Quick! What product can I buy to neutralize Acid??

jill.costello · #1 09/02/10, 11:01 AM

Ack! The pool guy just drained and cleaned our pool (that had been neglected for a year by previous owners). He used an acid wash to clean the calcium build-up and stains, but did NOT use a neutralizer after, just sprayed w/ water!

Is "TSP" what I'm after? or something else that will work?

TnAndy · #2 09/02/10, 11:09 AM

What exactly is it you're worried about ?

The calcium that was removed probably neutralized most all of what was a weak acid solution to start with, and washing it down with water would take care of the rest.

You thinking your toes are gonna dissolve or something ?

mightybooboo · #3 09/02/10, 11:16 AM

Baking soda and ammonia are both a base.

jill.costello · #4 09/02/10, 11:18 AM

<grin> Naw, I'm worried because he used really STRONG acid solution (bubbled up, gave off noxious gasses, etc) He used 8 gallons to treat the sides and bottom of a 15 x 30 marcite in-ground pool.

He sprayed it all down with water, after, and then pumped out most of what collected in the bottom....BUT, there is still about 40 gallons just sitting in the bottom.

We now will want to prime and paint with a special epoxy pool paint called "Zeron", and their instructions are SPECIFIC that all acid must be neutralized before application.

We're looking at about $900.00 in primer, paint, and materials to do the job ourselves, so we want to do it RIGHT the first time.... there's no "slush fund" for screwing up!

Cheribelle · #5 09/02/10, 11:22 AM

Baking soda works, might take a lot of it?

TnAndy · #6 09/02/10, 11:27 AM

I'd just keep washing it down with a hose, and pumping out the water. You're gonna have to get it completely dry anyway, right, before you paint ?

If you're really worried, go get a bag of Ag lime at a feed store and fling some in the soup. 50lbs is probably under 10 bucks.

Curtis B · #7 09/02/10, 11:29 AM

What he used was Muratic acid. It should have been diluted when he applied it. It is used to etch the pool surface. It cleans the pool and opens tiny pores for the paint to adhear to. All it needs is a very good rinsing, and pumping out as it goes. The TSP is a non foaming soap that you need to use to clean the pool before painting. You will need to rinse the pool well after using it also. I haven't heard of Zeron paint, but at that price I would think it is an epoxy type of pool paint. Do you have to mix 2 parts together before applying it? Just follow the directions, I have painted a number of pools, and have never neutralized the acid.

Silvercreek Farmer · #8 09/02/10, 11:36 AM

The threat title ought to read "SLOW! I have all of the forseable future to paint my pool!"

jill.costello · #9 09/02/10, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Lindsay

The threat title ought to read "SLOW! I have all of the forseable future to paint my pool!"

Not so, Matt! Leaving a pool empty of water weight makes it succeptible to coming out of the ground due to hydrostatic pressure of the ground water/ water table....

To be very safe, I should only leave the pool empty for the 2-weeks worth of work we're doing to it, then fill it asap.

Yes, it is an epoxy pool paint, went with that due to the 8-yr life instead of lesser pool paints that can only last 2-3 yrs before needing re-doing.

jill.costello · #10 09/02/10, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curtis B

What he used was Muratic acid. It should have been diluted when he applied it. It is used to etch the pool surface. It cleans the pool and opens tiny pores for the paint to adhear to. All it needs is a very good rinsing, and pumping out as it goes. The TSP is a non foaming soap that you need to use to clean the pool before painting. You will need to rinse the pool well after using it also. I haven't heard of Zeron paint, but at that price I would think it is an epoxy type of pool paint. Do you have to mix 2 parts together before applying it? Just follow the directions, I have painted a number of pools, and have never neutralized the acid.

So, are you saying I can forget a neutralizing product and use TSP instead? Or are you saying that now that it has been acid-washed, if I rinse really well, I can simply start priming after it is totally dry?

Curtis B · #11 09/02/10, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jill.costello

So, are you saying I can forget a neutralizing product and use TSP instead? Or are you saying that now that it has been acid-washed, if I rinse really well, I can simply start priming after it is totally dry?

Yes, forget neutralizing, just rinse well, that essentially gets rid of the acid. After rinsing, wash with the TSP (follow the directions with mixing amounts and water). After scrubbing with the TSP rinse well again. You then need to wait until the pool is dry to paint. Have you ever used any epoxy paint before? You did get the primer for that epoxy paint right, it should also be a two part? It is different than the regular rubberized paint application wise. Oh, and the pot life it gives is actually much shorter IMO.

jill.costello · #12 09/02/10, 12:06 PM

This is the reccommended primer:

http://www.doheny.com/poolsupplies/P...II-Primer.html

For this paint:

http://www.doheny.com/poolsupplies/Z...ool-Paint.html

Yes, I've been scouring the user testimonials and have a good list of tips about how much to mix, application techniques, and the number-1 issue for me here in Florida is finding a stretch of good weather that won't be too hot or too humid.... We just might do this project at night under lights!!

Curtis B · #13 09/02/10, 12:36 PM

Make sure you have a drill and mixer. Prep, prep, and make sure you prep, you will not have time during. As your painting keep thinking of all the nice time in the pool when you get to fill it (the fumes will almost make it possible to be there during), I for some reason have never gotten to swim in one I painted.

Harry Chickpea · #14 09/02/10, 12:58 PM

The Marcite is lime based, so I'd bet most of the acid has already been neutralized. Take a glass measuring cup, fill it to the eight or sixteen oz. mark, and add small (1/4 tsp.) amounts of baking soda until there is no fizz in the water from the baking soda. At that point, all of the acid is neutralized. Verify with a pH test strip. Do the math (128 oz per gallon, 40 gallons) and you'll find that if you used an 8 oz measure of water, you'll need a bit less than 640 times (probably around 600 times) that amount of baking soda to do the neutralizing without making it base. You will need pH strips for the pool anyway, and you can buy them and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) at the pool store. You'll need the sodium bicarb as a buffering agent when the pool is filled.

wogglebug · #15 09/02/10, 04:54 PM

Oxygen (which we are totally surrounded with as we breathe) is pretty darned fierce. As others have said, he would have used muriatic (=hydrochloric) acid. That's what you produce and use in your stomach. Probably not as strong as what's in your gut, though. If it's been airing-off for a couple of days, I wouldn't worry about it - it's turned into water and salt, or gassed off as chlorine.