afraid of it don't use it! You can use sodium bisulfate (dry acid, pH decreaser) instead. It is easier to use but still a dangerous chemcal. Rubber gloves and eye protection are always a good idea when working with chemicals. Keep pets and children away from the area while you work with it. And remember that if you get any on yourself you can just jump into the pool to wash it off quickly. The most important rule is NEVER ADD WATER TO ACID...ALWAY add the acid to water.