How do you add muriatic acid?

[mohawk]

I've read different posts on using muriatic acid and was wondering if people usually mix this acid with water first, or add it straight to their pools. I'm kind of scaried of this stuff-I don't want to get burned-and the label doesn't tell me any info on how to disperse it. I'm a short person and my walls are 52", so my arm doesn't reach very far into the pool. Any help? Denise

[sevver]

I just hold the jug right above the waterline in front of the return jet and pour it in slowly. Be careful, eye protection probably is not a bad idea.

[KurtV]

Denise,
Wear gloves and some kind of eye protection. You can dilute the acid by pouring it into a bucket of water by that doesn't really seem any safer to me (if you do, remember to always add acid to water, never the converse).

I just pour it slowly, and from just above the surface of the water, into a return stream. It will quickly disperse and be diluted from there.

The biggest problem with MA for me is the fumes; those can be very harsh. The easiest way to deal with the fumes is to keep the acid downwind of you.

Don't be scared of it but do keep a healthy respect for what it can do to you, especially to your eyes and lungs.

[cwstnsko]

I always pour my acid into a measuring cup before adding it to the pool, otherwise I always seem to overdose. I normally spread mine around over the deepest section of the pool with my pump on high speed. As others have said, watch the wind direction, the fumes are nasty, be careful not to splash it on yourself or anything else, and rinse immediately if you do

[mas985]

To avoid spilling the acid, I mark the gallon jug at one pint increments. I calibrated a paint stick with markings for each pint using an empty jug and water. That way I know how much I am adding without having to use a measuring cup.

I add it slowly in an arc around the return but fumes never seem to be an issue for me.

[mohawk]

Well I went ahead and used the acid. It scared the beegeezees out of me when the white smoke vapors started coming out from under the cap when opening. I'll see what the ph is in a little while. Using a measuring cup sound interesting because I was only guessing with the amount. Denise

[sevver]

That is all I ever do is guess, I have gotten pretty good at it too. But I am heading to Walmart here after a while for another batch of bleach so I may pick up a measuring cup and I would like to start keeping track of things. The MA scares me too, especially now with one eye, I am healing with the other one, but I tell you not having one is aweful, and not having any would be unbearable, protect your eyes at all costs. This stuff is Hydrochloric Acid, very potent stuff.

[waterbear]

I put my plastic measuring cup on a plastic cafeteria type tray so if I spill any I can just throw the whole tray right into the pool. (with an inground pool it's easy...just push it in.)

[Donna's Poolboy]

I've never pre-mixed or diluted the acid simply because I feel like I'd be handling it one extra time and thus one more chance for a spill or splash. I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but I always open the jug outside next to the pool rather than inside the garage where I store it. Again: fumes, spills and splashes inside the garage--that would be bad.

Plus, acid washed jeans aren't cool anymore!

[newpoo]

When I first started using M. Acid it was if I were going into space. I had so much protection on I had a difficult time moving. It took me 30 minutes to add one cup of the stuff. As time went by I began to wear less and less stuff. So one day after church I remembered that I needed to add a cup (you guys no were I'm going with this) So instead of changing first I went out grabbbed the jug and started pouring in the deep end. Replaced the cap and went inside, seconds later my wife screamed at me was I alright , I looked at her and asked what she was talking about. She pointed to my pants and all I could do was stand there in amazement. Without my knowing the acid had splashed up my pant legs and totally ruined my slacks. Let's just say my new nickname is Neil Armstrong.