I am aware that Agua Fuerte is commonly used for the treatment and cleaning of pools. Can anyone tell me if this is safe practice and what is intended in the use of this chemical?.

Hi

Agua Fuerte is acid (sorry I forget which) and is used as the cheapest way of reducing the PH of the water

Dave

It's Hydrochloric acid and it a recommended pool additive.

Mercadona sell 5 litres for just over 2€.

I know we have had this discussion before but I would never, ever put agua fuerte in my pool.

Why?

My neighbours use it & they have a salt water system.

Wendy x

Well, probably for the same reason that I would never have a salt based chlorine generator either.

isnt it possible that the acid could eat away at the grout and also damage the glaze on the tiles ?

No possibility at all at the concentrations used. Your stomach has a far higher concentration of the same acid.

Many thanks for your information and advice, but I am confused when you say to bring down the acid content of the pool water you should add another acid. Also if using Agua Fuerte is a ligitamate chemical for reducing the acid content of a pool and its cost is a fraction of the cost of prescribed chemicals, are we being ripped off by the people that sell prescribed chemicals to adjust the acid content of our pools?

jimmy23, reducing pH is to add acid.
increase pH by adding an alkali.
pH 7 is neutral above 7 is alkaline and below 7 is acid.
you want a pool at 7.2 to 7.4 pH, just on the alkali side of neutral.

And handling aqua fuerte or any other concentrated strong acid has its risks.

Looking back at your original question, you do have a test kit for pH and chlorine I hope. Do not simply add any acid to "clean" the pool.

In a word, yes. The major pool chemical manufacturers also sell Agua Fuerte but not in convenient 5 litre bottles like Mercadonna and I doubt that it is as cheap.

In the UK it is not easily available in domestic packaging - the yobs would probably start throwing it at each other!

It is recommended as a pH reducer by all the pool companies but with the warning that it is more difficult to handle than dry acid. The commercially available stuff is more concentrated than the domestic version so that does require more careful handling. If you are careful the domestic stuff is pretty safe to use. I just kneel down and pour it directly into the pool from the plastic container where the water is returning from the pump.

It's really a personal choice as to whether you use it or use dry acid - they both have the same effect. Dry acid must be dissolved first so that takes a bit longer than using a liquid. Dry acid leaves more residual chemicals (sulphates in particular) than Agua Fuerte which is composed purely of hydrogen and chlorine.

Agua fuerte is for cleaning drains and toilets (and for yobs to throw at each other). Sodium bisulphate is for reducing the pH of a swimming pool. Hence the difference in the price.

You will find that commercial liquid pH minus is generally hydrochloric Acid or sulphuric acid.

It has to be for automatic systems