Do I need stabilizer?

[Brockm1]

Hi,
I just had my pool opened and had my water tested at the pool store. Here are the readings:
FAC 0
TAC 0
CH 250
CYA 0
TA 80
PH 7.4

The guy at the pool store recommended stabilizer. I am using Di-chlor shock I added 3 lbs today to shock, and tri-chlor tablets.
I am thinking that the di-chlor and tri-chlor should raise the CYA . Do you recommend adding stabilizer?
Thanks,
Mary

 

[jblizzle]

What are your long term plans?

You are correct that the dichlor and tablets are going to add CYA, but until a bank builds up the FC will be lost to the sun quickly.

Have you read that we TFPer's do not arbitrarily "shock" our pools?

 

[nlindelldc]

According to poolmath, the 3 lbs of dichlor that you added raised your FC by 15 and your CYA by 13. The trichlor tablets that you are using (for each tablet used) raises your FC by 4.1 and your CYA by 2.5.

Having said all of that, yes, you need stabilizer (aka CYA). We recommend it be at 50. You can get there slowly by using the the above products but why not just add it directly to your pool in the amount that you need? It is MUCH cheaper that way, and faster too. And use liquid chlorine for your chlorine additions. You can find all of the details in the links at the top of the page. (Pool school)

Oh, and get your own test kit and STOP going to the pool store!

 

[Brockm1]

Hi, Thank you for your reply. I bought my own Taylor Pool test kit last year and I need to replace some of the reagents. I usually try to do it myself, although I admit
to still being a nubie, as this was something that my late husband took care of. I am still learning so I appreciate the help. I went and got a 4 lb bottle of stabilizer and added
half this afternoon, after backwashing this morning. I will test again tomorrow and add the rest if I need to. I was afraid to dump it all in as I do not want the CYA too high in case the pool store guy got it wrong. I will try to go back to using the liquid chlorine again this year.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi, Thank you for your reply, my long term plans are to sell me house and get out of the pool business, but in the meantime, I still have to care for this pool.
I will try to get back to using bleach, although last year, I went thru so much bleach and could not keep the chlorine levels stable. This year I started out with
Di-Chlor and pucks to get the pool going as that is what the pool company starts the pool off with. I am no spring chicken so I am trying to do what is reasonable
for me, without creating too many headaches for myself. I sincerely appreciate the help that this website provides me with.