Re: why not use vinegar as your acid when pH too high?
vinegar would cause acetates to form in the water (mostly sodium acetate and calcium acetate I would presume)...not sure what effect they might have but it probably isn't good. Muriatic acid only adds chlorides to the water, which are already there as sodium chorine and calcium chloride. Dry acid adds sulfates, which are suspected of causing problems to the plaster finish by some.
Also vinegar is a weak acid and just would not be effective.
Retired pool store and commercial pool maintenance guy.