How to add CYA

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M

Mauigal

0
Aug 1, 2015
9
Hawaii
Ok I am new to this and not sure if im in th e right place to post, but here I go...
I have a colman vinyl 16x48 about 5000 gal above ground pool with a intex saltwater system, and a intex sand filter system..I live in Hawaii and it is Hot and we have very Hard water...

so I have some powder likecyanuric acid or stabilizer for my pool, not the liquid but kind of looks likegrains of salt. from what I know it is used to protect yourchlorine in the pool so uv rays don't eat up the chlorine. all the videos andtips ive seen online of how to add cyanuric acid to your pool is all in anunderground pool and they add it to their underground skimmer system. how do Iadd the cyanuric acid to my above ground pool, its 16ft round 4ft deep intexpool with a krystal clear sand filter. the filter has a leaf skimmer basketwhere water is pulled in and then passes to the sand filter then back to thepool, but it feels that if I add the cyanuric acid to the leaf skimmer it willdamage it or just be washed away when it passes through the sand filter, so howdo I add it correctly. thanks very much
 
Welcome to TFP. Do not add any chemicals to your pool until you know your levels. Did you already order your test kit TF-100 or the taylor K-2006 is recommended. Once you get your levels you will know where to go from there. Is your water clear?
 
Hi Mauigal,
Earl gave you a very good tip. Get a test kit and test the water to know how much CYA is already in there. Then we can help you determine how much.

When its time to add it and you know how much to add, put the CYA in a sock or old pillowcase, and hang it on the end of a pole in front of a return. It will take a few hours for it dissolve. You can help it along by periodically squeezing the sock to help get the CYA out of it.

Here a few links to help you better understand the pool paramaters and TFPs recommended levels..
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Regarding test kits, TFP recommends the TF100 and the Taylor K2006C

hope this helps get you started.
 
Here is how I hung mine, so it was suspended without touching the side. I used my pole with the brush on the end. I would go out and squeeze it periodically to help it dissolve quicker. But as recommended above, make sure you ready do need it before you add it. About the only way to get rid of it if you have too much is water replacement. I did mine in two parts. It takes a few days to show up on the testing after it is added.

 
Assuming you trust the store testing and want to add it, use a sock.
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Wow, she's fast! Double post of her picture!
 
I just happened to be on and thought I'd share. I should have taken a better quality photo, lol. That was right after my fill. My water is so much clearer now after filtering for a while. The township water I have is a bit rusty or something, we are the next to the last house on the line.
 
Mauigal said:
Someone said you can take hot water and dissolve half at a time, is this true? also how long till the kids can swim after adding the CYA?
Click to expand...
If you hang the sock in front of a return it'll all be gone in a day. What's the big rush?

The kids can get in immediately, as long as they don't start playing with the sock. If they can't resist it, pull it and set it in a plastic bucket until they're done, then put it back.

Of more concern is that you a) have correct pH and b) have some chlorine in the water. You can use bleach to get an immediate level. to get from nothing to 2 will only take 2 measuring cups of plain old laundry bleach. That will give you some protection until the saltwater generator starts generating enough.
 
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The CYA will help with the FC loss.

It is very important to maintain FC at target level at all times for your CYA and the Chlorine CYA Chart. If your FC is below the minimum level on the chart then your pool is unsanitary, algae will start growing and there is increased risk of person to person disease transmission.

More here, Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
and here, Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Please add your pool info to your signature as shown here, Pool School - Getting Started
 
I have used hot water and a bucket and you can dissolve 4lbs in about 20-30 min.

The pain of doing it that way is you have to squeeze it over and over so your wrists
get a work out and might be sore next day.

I just use a sock in front of a jet now...it typically ends up leaving a bunch of tiny white
specs of cya on the deep end so I run the suction robot at the same time to pick it up
and get back in the filter.
 
Maybe this is an old topic, but getting my CYA correct is a pet peeve of mine. When I open my pool (at least for the last 3 seasons) my CYA level is at 0. Additionally, there is a lot of dirt and a fair amount of leaves in the pool. Loop loc cover. It takes about 48-72 hours of running the pump 24/7 DE/filter and the robot (internal filters) in order to really clear a the pool up, and one or more backwashes of the DE filter. During this time I am hesitant to add solid CYA, as I will likely just backwash it out of the filter. I'm always hesitant to add liquid CYA because of the cost.

At the same time, this means I'll need to go through a lot more bleach to SLAM the pool on opening, because I'm losing a lot of it during the day to the sun (in addition to all the algae).

Eventually things always work out, but just frustrating I haven't found a better solution yet.
 
I put the sock above the skimmer basket. Pretty much dissolved with minimal massaging within a week and the CYA enters the filter immediately for distribution through the jets to the rest of the pool.
 
I have switched from tube socks to knee highs the last couple of summers. I can put 4 lbs of cya in a knee high. Lots of knee high squeezing can get it dissolved in under 30 min. This issue easier if you are in the pool. It will leave some CYA dust in the pool that will need to be brushed a little bit.
 
What is your pool temp? Mine is still at 50 degrees, which may be part of the issue. I suspended 4lbs of CYA in a sock in front of a return overnight, and I couldn't tell that any had dissolved. I even left it for 1.5 hours in front of a hot tub return (no heat) and still I have a fat sock full of CYA. I'll try putting the sock in a 5 gallon puck and pouring boiling water over it next tonight.

The frustration is I'm still losing all the chlorine I put in at night (10ppm) during the day
 
I just added 2lbs. to my pool this week using the sock/skimmer method. First time to add CYA instead of battling high numbers like before (thanks TFP!). Overnight the sock lost a little but very little. Pump running entire time. Yesterday morning I got out there and within 15 minutes of squeezing the sock it was completely dispersed into the water. It needs that extra help to loosen or else it becomes more of a solid. Also the reason to keep it in the sock and not have it potentially clog up your lines to the pump/filter by pouring directly in the skimmer.
 
Thanks,

With that method how long did it take before your Cya levels reached the peak? I just did the same thing squeezing 4lbs of cya through a sock in the skimmer in about 20 minutes.

Should I get an instant boost, or will it still be several days before it all dissolves in the filter?
 

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