CYA & Chlorine

[WetBehindTheEars]

I am having to add CYA on a fairly regular basis. I am also consistently having to lower pH. Would it be more convenient to add an alternative chlorine in the summer that adds CYA and lowers pH? Once the CYA levels out then switch back to bleach?

Thanks.

 

[anonapersona]

Sure, if you are really sure that the CYA is low, you have the luxury of using trichlor pucks. They well lower pH, and TA also. So do be sure to watch the TA as well.
,B utdo be sure you have a gold read on that CYyA level, test it yourself, don't rely on strips or pool stores. That is one that the strips trend to read very wrong, 30 reads as 0, for example, and stores can be shall over the place inaccurate.

 

[WetBehindTheEars]

How quickly will a stabilized chlorine source increase cya versus using pure cya? How much stabilizer is typically a part of a lb. of trichlor or dichlor?

8lb. of stabilizer is $40 and will immediately raise cya to 35-40. How quickly would it rise using trichlo or dichlor?

 

[Optica]

Normal doses of Dichlor or Trichlor will raise CYA slowly.

For your min pool size of 24K gallons, the pool calculator says:
8 oz of Dichlor will raise FC by 1.4 and raise CYA by 1.3 and lower PH by 0.05
8 oz of Trichlor will raise FC by 2.3 and raise CYA by 1.4 and lower PH by 0.12

Check out the pool calculator on this site and look at the bottom section where it shows you the results of adding various things to your pool. Very handy.

I am curious why you have to keep adding CYA? A lot of rain overflow or vacuuming to waste causing refills?
As mentioned by anonapersona be sure of your CYA levels before adding more and do not trust the pool store or test strip results. Use a quality test kit recommended by lots of people here such as the TFT100 or Taylor K-2006.

 

[257WbyMag]

CYA is not something that is typically consumed from pool water. Loss of CYA on a consistent basis is often the result of a pool leak. Even splash out and rain dilution would probably only result in a negligible amount of CYA loss over a long period.

Echoing what other posters have mentioned, it is highly advisable that you purchase your own high quality test kit such as the TF-100 or the Taylor K-2006 from www.tftestkits.net. Despite their appearance, pool stores are oftentimes lacking in their ability to produce or interpret accurate test results, CYA being one of the most difficult ones to find consistency in.