What Is Muriatic Acid and When Do You Add It?
Muriatic acid is a widely used chemical in pool maintenance and other industrial applications. If you own a pool, then you know how important a balanced pH is for ensuring safe and comfortable swimming. But what exactly is muriatic acid and how does it work in a pool? This guide covers what you need to know about muriatic acid and its uses and how to handle it safely.
Read more: Swimming Pool Chemicals for Beginners
What is muriatic acid used for?
Muriatic acid is a diluted form of hydrochloric acid and is commonly used to fix your pool’s pH balance. However, it has other industrial and household uses outside of the pool, such as cleaning masonry and concrete, dissolving stains and mineral deposits, etching concrete for sealing, neutralizing alkalinity, and removing rust and corrosion on metal.
Let’s take a closer look at how muriatic acid works in a pool:
Why do pools need muriatic acid?
Muriatic acid helps to keep the water chemistry balanced by lowering the pH. And the correct pH balance is necessary to keep your pool and equipment clean and clear. If the pH level is too high, it can lead to cloudy water, scaling on pool surfaces, and lower chlorine effectiveness, so use it to support overall pool chemistry by lowering total alkalinity when needed.
What does muriatic acid do in a pool?
Muriatic acid lowers pH levels and helps prevent scale buildup and cloudy pool water. It also improves the chlorine efficiency in your pool for better disinfection action. Aside from this, muriatic acid helps keep your pool water balanced for a cleaner, more comfortable swim.
Is muriatic acid the same as hydrochloric acid?
Even though muriatic acid is essentially a diluted version of hydrochloric acid (HCl), the two substances aren’t exactly the same. Muriatic acid isn’t as pure, as it’s a slightly less concentrated version of industrial-grade hydrochloric acid.
This can sometimes lead to impurities in the substance that you wouldn’t find in HCI. Muriatic acid is also sold for consumer use, whereas pure hydrochloric acid is usually only available for industrial uses.
Related: Cyanuric Acid: What It Is and Why Your Pool Needs It
When to add muriatic acid to your pool
Adding muriatic acid at the right time ensures that it works effectively while maintaining safe water chemistry. Here’s when you should be adding it to your pool:
When are pH levels too high?
If your pool’s pH level is above the recommended range of 7.2 to 7.8, it’s too high. This is the time to add muriatic acid. Having a high pH can cause scaling, cloudy water, and ineffective chlorine sanitation.
How quickly does muriatic acid lower pH levels?
The time it takes for muriatic acid to lower the alkalinity in your pool will depend on a few factors. The size of your pool, water circulation, and initial pH levels can all affect how long it takes for muriatic acid to do its job. In most cases, you’ll see results within a few hours as it disperses through the water.
Can I add muriatic acid after shocking the pool?
Did you just shock your pool? If so, you’ll want to wait at least 4–6 hours after shocking your pool before you add muriatic acid. Adding both at the same time can create a dangerous reaction or make the shock treatment less effective.
Related: How Long After Shocking a Pool Until You Can Swim?
Safety precautions when adding muriatic acid to your pool
Regarding what is muriatic acid, it’s extremely important to prevent harmful exposure and accidental damage to your pool surfaces and equipment. Here’s what to keep in mind when adding muriatic acid to your pool:
How do you add muriatic acid to a pool?
To add muriatic to your pool safely, follow these steps:
- Wear protective gear, including gloves, goggles, and long sleeves.
- Turn on the pool pump to ensure proper circulation.
- Dilute the acid by slowly adding it to a bucket of water (never pour water into acid).
- Pour the mixture slowly into the deep end of the pool, away from pool equipment.
- Allow the water to circulate for at least 30 minutes before testing the pool water again.
Do I run the pump when adding muriatic acid to the pool?
Yes, make sure you run the pump as you add muriatic acid to your swimming pool. Keeping the pump running helps distribute the acid evenly throughout the water and prevents concentrated spots that could cause damage to your equipment and pool surfaces.
How soon can you swim after adding muriatic acid to your pool?
You’ll want to wait at least 30 minutes to an hour after you add the muriatic acid before swimming. If you added a large amount, test the pH to make sure it’s within the safe range before anyone gets into the pool.
Related: How Long After Shocking a Pool Until You Can Swim?
Visit the pros at GPS Pools for all your pool chemical needs!
Muriatic acid is important for keeping your pool’s pH in balance, but using it properly is essential for safety and comfort. Whether you need expert advice or high-quality pool products, GPS Pools has you covered.
Contact the pros today and let us help keep your pool clean and clear all year long!