Adding too much stabilizer

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Frankpelly

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Feb 26, 2013
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My pool has always been perfect and self sufficient. We live in So Florida. My pool is approx. 17,000 gal, salt system (haywood aquapure t15 cell) with a high efficient pump. solar heat and cover. Average temp 85-90.

I all started when I installed a new high efficient pump. After a few days I developed algae despite having acceptable chlorine readings. I assumed when was the pump ahas installed it was not programmed properly for the pool.. I simply changed it to run at 3000 rpm for 12 hrs. I shocked the pool set the chlorinator to 70% (above what I had normally set the system) and moved on. I then developed significant problems with algae due to low chorine levels. I ran the pump at 3000 rpm for 15 hrs day ). I called and conducted several tests with Haywood and the system seems to be passing the their test, however, the chlorinator system will run (produce amps) for example for 2 hrs and then shut off infinitely. Haywodd states this has never happened before . I had the main board replaced, nothing changed. Cleaned the cell (it was clean), no change Haywood also states since my stabilizer is not at 80 there system will not maintain the necessary chorine. i.e. its my fault.

Ok I started watching my stabilizer and borough it to 80 which it goes back down over a week . In all, I have added more stabilizer over the last 3 months than i have used in 3 years. It wili rise to 80 and then fall back to 30. Were not getting any rain, I am not adding water to the pool . I add the stabilizer thought a sox into the filter basket to a "new" filter in the pump and will not clean the pump filter for 5 days. Tries both powder and liquid stabilizer. Help!!! Why wont my pool hold stabilizer. Cannot find one shop in So Florida that can answer this.

Frank
 
My guess would be testing errors. How are you testing the stabilizer?
Are you sure you're not adding a lot of water to the pool? Do you have an autofill?

My first suggestion would be to get a good test kit and run the tests yourself with it.

There are bacteria that will convert CYA (stabilizer) to ammonia but that's very rare to have happen in a pool that's been maintained.
 
Welcome to TFP!!!

Before we can figure out what is going on, it would be helpful for you to post a full set of test results and note what test kit you are using to get them.

Disappearing CYA is pretty odd. The only 2 ways I am aware of are: 1. You have a leak and an auto-fill that keeps the water level up so you do not know you have a leak. OR 2. Bacteria is converting the CYA into ammonia which would show up as CCs in the tests, but the only reports of this are over winter in cold pools

What did you do to "shock" the pool due to the algae? Here are a few links that describe how to defeat algae and what we mean by the shock process:
Defeating Algae
Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis
Shocking Your Pool

If you have not already, I would suggest reading through all of Pool School (button at upper right).
 
Thanks for the input. All my testing has been done by a local pool store by various employees. I have not added any water to the pool and the rain over the last month is the equivalent to one day in the summer--i.e. no rain. Again, I have added more stabilizer over the last 3 months than I have added in 3 years. ?????
 
CYA happens to be the test that pool stores seem to be notoriously bad at.

I would recommend ordering yourself one of the recommended test kits and take control for yourself instead of relying on someone who happens to be looking to make money by selling chemicals.

I would not be surprised if you found that your CYA is very high once you start testing for yourself ... it does not just disappear (unfortunately)
 
One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to purchase a high quality test kit with a FAS-DPD chlorine test. The TF-100, available only through tftestkits.net is the best value that you will find anywhere.

I would hazard to guess that roughly 98% of water problems that we hear of here are due to inaccurate test results from pool stores or lesser quality home test kits. Having the right test in a high quality kit will allow you to take control of your water situation.
 
Welcome to TFP :Wave:

I'm just going +1 what was said above. Unless the CYA is being converted to ammonia, the only way for it to "disappear" is dilution or testing error. My guess is that while the pump was down your chlorine dropped and allowed algae to take hold. You may still in fact have high CYA and it may be making it very difficult to shock. As was mentioned above, shocking a pool is a process which requires having an accurate and reliable test kit reading high FC levels (up to 50ppm) and not a product.

Hope you get this sorted out soon.
 
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