Questions about the use of muriatic acid (HCL)

[Delphinus]

Where can you get the stuff? When I went to paint my fish room floor I noted the instructions said "first etch the concrete with muriatic acid." So to Home Depot I went, and they said "Are you crazy? That stuff is far too dangerous. We don't sell it." I ended up using this other product called "Concrete Etch" (don't know what it was but it wasn't muriatic acid). It was just one other example in a long series that make me wonder what it is that Home Depot actually sells - the stores seem pretty big, and they seem to be pretty full of "stuff" - and yet, anytime I need a (insert hardware thingy here), I seem to walk away from HD empty-handed. What's up with that anyhow?!

But I've heard of people using muriatic acid to clean all sorts of reef gear - for example it's supposed to be great for reaching parts of skimmers you can't reach and so on. ... Does Rona sell it? Or do you have to go to a more out-of-the-way sort of hardware store?

[Chad]

Canadian tire carries muriatic acid in the paint department. It is in a sealed bag.