muriatic acid

[CapMorgan]

I am using Pro team PH down liquid, is that the same as muriatic acid ?

Thanks,
CapMorgan

[J._McD]

NO, muriatic acid is some pretty nasty stuff to have stored for the small amounts that you would use and it is a "Pool" chemical and can do damage to your Hot Tub.

Simply put, there is no good reason to use muriatic acid in your Hot Tub.

Even though it is used for similar purposes in pool water it should not be used in a Hot Tub.

[CapMorgan]

Thanks J. McD

CapMorgan

[hottub.pool_boy]

I don't know if it's the same. Most likely it's dilluted quite a bit.

I like JMcd" answer to muriatic acid.

Generally, muriartic is found in gallon form and is NOT something you want hanging around.  

[Steve]

I agree it's not a great product from a safety standpoint but that could be said for a number of chemicals in pools and spas.

I've always recommended muriatic acid for customers on well water with alkalinity readings of 500+. It lowers it very quickly without the huge amounts of granular acid required further increasing already high TDS levels. In proper dosages and handled properly, this product can work very well and not damage hot tubs.

I'm unsure of the product you are describing but it sounds like a form of muriatic other than the concentration could be less as mentioned.

Steve

[Brewman]

Muratic Acid, eh?  
My tap water isn't quite 500, closer to 400, but I have to add almost 20 ounces of PH decrease (Sodium bisulphate) to get into range.
Isn't that product used to etch concrete or something?

I'll have to look into that stuff one of these days.  Maybe for my next water change.  

[Bonibelle]

That is a product to eat concrete...it will etch it so that paint will stick, it cleans up brickwork and is beastly. I had a friend splash a little in her eye using it in her pool...very bad ending and not worth the risk.  :-/, if you ask me.

[Tatooed_Lady]

Brewman, I'm using muriatic to lower my TA....so far I'm at almost 2 cups (adding about 1/4 cup at a time), and my TA is starting to show up on the test strips instead of being WAY off the charts....I'm told by the dealer that I will use so much less of this stuff than the granular for the same results, that it's very much worth it in my case.
I know it's acid, and that it's nasty stuff....but if I don't go haywire, store and handle it carefully....I figure it'll be worth the trouble.

[Bonibelle]

OK then but wear safety glasses, no kiddin....

[Brewman]

Brewman, I'm using muriatic to lower my TA....so far I'm at almost 2 cups (adding about 1/4 cup at a time), and my TA is starting to show up on the test strips instead of being WAY off the charts....I'm told by the dealer that I will use so much less of this stuff than the granular for the same results, that it's very much worth it in my case.
I know it's acid, and that it's nasty stuff....but if I don't go haywire, store and handle it carefully....I figure it'll be worth the trouble.

Wow, and I thought my alk was up there!
Out of curiousity, have you had you tap water tested for alk?  If so, what was the reading?
The test strips won't tell you until you get closer, I use a liquid test and have to add almost 40 drops to get a color change (10 ppm per drop).  
I can see in your case why you'd want to not use the granular.  
What sanitizer system will you be using?  
If it's bromine and MPS, know that one or the other of those will pull your alk and ph down, so ironically, you may end up sooner or later adding increasers.

[Tatooed_Lady]

I've only used the strips to test my water....it's nasty, straight from the tap.....those strips you can get by the water softeners in stores immediately wound up off the chart when I tried to test the hardness...
I've got 2 bottles of test strips, 4 part and 6 part....and I've been comparing the identical ones (pH, free chlorine, TA), and found that they're normally CLOSE, but not the same....so I've been averaging.
I was simply told that when the pH starts coming "into range" (120-180) to stop adding the acid, and start adding the pH down product to fine tune....I did that this morning (about 2 1/2 oz of pH down) and the TA is FINALLY reading somewhere at the mid-high range for TA on the strips...the pH is around 7.6, if I remember right...but it's getting a LOT closer now, so I can be more patient. Plus, I don't trust the strip reading 100%, so I don't want to go overboard on chemicals)
Anyhow, I just added the N2 and some dichlor to kickstart it...

I'll be using the 3 part system of dichlor, N2 and ozone to keep things clean...I've also got Oxy Shock (MPS?), but I'm not sure if I'll use that regularly or not...we'll see.

[galen]

A tip TL, Use smaller amounts of Mauriac acid. And wait a day to test again. If you don't wait, you will be casing the PH. I see no harm in using Mauriac acid. As long as its in small amounts. People with pretty good water can use store bought PH adjuster, but people on wells or real hard water, you will find that Mauriac acid is the answer. $3.00 for a gal. and using a tablespoon at a time, well you see the savings.

[Tatooed_Lady]

dealer suggested 1/4C at a time, since they're pretty aware of what the water quality around this area is. It's a 500 gallon tub, to boot. Basically, it was:
1/4 C, wait at least 3 hours, test, add 1/4 C, wait 3 hours, test.....I got antsy and wanted to soak, so was given an option on how to make that possible.....then went back to 1/4 C, wait.....I'm just glad that I'm seeing results now.
I've kept track of how much I used, so next water change I'll know about how much to work with....turns out, even with a little different issue than most I've seen on here, I still have enough knowledge/help to get through this!