CYA - trouble using test

[fishface]

I'm a new to all this pool stuff.

I posted in Just Getting Starting, see geting-pool-chemistry-balanced-t65812.html

Test strips indicated off-the-scale CYA, I have drain approximately 50% of the water, CYA still very very high. On the recommendation of this forum I have purchased a Taylor K2006 test kit, and I have carried out the CYA test and I'm confused over the results.

I added 7ml of pool water, then added the correct CYA agent from the kit, to the 14ml line in the test bottle, shook it for 30secs, and then slowly added to test tube until the block dot disappeared, the dot disappeared very quickly, and the instructions tell you to read the number of the back of the tube, the thing is, the dot disappeared before it even reached the numbering on the back, does this mean it is really high...of the scale high?

I was wondering if the instructions meant the scale on the side of the tube, if so, that would be 1.8ppm.

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[jblizzle]

That means your CYA is WAY above 100ppm. Try the test again with a 50/50 mix of pool and tap water to start, then the reagent, then double the reading.

Actually your CYA is so high, you may need to use 25% pool and 75% tap water and the multiply the reading by 4. I would do this since the K-2006 does not give you enough CYA reagent for more than a couple tests.

You can dump the mixture back and forth a few times to see if you consistently get the same reading.

 

[Donldson]

Yep, you can now use the infamous phrase, "The numbers are off the scale!" Follow the 4:1 dilution jblizzle suggested and you will get a rough idea. Be prepared to do another massive drain, your CYA must have been truly insane before your last one

 

[Isaac-1]

I see lots of draining and water replacement in your future, you may want to go ahead and buy more CYA reagent now:

tf test kits has it here in larger 8 oz bottles:

http://tftestkits.net/R-0013-CYA-Refill-8-0z-p52.html

 

[fishface]

Thanks for all the advice. Yep, lots of draining to do, I get the feeling the previous owners of the house didn't do any testing, and just kept adding tabs to the pool, and this is the end result.

Maybe I can bottle my water and sell to somebody who needs to add CYA? (Joking!)

I'll get some more CYA reagent as well and report back.

 

[jblizzle]

Maybe I can bottle my water and sell to somebody who needs to add CYA?

There you go ... business opportunity ... "Get it while it lasts!!! Instantly mixes in to your water ... no need to wait a week to test!!! Get yours now!!!" :lol: