Sulfate is a mineral salt that can be introduced to your water through the use of various pool chemicals. Now, here are all the reasons why you shouldn’t put sulfuric acid in your pool. With that being said, dry acid does become significantly cheaper at larger volumes, so buckets of 25 or 30 pounds may work out more cost-effective in the long run. While it’s harder to compare the price against dry acid (sodium bisulfate) due to it being solid granules, it’s well-established that dry acid is often more expensive than both acid alternatives in terms of net effect. 1-gallon of sulfuric acid is between $5 and $15.1-gallon of muriatic acid is between $10 and $15.Muriatic acid is often touted as the cheapest pool acid, but sulfuric acid is actually similarly priced, if not slightly cheaper.įor example, looking at the average online price: Both acids are diluted enough that they can be poured directly into your pool. Like muriatic acid, sulfuric acid is a liquid acid. While many pool specialists who use dry acid consider this a minor inconvenience, this additional step requires more equipment and slows down the process of reducing the pH and alkalinity of your pool water. Sulfuric acid and dry acid are very similar (remember, sulphuric acid is an ingredient of dry acid).ĭry acid, however, comes in granular form, meaning it has to be pre-dissolved in a bucket before being added to a swimming pool. While this is only ever a concern under poor handling, it’s still something many pool owners prefer to avoid.īoth dry acid and sulfuric acid aren’t nearly as potent as muriatic acid in regards to fuming, and this similarity isn’t surprising given that sulfuric acid is used to make dry acid.įor anyone who doesn’t like the sound of potentially breathing toxic vapors while adjusting their pool chemistry, “fume-free” sulfuric acid sounds a lot more appealing. In particular, muriatic acid gives off strong vapors that can lead to repository issues and internal swelling after long or repeated exposure. Some acids are harder to handle than others, and that’s partly due to the fumes they give off. Let’s start with why you should use sulfuric acid in your pool. Sulfuric acid isn’t nearly as popular, however, and there are a number of good reasons for why that is. In this case, sulfuric acid would later be paired with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to raise alkalinity back up in isolation. Like the alternatives, sulfuric acid can be used to target pH even though it will also impact alkalinity.
It’s basically an alternative to muriatic acid or dry acid when used in pool chemistry, and it’s equally as effective at lowering both of these levels. Sulfuric acid can be used to increase the acidity of your pool water, and therefore lower its pH and total alkalinity. Sulfuric acid is sold is typically sold in 1-gallon jugs at only 38% strength, which is far weaker than dry acid at 93%. Interestingly, sulfuric acid is one of the main ingredients of dry acid (sodium bisulfate), which is a granular, dissolvable type of acid that’s often used in swimming pools. It’s also used in various other chemicals, such as in dyes and pigments, washing detergents, certain types of drugs, and even explosives. Sulfuric acid, or sulphuric acid, is most commonly used in fertilizers.