You don’t have to shell out a fortune for fancy additives to manage your pool’s unruly alkalinity level. Good ol’ muriatic acid can lower your pool's alkalinity levels. Here's how.
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⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to How To Lower Your Pool Alkalinity
01:36 - What Is Muriatic Acid?
02:45 - How Alkalinity And pH Work Together
03:09 - How Much Muriatic Acid To Add To Your Pool
04:36 - Pool Care Video Course
05:16 - How To Add Muriatic Acid To Your Pool
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Swim University®️ has made swimming pool and hot tub care easy for more than 10 million homeowners. And each year, we continue to help more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting. We know taking care of a swimming pool or spa can be difficult. And it’s hard to find a trusted source of information. We get it! This is the reason we created Swim University®️.
😎 Visit our website for more in-depth information on swimming pool maintenance: https://www.swimuniversity.com/
💦 Get 10% off our pool maintenance video course and ebook by using the promo code VIDEO: https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-care-handbook/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description'>https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-care-handbook/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to How To Lower Your Pool Alkalinity
01:36 - What Is Muriatic Acid?
02:45 - How Alkalinity And pH Work Together
03:09 - How Much Muriatic Acid To Add To Your Pool
04:36 - Pool Care Video Course
05:16 - How To Add Muriatic Acid To Your Pool
🏊♂️ Our Favorite Pool Maintenance Gear: https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-maintenance/'>https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-maintenance/
📺 Subscribe to our channel if you want more information on swimming pool and hot tub maintenance: https://www.youtube.com/swimuniversity
Swim University®️ has made swimming pool and hot tub care easy for more than 10 million homeowners. And each year, we continue to help more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting. We know taking care of a swimming pool or spa can be difficult. And it’s hard to find a trusted source of information. We get it! This is the reason we created Swim University®️.
😎 Visit our website for more in-depth information on swimming pool maintenance: https://www.swimuniversity.com/
High alkalinity can cause damaging scale to form inside your pool's circulation system. Like your pool filter and your pool pump and your pool heater and high alkalinity can also mean high pH.. They tend to go hand in hand, but adding muriatic acid to your pool can help tame the wild alkalinity. The high alkalinity, the high pH..
All you need is a bucket some safety precautions and a step-by-step guide on how to do it. So, let's dive in. All right, quick disclaimer. When it comes to pool care.
I have to say this: everyone has a different way of doing it.. The following information is based on my personal experience in the pool industry plus the research we've done here at Swim University and, if I missed anything, I apologize but just leave a comment., Also we're talking about pool chemicals here and when it comes to pool chemicals. Safety. First, people, safety, first., We're talking about chemical resistant, gloves and goggles., Not just having them.
We want you to wear them and you can also use a chemical-resistant apron., An apron. Am I saying that right, Apron, apron and that'll help protect your clothes and your skin.. You know also it wouldn't be such a bad idea to get. You know one of those bane masks..
You know like those gas masks, because the vapors inhaling those vapors can also be damaging too. So if you're gon na be messing with pool chemicals, a mask would be super helpful Batman., It's my impression, I'm not very good at them. All right before we talk about adding muriatic acid to your pool to lower your alkalinity and pH what is muriatic acid. What's that sound, Nerd, alert., Believe it or not, muriatic acid can actually be found in the human stomach, and it goes by a different name as well, which is hydrochloric acid..
For this video we're just gon na call it muriatic acid.. Now, muriatic acid comes in many different forms.. When you are buying muriatic acid, you want to make sure that you get it at your local pool store because it is a different formula and before we actually use it. Just remember that alkalinity and pH with enough time will come down on their own, but you just don't want them high for too long'cause high for too long can cause scaling.
It can make your pump run harder. Your heater work harder, your filter system, work harder and that can cause long term damage. So we just want to make sure that the pH and alkalinity are always in the correct range. But again, if you are just on the brink of getting into the right area, if you just give it enough time, it'll come down on its own and you won't need to go messing with any acids..
So when you're lowering alkalinity in your water you're also going to be lowering pH. So if you have high pH but normal alkalinity, you can add an alkalinity decreaser or a pH decreaser, which is sodium bisulfate. But if you add those things they're gon na bring both down, so it's a good idea to get them both in the correct range and then bring them up or down together.. We are about to add muriatic acid to our pool to lower the alkalinity. However, before you go and add any chemicals to any pools, you want to test the water first to make sure that you even have to add any chemicals to the pool.. If you're, adding just chemicals, because you think the pH might be high, that's not a good enough. Reason. No you're gon na have to test it and you can test it in one of three ways..
You can either use test strips which are fairly inexpensive. You can get them at your local pool store and you can just pull a sample pool a sample. I get it. I know I did..
When you pull the sample from your pool, then you can use the test strip and dip it in wait about 15 seconds measure up to the colors on the back of the bottle, and you will know if you have high pH low, pH high alkalinity low alkalinity.. The other way you can do it is you can use a liquid test kit, which tends to be a little bit more accurate, but there's a lot more involved when it comes to testing or instead you can take a sample of your pool water and bring it Into your local pool store and have them test it for you and at that point you're already at the store, so you can pick up muriatic, acid or sodium bisulfate, which again is pH decrease.. Now we just want to know how much muriatic acid are. We gon na need to bring it down In order to do that, we have an online calculator..
Just go to this link at the bottom.. You could type in the readings that you get from your test and it'll. Tell you exactly how much to add.. You can also refer to our pool care handbook which has dosage charts..
Okay, this video is technically sponsored by our very own product called the pool care handbook and video course.. You can get it by going to swimuniversity.com/pool-care-handbook or you could just here's the URL here.. This is our fully illustrated eBook and video course teaching everything you need to know about taking care of your swimming pool, whether you're new to owning a pool or you've been doing this for a while.. It's a great resource.
You can always check back in and you can watch the entire course and get a huge crash course on taking care of your swimming pool.. We know we need to add muriatic acid to the pool, so we know how much muriatic acid we need to add to the pool. So how do we add muriatic acid to the pool? Do we just poor it in? Do we just get the jug and just poor all willy nilly splashing it around, Of course not we're smarter than that we're intelligent.? What we're gon na do to add. Muriatic acid is we're gon na add 10 parts of water to one part muriatic acid, and that is how we're gon na dilute it.
And what we're gon na do is we're gon na add these 10 parts of water to a bucket first, just a bucket of water, 10 parts and then we're gon na add one part of muriatic acid to that bucket of water and we're not gon na. Do it the other way around, because the other way around can cause splashing into our hopefully protected face with the goggles and the mask and the gloves and then we're gon na take a paint stirrer and we're gon na slowly mix the muriatic acid and the water Together and then we are gon na slowly, poor, that muriatic acid dilution solution into our pool and then finally, you've added the chemical you've done it did your pH come down. I will wait about an hour, maybe even more maybe the next day and retest your water. The same way, you tested it the first time whether it's with test strips or liquid test kits, or you brought it into your local pool, store. Whichever that way was that's your base, get it retested the exact same way, so that you know your pH and alkalinity. Actually came down. If I missed anything again leave a message in the comments letting me know.. I could do an update for sure and if you have any more questions, please go to swimuniversity.com..
That's it happy swimming.
I was told by many pool owners that the optimal ph is 7-7.2 because the chlorines effectiveness at a ph of 7.5 is only about 40%, one guy had his pool at 6.8 for that reason. I'd like to hear some additional opinions on that
Does this method work for above ground Intex inflatable pools, too?
My ph went down but my pp went up. I think someone spiked my muriatic acid with viagra.
What is the link for your calculator used to determine how much acid to add and is there a specific calculator app you use to calculate chlorine and salt and other additives that need to be adjusted? I have seen every pool service guy I ever hired measure and pour the muriatic acid into the pool from a measuring cup or right out of the container so why do you say its essential to mix it with water first? I assume the water you mix with is pool water? Lastly you didnt specify how much can be added at once and how long to wait in between when adding more. Can you plz elaborate?
Those test strips are EXPENSIVE
Should we run the pump after adding the muriadic acid?
Add a cup of muriatic acid wait an hour check the ph and go from there my god it's not rocket science
What you suggest for low alkalinity (107) and high ph (8).
Just pull your shirt over your nose and get low so it doesn't splash. then brush after. Add a gallon then check it. He makes it so hard lol dont add unless its at like 8.0 itll go down when someone pisses in the pool 😂
Very informative. Thanks
You say with the test strips we should wait for 15 seconds but the description says to measure within 15seconds. Which is which?
This dude is trying to make it rocket science I cleaned pools for a while and you dont need to do that. Just grab the acid slowly drip it into the pool you dont need to mix it and worry about splashing and stirring
Great information! Thank you.
What would cause the ph levels to become more alkaline assuming its the same water in the pool?
Bro you take along time to get to the point 🤦🏻♂️
Do you run your filter when you add MA? Are you in Ottawa ?
I have watched this video and have added a whole gallon of muriatic acid to my 24 ft pool and my ph and alkalinity is still high…it is green, so I'm trying to get my balance right before I shock it…..
I have low alkalinity and high PH
So, kind of confusing… what is high ph then? Does high ph mean high alkalinity levels, is it the same? Should I be using anything else other than muriatic acid to lower the ph or alkalinity levels? On my Taylor reactant test kit, its the complete one, why is there an additional test for alkalinity levels if ph is the same, I'm confused… please help!
Is “pooling” muriatic acid to lower just the TA still a myth? or has this been debunked now?? Service area Barrhaven??
I have the HTH test strips, my tests NEVER match up to ANY of the colors on the bottle. So I can't figure this stupid thing out!! It has a number to text a picture to as well, but that doesn't even work!
What happens if you get the stuff at walmart instead of a pool store? will it still work if I use a small amount?
What do you put your filter on ? When adding it
With every video about chemical adjustments could you please include a safe-to-swim time? It is hard to find info on "you can swim ? Hours after adding".
Thank you for your talk on muriatic acid. Your video demonstrates you adding muriatic acid mixed in water from a bucket to the edges of a concrete pool. I have an important question. You mentioned using muriatic acid to lower pH. I have an 11 year old, 28,000 gallon mineral springs salt water, vinyl liner pool with a pH of 7.9, alkalinity 50ppm requiring "45oz". of muriatic acid per pool store. Is it safe for my vinyl liner to add muriatic acid 2oz. at a time into a 2.5 gallon bucket full of water into my deep end off the diving board or will it damage my vinyl liner?? Please reply. Leny B
Is anyone going to talk about how great the Bane impression was? I thought Tom Hardy was doing a guest spot on swim university.
How do I lower alkalinity with minimal change to pH?
How would you recommend lowering calcium hardness?
Ph & alkalinity is so high the water is green someone help Are you in Orleans ?
How do I lower JUST my alkalinity my PH Is Fine .
i have high alkalinity but a perfect PH lvl 7.2 im using a sand filter with saltwater setup and chlorine generator all lvls are in the good range except the alkalinity its off the chart high water is crystal clear
Is 200 alkalinity too high? and it was 160 before but keeps increasing. Also the ph is 7.2? We always have too fix the filter maybe that’s why.. also I already bought the Muraic acid from Lowe’s, the same one you inserted at the beginning of the video is that one safe to use cause it said in the video you have to buy a specificly for a pool from a pool store??
So 1 part to 10 parts? But how much of each please? I mean one part could be 10 cups to 100 cups. What is a good amount to start with? Are you in Nepean ?
What if your pH is good, hanging around 7.2 to 7.4, but your alkalinity is high….around 180 to 190. If adjusting one adjusting the other, how do you get balance it out?
Since I met you, I check my pool water twice a week. Thank you.
Should I have the pump on or off when adding acid? Service area Kanata??
We have A small intex Circular 600 gallons (8ftx2ft) . What happens if alkaline High and ph is low? How do you find that balance? Thanks
How soon can I add muriatic acid AFTER ALREADY having added chlorine?
Either my kit is bad, or I have a different problem. PH is high, Alkalinity is Low. Adding baking soda just shifts them, so I then I have to add acid again. Then I do it all over again, keep chasing it. Service area Ottawa??
OK but what if I have high alkalinity and a low ph…
Just curious – should the filter be on? Recirculate? or just turned off? For how long if you turn of filter or use recirculate. Thanks.
I have 7.5 ph and 200 ppm alkalinity. Suggestions?
Hey pool friends I have a question. My pool was green and I got it back to crystal clear blue however I'm trying to balance my Ph and alkalinity levels so I dont get algae again or scaling in my pump or liner. I have a vinyl pool with a sand filter pump. My Ph is 7.2, my chlorine is HIGH (I assume from all the shock I poured in). I'm using a 5 way test kit but the readings are higher than 11.0 (it's a dark orange). However my alkalinity is also HIGH 330 ppm. I need it to be between 80 – 150 ppm. I have added muriatic acid. I had to keep the pump on so it didnt settle on the bottom and burn the liner. I did dilute it to 10 parts water in a bucket first before pouring in. My pool is a 2750 gallon pool. So in total I have put in 1 2/3 cup muriatic acid. It has been 24 hours since I did this and my new readings are the same. Does anyone know what I can do to lower the alkalinity in the pool.
I've been pouring the acid directly into the pool without diluting it. I did not know you were supposed to. Any drawbacks to doing it direct?
My pH is very low and my alkalinity is very high.
i was told to put 13lbs of alkaline in my pool the next day i go to test my water at the same place they asked me what happened?, i say what are you talking about something ;i cant remember is to high ,i told her i fallowed the instructions.she asked me if my pool was 22000 gallons i said hell no is 4500 gallons oh we have you in our system long story short the manager told me to put 9 ozs every 4 hrs to bring this down should i haave the pump running for this and another thing my water is salt but they have me as chlorine another mistake they did or does it mather Service area Orleans??
My ph and alkalinity are high and don’t seem to want to come down. I’ve used about two bags or 10lbs total in my pool not all at once but little by little and they’re still high. I’ve used ph down from Clorox and one from another brand but like nothing. Just got some muriatic acid I think I’m gonna try that now and hopefully that’ll do it. Got it fell Home Depot. Comes in a box of two bottles. Says other uses and one says ph control so guess that should work?
I have slight green color in my pool water is clear just a slightly green tint. All the number are fine except alkalinity. I can't keep the alkalinity up. How can I get that to stay up and what about the greenish color? 😩 Are you in Kanata ?
Can you make a video explaining when to use soda ash over bicarb ? I just started as a pool service tech and I’ve been doing it 4 months. I understand chemistry and it’s importance and I under stand how to achieve what I want BUT I would like to be more accurate. We are taught use soda ash for low pH and use bicarb for alkalinity.. a lot of the guys I work simply use bicarb for both. If bicarb works for both why even use soda ash ? Is this accurate to say “9 times out of 10 If the pH is off the alkalinity will be off” ?
How often do you check your pH and alkalinity? What chemicals do you use to adjust them?