Generally, it's recommended to wait about 10 minutes between adding each pool chemical. Some pool chemicals like pool salt and cyanuric acid take longer to dissolve in the pool water. The aim is to avoid strong concentrations of chemicals mixing together.
Despite being chlorinating agents, they are incompatible. Do not add at the same time or mix muriatic acid and chlorine. Such interaction produces a toxic gas that is dangerous to health even in small amounts. A good rule of thumb is to never mix pool chemicals with each other.
The ideal pH level for your pool is 7.2-7.8.
If your pH is too high, the chlorine becomes much less effective for sanitation. Pools with salt systems tend to have a higher pH level. Because of this, you will probably be adding a little more acid to your pool than most traditional chlorine pools.
The Orderly Addition of Chemicals
Getting the pH and total alkalinity sorted out will allow for the addition of further chemicals that affect the hardness and cleanliness of the water. If you find your pH and total alkalinity levels are too low, you'll need to add pH increaser to bump up the pH.
You should never add chlorine and muriatic acid at the same time. The muriatic acid will react with the chlorine in your pool and create a deadly gas called hydrochloric acid. You need to wait for a minimum of 30 minutes, after you add the acid, before adding any chlorine to your pool.
We recommend adding Acid weekly! Adding a little and often is better for your water and can actually save you money overtime. Large doses over longer periods of time take a larger portion of your 'Total alkalinity' away.
For your pool, muriatic acid will lower the alkalinity levels in pool water, which will help maintain a balance between acid phosphates and alkaline phosphates. This is important because at higher pH values, corrosive chlorine can become ineffective with lower pH values as it starts to break down into saltwater.
Yes, a salt water pool is easier to maintain! There's no need to purchase, store and add chlorine to your pool. Simply add salt and your pool's salt chlorinator will do all the work of making chlorine.
Perhaps most important note of all, never add chlorine and muriatic acid together in the pool. This creates a dangerous toxic gas that can have severe health consequences if inhaled.
Shocking a saltwater pool is very similar to how you would shock a typical chlorine pool. However you'll need to use Dichlor and not Cal-Hypo. Prepare the pool first by balancing the chemicals and then you can add pool shock like you would in a traditional pool.
Superchlorinate after rainstorms or heavy pool use, but for algae, chloramines or contamination, you will need to use packaged pool shock. In summary, shocking a saltwater pool is no different than shocking any other chlorine pool.
If you do add too much muriatic acid, your pH levels can dip dangerously low, and your pool water can cause rashes and eye irritation. Low levels of pH can also damage metals in your pool like ladders, railings, screws, bolts, and other important equipment.
You'll likely notice a difference in your water chemistry an hour or two after the muriatic acid has circulated. Retest your water at that point. If your pH and alkalinity levels are still too high, add another round of pool acid in ½ gallon doses or less. Remember you can always add more, so take your time.
Try muriatic acid.
It won't actually reduce the water's calcium hardness, but it will raise the saturation level, which can help bring the water back into balance.
If there is a problem with the chlorine, pH or other chemical levels in your pool, adjusting those levels can be enough to correct the cloudiness. For example, if your pool water is too basic, you can add hydrochloric acid or sodium hydrogen sulfate to lower the pH.
Here are common causes of an alkaline pool: Algae can raise the pH. Adding strong liquid chlorine, calcium or lithium hypochlorite chlorine may raise it. Suddenly heating the water, whether from a pool heater or a string of sunny days, could up the pH.
Acids lower the pH while bases raise the pH. If you blindly mix an acid with water, you are unlikely to add the correct amount. If you put too much acid into a solution, you will have to use a base to raise the pH once again.
To reach the initial salt level recommended by the salt system manufacturer (usually 2400-3200 ppm), you will need to add about 200 lbs of pure pool grade salt (NaCl), per 10,000 gallons of water. Salt stays in the water, you only need annual boosters, to replace salt lost to backwashing or splashout.
When pouring the salt into the pool, add it around the deep end to have it circulate through the main drain. Brush the salt towards the main drain. The salt should be dissolved within 24 hours. After the salt has dissolved, the salt chlorine generator can be started.