Home Depot pool muriatic acid

[SeaDweller]

Can ANYONE tell me if this is safe to use to lower Alk in salt water mix? Has anyone ever used this particular one? The associates at HD pointed me to this one and none other.

If this isn't acceptable, then which HCL at hardware stores have you used successfully.

I need help asap as I'm performing multiple 120 gallon water changes and need to use cheap IO salt mix but the Alk is always high.

 

[Big G]

Great question. Never used it to lower Alk, but have used that exact brand to recharge Cuprisorb. Worked as it should.

#reefsquad

 

[MTBake]

I'm really not sure either.

I use this one. Found it in the paint section at my local HD.

 

[ndrwater]

Can ANYONE tell me if this is safe to use to lower Alk in salt water mix? Has anyone ever used this particular one? The associates at HD pointed me to this one and none other.



If this isn't acceptable, then which HCL at hardware stores have you used successfully.

I need help asap as I'm performing multiple 120 gallon water changes and need to use cheap IO salt mix but the Alk is always high.

I know from personal experience, if you let IO mix for a while, the ALK drops to a more manageable level..

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Far as I know muriatic is all 31% HCL

 

[saltyhog]

I use that brand in my pool. I don't believe there are any other ingredients other than HCl.

 

[SeaDweller]

I'm really not sure either.

I use this one. Found it in the paint section at my local HD.

Thank you everyone. I'll ask for this one specifically.

 

[SeaDweller]

Far as I know muriatic is all 31% HCL

Looks the HDX stuff is about 14%

 

[rkpetersen]

Probably overkill, but I'd use reagent grade HCl. Just no way to know what kind of impurities there could be in industrial muriatic acid.

 

[MTBake]

Probably overkill, but I'd use reagent grade HCl. Just no way to know what kind of impurities there could be in industrial muriatic acid.

Thanks for this link. Didn't even know this was available. I mostly use muriatic acid for cleaning equipment so never researched it much. This would be good for lowering alk as it ends up going into the tank.

 

[KrisReef]

I think you will not need 2 gallons.

If you are in a jam, I think I would use something like lemon juice concentrate from the grocery store. Add a few drops and see where the ALK is at.

 

[rkpetersen]

Thanks for this link. Didn't even know this was available. I mostly use muriatic acid for cleaning equipment so never researched it much. This would be good for lowering alk as it ends up going into the tank.

Yeah, this is as concentrated as HCl can be at 37%. Amazon also has lower concentrations of reagent grade like 2 M (7%).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I expect the home depot brand is OK. You use very little.

That said, ACS reagent would have much more guarantee of no metallic impurities.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think you will not need 2 gallons.

If you are in a jam, I think I would use something like lemon juice concentrate from the grocery store. Add a few drops and see where the ALK is at.

NO, that cannot work. Organic acids do not permanently lower alkalinity. It MUST be a mineral acid, such as sulfuric or muriatic (hydrochloric).

Organic acids will be metabolized int eh tank, giving back all the alk depleted originally.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Far as I know muriatic is all 31% HCL

Low fume ("green") kinds are lower. They give you less and promote that as a plus. lol

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Low fume ("green") kinds are lower. They give you less and promote that as a plus. lol

Good to know

 

[Reefahholic]

Low fume ("green") kinds are lower. They give you less and promote that as a plus. lol

That’s right! Which is why I bought the blue. Randy told me this a while back. I use the blue to lower Alk in IO salt.

 

[Sleepydoc]

Looks the HDX stuff is about 14%

The Klean Strip jug is 20% according to their web site. (See Randy's post #15)
If I had to pick between the two, I'd probably take the pool chemical, since there are probably some regulations regarding allowable toxins for pool chemicals, where as the other is simply intended as a concrete cleaner. (Just guessing here) Reagent grade would likely be safer, though.

 

[SeaDweller]

Well since someone mentioned impurities I just ordered seachem acid buffer to lower Alk. Don't want to risk anything in the reef that will be full of acros.

Although I would love to use HCL without ordering from Amazon.

 

[jd371]

I know from personal experience, if you let IO mix for a while, the ALK drops to a more manageable level..

Just curious, what do you consider a while? I usually mix IO the day before I do the WC. I like to keep ALK at 8.5 - 9, and IO mixes up at 9.5 -10, would a day drop it to the levels I'm looking for?