Hi! I help take care of the pool in our condo community. Last year, the health department said our cyanuric acid was too high. They never shut us down, but it was always higher than their allowable level. I believe their limit was 75, and we were around 100. I drained about half the water out and refilled. That got it down to about 80. Just couldn't get it any lower. The health department said that the reason was because the paint in the pool (it is an inground) walls and bottom had absorbed the acid and we would never be able to get it low unless we repainted. In searching the internet, I have not been able to find this mentioned. If it's true, it's probably out there and I just haven't seen it. Just wondered if anyone else has had this issue. Bottom line, draining half the water out helps, but it doesn't get us where we need to be. Thanks.
Cyanuric acid in the paint in our pool?
- Thread starter blinstedt
- Start date
Welcome to our forum, and good to have you aboard.
I very respectfully disagree with the paint holding Cya theory. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I really don't believe that's possible. The Cya is likely just much higher than you can see because of the upper limits of the test kit's range. What test method are you using, and what is the upper range of it?
I very respectfully disagree with the paint holding Cya theory. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I really don't believe that's possible. The Cya is likely just much higher than you can see because of the upper limits of the test kit's range. What test method are you using, and what is the upper range of it?
Welcome to the forum. 
Of course you can get CYA down.....simply replace more water. There is no mystery there.
As for the paint holding CYA, I have heard reports of some pools not reducing CYA to the amount expected and some felt it may be cause there is a theoretical residual that can evaporate onto pool walls.
After all that, I wouldn't give it ten seconds thought. Simply lower your pool level by 50% and your CYA will reduce 50% (or so close to that so it won't matter.
Patrick_B is on to something with your testing method......let us know what it is.
This is an easy fix.
Of course you can get CYA down.....simply replace more water. There is no mystery there.As for the paint holding CYA, I have heard reports of some pools not reducing CYA to the amount expected and some felt it may be cause there is a theoretical residual that can evaporate onto pool walls.
After all that, I wouldn't give it ten seconds thought. Simply lower your pool level by 50% and your CYA will reduce 50% (or so close to that so it won't matter.
Patrick_B is on to something with your testing method......let us know what it is.
This is an easy fix.
Hey, sorry for the late reply. The kit we have is a Taylor. One of those where you add drops until the dot on the bottom disappears and then take the reading. I was up around 100. I did drain quite a bit of water out and replace it. The lowest we have been able to get it down to is 70, and that is still higher than what our Health Dept. would like. They didn't shut us down, and they're the ones who said the cya was in the paint and the best course of action was to paint over and seal it in.