First time CYA

[coachmarino]

A few years ago I opened my first pool, and the forum was a tremendous help.

Four summers later, I have a crystal clear pool, with the use of bleach, borax, and baking soda.

I'm at the next phase, though, in that I have never added CYA, and I think I need some...

It's at zero. And I'm pumping chlorine in...

Four years ago, my then girlfriend and mother were running the pool. Their idea was just too throw chemicals down and big pucks in the pool. Once I found this website and started doing some testing, I found the cya level was over 100. Through a ton of work, advice and patience, I cleared the pool, but now I'm gun shy about cya.

I've done some reading, but I need some direct advice.

What is my best method to start with? Are there good brands over others? Should I use a puck in a sock in the skimmer? Should I use liquid?

I used pool math, but it's a little conflicted... Or I'm out of practice.

Thank you for your help!

Can't remember if my signature is accurate...
15000 gallon above ground pool
Sand filter
Hayward pump 1.5 hp

 

[Pool Tool]

Which test kit do you have? Even if it is low, CYA of zero would make your pool terribly difficult to manage and dangerous at even low FC. Pucks will not raise your CYA quickly enough to get started. You need to get some granular conditioner/stabilizer (both are CYA) in there soon. Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot all sell it, it should be at least 95% concentration. It's often listed by its chemical name, something like 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triol. The triazine is key part of the name, it has many synonyms.

I would add only enough to raise it 20 then retest with a recommended kit. For your pool, 40 oz of CYA will add 20 ppm of CYA. Hang this in a sock in front of your return and let it soak. After several hours squeeze it to dissolve it sooner. Once you hang the sock, retest in several days or after a week. Ultimately you'll want to get to 40 ppm, but after adding 20 and presumably having some in there already you could use the dichlor appropriately to raise it the final bit.

Again, once the sock is hanging, calculate the FC doses based on having 30 ppm of CYA in the pool until your tests confirm your real numbers. Note - CYA tests are not effective testing levels less than 20 ppm so it's completely logical that you could already have that much in your pool.

Hopefully, this makes sense. Good luck.

 

[coachmarino]

Thanks! Got it floating now...